The website Patient UK defines blood pressure as the pressure of blood in your arteries. If your blood pressure consistently measures 160/100 or above, your doctor will likely prescribe drugs known as anti-hypertensives to help reduce it. It left untreated, high blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase the likelihood of heart disease and stroke. The herb forskolin might also help to lower high blood pressure, although evidence supporting its effectiveness is limited. Don't use forskolin in place of treatments your doctor prescribes, and talk to your doctor before using it.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Also known as coleus forskohlii, forskolin is a member of the mint family native to mountain slopes in parts of Asia, including Nepal and India. It is sometimes used as a complementary treatment for a variety of conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, allergies, asthma and obesity. An article published in the October 2010 issue of "Fitoterapia" also notes that it may help to reduce blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels. And an article published in the January 2003 issue of the "Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology" suggests that a compound found in forskolin may have anti-hypertensive effects.
Administration
Forskolin is commonly supplied as a powder in capsules or tablets, and it's available from health food stores and herbalists. Guidance regarding a suitable dose to help treat high blood pressure is lacking, but Mississippi Baptist Health Systems notes that a commonly recommended therapeutic dose is 50 mg three times daily of an extract standardized to contain 18 percent forskolin. However, consult your doctor before using this dose.
Safety Considerations
Mississippi Baptist Health Systems notes that forskolin's safety has not been fully evaluated, but adds that few significant risks from using this herb have been identified. However, it may cause headache and increase your heart rate. Keep in mind that it might enhance the effects or your blood pressure medicine, so consult your doctor before adding it to your treatment plan. It might also interact with anticogulants such as warfarin and aspirin. Don't use forskolin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Lifestyle Factors
Making simple changes to your lifestyle is important to help lower high blood pressure. Patient UK notes that regular exercise, losing weight, cutting down your salt intake and drinking less alcohol can all help to lower high blood pressure. Even if your doctor prescribes anti-hypertensive drugs, incorporating these lifestyle measures is important in helping to maintain normal blood pressure.
References
- Patient UK; High Blood Pressure (Hypertension); March 2009
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Forskolin; March 2011
- "Fitoterapia"; Hypotensive Action of Naturally Occurring Diterpenes: A Therapeutic Promise for the Treatment of Hypertension; C.R. Tirapelli, et al.; October 2010
- "Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology"; Isoform-Targeted Regulation of Cardiac Adenylyl Cyclase; Y. Ishikawa; January 2003
- Mississippi Baptist Health Systems: Coleus Forskohlii
