Does Valerian for Hypertension Raise or Lower Blood Pressure? This question is fascinated by many people who have problems with unstable blood pressure.
Walerian extract works to relax the nervous system, so it is recommended to drink for people with heart disease. With regular use of this drug, the heart rhythm decreases, due to which blood pressure is significantly reduced.
Before using Valerian, you must familiarize yourself with the description and application functions of this measure.
Medicinal properties of valerian root
Before using the drug, it is recommended to become familiar with the beneficial properties of valerian and their effect on the human body. Valerian root has a positive effect on the health of people with hypertension and many heart pathologies.
Preparations from this root improve gastrointestinal function, heart and arteries. If we talk in more detail about heart pathologies, such drugs eliminate arrhythmia and cardiac spasms. This is why drugs are often prescribed for tachycardia.
It is also worth mentioning nervous excitability, which Valerian helps herself with. The positive effect of valerian on the nervous system helps patients cope with stress, nervousness, depression and sleep problems.
Walerian extracts are also considered good:
- Painkillers. Regular use of the drug improves well-being in migraines and helps fight intermittent headaches.
- Satisfaction. Valerian contains ingredients that help calm nervous agitation.
- Hypnotic. Tablets or valerian extracts are recommended to be taken before bed to cope with anxiety and fall asleep faster.
- Antidepressants. Often such medications are prescribed to people to reduce nervous tension.
- Antihypertensive drugs. Valerian is often used for high blood pressure and hypertension because it helps quickly normalize blood vessel patency.
Which form of the drug is better to choose?
The effects of valerian-based tablets and tinctures on the body vary depending on the constituent components. The tincture is prepared on the basis of ethyl alcohol; this fact should be taken into account by people with alcohol intolerance and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Doctors recommend drops to patients to improve sleep and eliminate signs of neurasthenia.
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The effect is enhanced by the simultaneous use of antispasmodics intended to relieve pain in the stomach and intestines. In addition, liquid valerian extract slightly reduces attention and concentration, so it is better not to use it while at responsible work.
It is also not recommended to drink the tincture simultaneously with Metronidazole and Levomycetin, since these drugs can cause fever and increased body temperature. You should not experiment and take liquid valerian together with other alcohol-based products.
The tablet form is more convenient to use, since small dragees do not have a distinct odor and can be taken with you without fear that the bottle of liquid will break. When making the product in tablet form, thick and dry extracts are used, as well as powder obtained from valerian root. Each type of drug has its own dosage; side effects are observed only when taking tablets in quantities of more than 20 g per day.
At the same time, tremors of the limbs, dilated pupils and dizziness develop. As a result of long-term use of the drug, the risk of overdose increases, which is manifested by depression of the nervous system, drowsiness, digestive disorders and increased heart rate.
When should you drink valerian?
Before applying Valerian preparations, you should familiarize yourself with the indications for their use. There are several situations in which valerian is used during treatment:
- Nervous stimulation. Often people take valerian due to increased nervous excitement. At the same time, many people use this drug even for a little addictive. However, don't do this because with gentle nervous excitement, the body has to deal with anxieties. It is worth using the drug in situations of strong stimulation and stress, which are accompanied by neurosis and insomnia.
Problems falling asleep. Some people may sleep at night and suffer from restless sleep. This problem is most often caused by chronic fatigue and regular physical activity.
To get rid of insomnia, some experts recommend taking valerian. Before doing this, however, you should consult your doctor because this medicine is not suitable for all patients.
Headache. Many people attribute migraine to problems with the nervous system, and therefore try to get rid of it with the help of calming media. However, this pathology is a rather complex process that is not always associated with the nervous system. Therefore, consultation with a doctor is recommended before using Valerian.
Hypertension. Many people with hypertension are recommended to take valerian for blood pressure. This drug eliminates high blood pressure for several weeks.
Preparation of a drug to stabilize blood pressure
To keep blood pressure levels under control, patients with signs of the initial stages of hypertension can prepare a remedy based on valerian root or leaf on their own:
- prepare raw materials in the form of roots or leaves of the plant in the amount of 3 tbsp. l.;
- pour 250 ml of boiling water over the herb;
- place the dishes with the composition in a water bath and hold for at least 15 minutes;
- place the resulting product in a place where it will not be exposed to sunlight for 1–2 hours;
- strain the mixture and add enough boiling water to obtain the original volume of liquid.
You can add honey to the valerian composition to improve the taste and drink it as a tea drink.
Take a self-prepared sedative 30-40 ml before meals, about 30 minutes. You should not try to stabilize blood pressure with valerian in patients with symptoms of enterocolitis, prone to heart attack and stroke (in advanced stages of hypertension) and with vascular atherosclerosis.
Valerian is a safe remedy for hypertensive patients if used in the initial stages of the disease and in accordance with medical recommendations. If blood pressure is low, tablets should be used with caution, especially during the next crisis, accompanied by lethargy and deterioration in well-being. As before using any other medicine, valerian requires consultation with a doctor so as not to provoke problems with the heart and blood vessels.
How does valerian affect blood pressure?
It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the effect of valerian on blood pressure. This will help determine whether Valerian raises or lowers blood pressure when you use it.
During use, the essential oils and alkaloids that are part of the drug affect the blood vessels and nervous system. If the increase in blood pressure was caused by excessive nerve stimulation, the blood pressure will return to normal after taking the drug.
Normalization of blood pressure gradually occurs because valerian medications have a cumulative effect that lasts only 12-3 months. This is why this medicine is not suitable for immediately stabilizing blood pressure.
Effect on blood pressure levels
The therapeutic effect of drugs based on valerian root against high blood pressure is explained by the high biological activity of the product. The drugs are used as part of the complex treatment of neuroses, angina pectoris and hypertension, in its initial stages. How can valerian root affect blood pressure levels? Thanks to the calming and improving activity of the nervous system, the coronary vessels dilate, which is why the patient’s well-being noticeably improves.
At home, the remedy is used in moments of irritability, outbursts of aggression, insomnia and nervous disorders. However, despite the fact that valerian helps reduce blood pressure in the vessels and stabilize blood pressure, it is not recommended to expect immediate action. The product has a cumulative effect, which is why it should be used in a course, and not occasionally.
People who drink valerian should visit their doctor before starting to use the drug and get advice regarding the frequency of administration and the required dosage. Since the drug has a sedative effect, it is not recommended for use by patients who, due to their professional duties, must be concentrated and concentrated at all times.
This is why a doctor’s advice is needed - if you do not exceed the dose and drink valerian with caution, you can get the opposite effect, that is, the body will become more energetic, tone will increase, and mood will improve. To reduce blood pressure, doctors advise drinking the drug not in its pure form, but using complex action products based on valerian root. For example, when there is a surge in blood pressure, a mixture of lily of the valley flowers and leaves, sodium bromide and valerian will help reduce the characteristic symptoms. It is also used for vegetative-vascular dystonia, insomnia and neuroses.
The tincture is more suitable for home use because it has a specific smell and contains ethyl alcohol - this is not always liked by people around you
At low pressure
Many people wonder whether valerian can be used for low blood pressure.
Experts do not recommend taking the drug to people with hypotension, as this will only worsen the situation. Medicines with a sedative effect accelerate the process of lowering blood pressure and constrict blood vessels, which in turn leads to increased drowsiness and general weakness of the body. Therefore, patients suffering from hypotension are recommended to take tonic drugs instead of valerian. Such remedies include preparations of eleutherococcus, lemon grass or ginseng. They can help with hypotension and normalize blood pressure.
If a person with low blood pressure regularly takes high doses of valerian, their health will worsen and they will have to call an ambulance.
Composition and properties
To understand the specific effect of valerian on blood pressure, you need to visit a doctor and determine the cause of the jump in tonometer readings. With hypertension, problems are provoked and aggravated by smoking, alcohol, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. With hypotension or low blood pressure, jumps occur in the other direction, while the person feels weakness, lethargy, has increased weather sensitivity, sweating and tremors of the extremities are noted.
Both hypertensive and hypotensive patients drink valerian, but few people know specifically whether valerian lowers blood pressure or increases its levels. The remedy itself has the ability to alleviate a condition in which chest pain, increased heart rate, and irritability appear. If a person lives and works under conditions of frequent stress, then valerian will help eliminate nervousness and a tendency to aggression.
The product contains the following components:
- essential oils and resins – have a calming effect;
- glycosides – characterized by a dilating effect on capillaries;
- alkaloids – provide a sedative effect;
- valepotriates - act as antispasmodics, help eliminate pain and discomfort when smooth muscles are tense;
- organic acids - stimulate the production of gastric juice and dilute bile.
All active substances in tablets and alcohol tincture are of natural origin, so the human body accepts them without side effects. All patients with problems with blood pressure can use valerian. In addition to stabilizing tonometer readings, valerian extract effectively relieves pain, improves sleep, and calms.
You need to use the product for at least a month, it is better to use it in full for 90 days.
With high blood pressure
It's no secret that valerian significantly reduces blood pressure, which is why it is often used for hypertension. The positive effect of its use is achieved thanks to its biological components. They have relaxing properties that help keep blood vessels open during high blood pressure and reduce the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack. Therefore, you should not wonder whether valerian lowers blood pressure or not.
For high blood pressure, experts advise using valerian tea rather than pills. The peculiarity of this remedy is the speed of its action. You can reduce your blood pressure to normal levels almost immediately after drinking fluids. When reducing blood pressure, you can combine tea with valerian tincture to increase effectiveness. This comprehensive treatment will not only help you cope with the symptoms of hypertension, but also improve the functioning of your digestive system.
During pregnancy
During pregnancy, expectant mothers often face stressful situations accompanied by increased blood pressure. Experienced doctors recommend using valerian extract in the first trimester of pregnancy, because this drug will help fight psychophysiological disorders that worsen well-being and disrupt the functioning of many organs.
Some pregnant women are concerned about lowering blood pressure with valerian because they believe it may harm the fetus. However, there is absolutely nothing to worry about, since this measure does not interfere with the course of pregnancy and further childbirth. Therefore, you can confidently take the drug to get rid of high blood pressure.
Can blood pressure increase after taking it?
If you don't know how to take valerian and how it affects your blood pressure, your condition may worsen. Some people complain of high blood pressure after taking the drug. To prevent this from happening, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of using valerian:
- You should not take the drug in large quantities, as this leads to complications.
- It is forbidden to combine the drug with strong tea, coffee, cocoa and alcoholic beverages.
- It is forbidden to use the drug while eating sweets and bread.
Continuous use of valerian extract for several months is not recommended. As a result of long-term use of the drug, enzymes accumulate in the body, which leads to fluctuations in blood pressure.
Features of application
There are different forms of valerian, so you should learn more about the specific uses of each form of the drug before taking it.
Pills
Often, when blood pressure is lowered, valerian is used in tablet form, since it does not contain alcohol. Tablets should be taken daily at least four times a day before meals, 1-2 tablets once.
Tincture
Valerian tinctures are used much less frequently than tablets, since ethyl alcohol is added during their manufacture, which increases the number of contraindications. In case of treatment with tincture, the drug is taken 2-3 times a day, 30 drops.
Can valerian help lower blood pressure?
Valerian root contains macro- and microelements, a large percentage of selenium and iron, organic acids, alkaloids, tannins, various vitamins and polysaccharides, essential oils.
It is well known that valerian has a sedative effect, relieving anxiety and increased excitability. Helps cope with neuroses, hysteria and more. The influence of this herbal remedy on the cardiovascular system has been proven: valerian preparations are taken for tachycardia, in the initial stages of angina, and for pain in the heart. Valerian also has the ability to lower blood pressure and improve the well-being of hypertensive patients.
How does valerian affect blood pressure? With high blood pressure, it helps by dilating blood vessels and having a sedative effect on the nervous system. Normal blood circulation helps lower blood pressure.
However, valerian acts gradually: you should not expect a quick effect, especially from a single dose. To feel the hypotensive effect, it must be taken for several months intermittently, since the effect of valerian increases over time.
- You should know that an overdose causes a reverse reaction: blood pressure rises, worsening the patient’s general condition.
Valerian officinalis Photo: ru.wikipedia.org
For high blood pressure, valerian preparations are used as an adjuvant along with drug therapy. Valerian is added to herbal teas to enhance the effect. Valerian tincture and decoction have a calming effect, against the background of which the numbers on the tonometer decrease.
Valerian will be even more effective in reducing blood pressure if, along with its intake, you adhere to proper nutrition and lead a healthy lifestyle. It is important to spend enough time outdoors, doing physical exercise or walking. This is necessary to normalize blood circulation. Menu correction is to exclude fried, fatty, salty and flour dishes from the diet.
How to take valerian for hypertension?
Pills
Valerian tablets are quite convenient to take and can always be at hand - in a bag or pocket. Take 2 tablets 3 times a day before meals. To reduce blood pressure for a long period, you need to take them for a month.
Photo: o-krohe.ru
During pregnancy, women are recommended both the tablet form of the drug and infusions, decoctions of valerian roots and rhizomes. But you should not use pharmacy tincture, since it contains alcohol.
Pharmacy tincture
Pharmacy tincture includes valerian root extract and 70% alcohol. With its prolonged use, a hypotensive effect is observed.
It is recommended to use 20-30 drops 3-4 times a day. The duration of the course of treatment is determined individually by the doctor, based on the age and condition of the patient.
Valerian tincture can also be taken in this way: divide the bread into small pieces, add 4 drops of tincture onto one piece and eat. Eat a piece every 2-3 hours. Valerian will help with hypertension if used for 3-4 weeks.
- Alcohol tincture of valerian is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, pregnant women and people with hypersensitivity to valerian. It should also not be taken by those who have a tendency to lower blood pressure, so as not to lower it further.
Tincture.
Valerian officinalis Photo: Depositphotos It is advisable to use the tincture at home, as it reduces concentration and has a pungent odor.
Infusions and decoctions
To normalize blood pressure. The infusion will improve heart function, lower blood pressure, and help with tachycardia, neuroses, and neurodermatitis.
1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of valerian root and rhizomes into 500 ml of hot water and leave in a thermos for 8 hours. Take 3 times a day: 2 weeks - 3 tbsp. spoons, then 2 weeks - 2 tbsp. spoons, after that a month - 1 tbsp. spoon. You can take 1 tbsp. spoon three times a day for 2 months.
To reduce blood pressure and cleanse blood vessels. This recipe with valerian is popular.
Mix 100 g of dill seeds with 2 tbsp. spoons of ground valerian root and pour boiling water. Add 2 tbsp to the warm broth. spoons of honey. Leave for a day. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 30 minutes before meals for 20 days.
Valerian officinalis Photo: LoggaWiggler, pixabay.com
For insomnia and high blood pressure. Norwegian doctors recommend an interesting way to treat insomnia, which also helps lower blood pressure and improve overall well-being in hypertension.
To do this, before going to bed, you need to inhale the vapor of valerian tincture alternately through the right and left nostrils, 2-3 times each, no more. The course is 3-4 months.
At the same time, you need to be careful at first, since an “overdose” of valerian vapor can cause headaches. Procedures with valerian should not be carried out for more than four months.
Contraindications and side effects
Valerian is considered a harmless drug, but it sometimes leads to unwanted symptoms. Possible:
- feeling depressed;
- digestive problems;
- drowsiness;
- nausea;
- dizziness and headaches.
Valerian officinalis Photo: WikimediaImages, pixabay.com
These side effects occur when you take valerian medications for too long or use them in excess. This remedy should not be used for enterocolitis and individual intolerance.
- It is not recommended to regularly take valerian preparations for hypotensive patients, as well as for those who need concentration and quick reaction.
Therefore, before you start taking such a seemingly harmless drug, it would not hurt to consult your doctor . Only he knows for how long and in what doses it is better for a particular patient to take medications.
Tags: valerian, herbal remedies, hypertension, blood pressure, blood pressure
Contraindications
Medicines prepared on the basis of valerian have contraindications for use, which should be familiarized with before starting treatment. This will avoid complications and other side effects after taking the drug.
The use of drugs with valerian is not recommended for people with:
Allergy to the ingredients included in the product;
- fructose intolerance;
- lack of sucrose in the body;
- hepatitis;
- epilepsy;
- alcoholism.
Valerian should also not be used to treat high blood pressure in infants and children under 14 years of age.
Valerian: indications and contraindications
Valerian tablets, the instructions for use indicate this, are indicated for increased nervous excitability. The cumulative effect helps stabilize blood pressure and heart rate. This contributes to the onset of “inner peace” and the return of the ability to realistically assess the situation in the world around us.
Also, valerian tablets, the instructions emphasize this, help cope with insomnia. But at the same time, the drug is not a potent sleeping pill, so you should not count on getting a quick effect. But with the right attitude, after just a few days you can fall asleep faster. But it will be possible to completely stabilize sleep no earlier than after 2-4 weeks.
As part of complex therapy, valerian tablets, the instructions for use focus on this, can be used to treat cardiovascular pathologies. In combination with other targeted drugs, valerian will help to quickly cope with migraines and symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Contraindication is hypersensitivity to the main active ingredient and other components that are used in the production of tablets. This means that you need to carefully study the composition of the medicine before use. Valerian tablets are also strictly prohibited in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. In the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the decision to take medication should be made by the doctor.
It is advisable to stop taking sedatives before the age of 18. Valerian, the instructions indicate this, is contraindicated for children under 4 years of age. Due to the characteristics of the child’s body, the drug can have a strong depressant effect on the nervous system, which is unacceptable for full development. In addition, since valerian tablets, the instructions confirm this, are a multicomponent medicine, the substances in its composition can provoke allergic reactions.
Other contraindications:
- Bradycardia.
- Arterial hypotension
- Pathologies accompanied by inhibition of central nervous system activity.
Side effects
If drugs containing valerian are used incorrectly, patients experience side effects that significantly worsen their well-being. As a result of an overdose of a substance, problems arise with:
- Peripheral and central nervous system. People experience severe dizziness, weakness, and decreased physical and mental activity. Patients also complain of impaired emotional reactions and the regular occurrence of depressive states.
- Organs of the digestive tract. An overdose of the drug affects the function of the gastrointestinal tract, so patients complain of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
- The immune system. If valerian is used incorrectly, the protective functions of the immune system are weakened. This leads to hyperalgesia, rashes and other allergic reactions.
Preparations based on valerian
There are quite a few valerian-based products available today. There are several drugs that are most often used to lower blood pressure:
- Persen. This remedy is popular among other valerian preparations. The tablets help cope with agitation and nervous tension. They also eliminate problems with falling asleep and treat headaches.
- Phytosedan. This drug is used in the complex treatment of arterial hypertension. Thanks to the herbal components of the composition, the product helps to cope with muscle spasms, gastrointestinal problems and neurasthenia.
- Dormiplant. The drug is made only from natural ingredients and is therefore completely safe for humans. It is used to treat high blood pressure and insomnia.
Before taking any of the above medications, be sure to check the dosage of the substance and consult your doctor.
Effects of Valerian
Valerian essential oil contains more than 100 components. But clinical studies have proven their low biological activity. That is why, in the treatment of serious disorders, valerian tablets are prescribed only as an additional remedy in combination with other drugs.
But in cases of minor disorders, for example, the occurrence of insomnia due to nervous strain, the drug is considered effective if taken regularly. The alkaloids contained in the medicine have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. When taken correctly, valerian can stabilize the condition against a background of stress. Tablets help cope with the following problems:
- Nervousness.
- Hysteria.
- Insomnia.
In addition, when used correctly, essential oils and valeric acid help:
- Normalization of heart rhythm.
- Improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Reduce pain in various pathologies.
- Reducing blood pressure.
