Several common dietary supplements can raise blood pressure, sometimes significantly. Four supplements have the most consistent clinical evidence for increasing blood pressure: ephedra (now banned but still found in some products), bitter orange, ginseng, and licorice root. Others, including yohimbine, arnica, and St. John’s wort, can also push readings higher through different mechanisms. If your blood pressure has been creeping up and you take any of these, the supplement could be a contributing factor.
Bitter Orange
Bitter orange is one of the most common blood pressure culprits still widely sold, often marketed for weight loss or as a “natural” energy booster. Its active compound, synephrine, works similarly to stimulant drugs by narrowing blood vessels and increasing heart rate.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled study of healthy young adults, a single 900 mg dose of bitter orange extract raised systolic blood pressure (the top number) by an average of 7.3 mmHg compared to placebo. Heart rate increased by about 4 beats per minute. These effects lasted up to five hours after just one dose. The blood pressure increase appears to be dose-related, meaning higher amounts produce a bigger spike. Because bitter orange is frequently combined with caffeine in weight loss and pre-workout supplements, the real-world effect on your cardiovascular system may be even more pronounced than these numbers suggest.
Licorice Root
Licorice root is used in supplements for digestive issues, sore throats, and adrenal support. It contains glycyrrhizic acid, which triggers a chain reaction in your kidneys that mimics having too much aldosterone, a hormone that controls fluid balance. Specifically, it blocks an enzyme that normally deactivates cortisol in the kidneys. With that enzyme disabled, cortisol floods the kidney’s mineral-regulating receptors at concentrations 100 to 1,000 times higher than aldosterone normally would.
The result: your kidneys hold onto sodium and water while flushing out potassium. That fluid retention drives blood pressure up, and the potassium loss can cause muscle weakness and heart rhythm changes. People who already have high blood pressure or heart disease are more sensitive to this effect. The tricky part is that licorice shows up in teas, candies, and combination herbal formulas where you might not expect it. “Deglycyrrhizinated licorice” (DGL) supplements have the problematic compound removed and are generally considered safe for blood pressure.
Ginseng
Ginseng’s effect on blood pressure is more complicated than the other supplements on this list. Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) has been documented to cause high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and palpitations. It’s commonly sold as an immune booster and energy enhancer.
Panax ginseng, including Korean red ginseng, behaves differently depending on the dose. At low doses, it tends to elevate blood pressure, while high doses may actually lower it in healthy people. Korean red ginseng activates vasoconstrictors, compounds that tighten blood vessels, which is why it’s sometimes used to help people who experience dangerously low blood pressure during dialysis. If you’re taking ginseng for energy or cognitive performance and your blood pressure is already elevated, even a modest additional increase could be clinically meaningful.
Ephedra and Ephedra-Like Products
Ephedra was banned by the FDA in 2004 after mounting reports of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths linked to its use in weight loss products. Its active compounds, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, stimulate the heart, constrict blood vessels, and rev up the nervous system. High blood pressure was the single most commonly reported adverse effect.
While you can’t legally buy ephedra supplements in the United States, products containing similar alkaloids still circulate online and in some international markets. Some “ephedra” products sold today use ephedra extract with the alkaloids removed, but labeling isn’t always reliable. If a supplement promises powerful stimulant-based fat burning, check the ingredient list carefully.
Yohimbine
Yohimbine is sold for fat loss and erectile dysfunction, and it works by blocking receptors in the nervous system that normally keep blood pressure in check. In a study comparing healthy volunteers to untreated hypertensive patients, a 10 mg oral dose caused a significant rise in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) specifically in the people who already had high blood pressure. At higher doses, blood pressure elevation becomes one of the most frequently observed side effects in anyone taking it. Yohimbine also increases anxiety and raises levels of stress hormones in the blood, both of which can compound its blood pressure effects.
Arnica (Taken Orally)
Arnica is well known as a topical remedy for bruises and soreness, but some people take it internally in non-homeopathic doses. Oral arnica can raise blood pressure and may also interfere with blood pressure medications, making them less effective. With over 150 bioactive compounds, arnica has a wide range of potential interactions. If you’re being treated for high blood pressure, oral arnica is worth avoiding entirely. Topical use on unbroken skin is a different story and is generally not associated with the same cardiovascular effects.
St. John’s Wort: An Indirect Risk
St. John’s wort doesn’t raise blood pressure directly, but it can undermine the medications keeping your blood pressure controlled. It speeds up the liver enzymes that break down several common blood pressure drugs. Clinical studies have shown that St. John’s wort reduces blood levels of two widely prescribed calcium channel blockers (nifedipine and verapamil). It also increased the clearance of one beta-blocker by 93% while cutting its effective blood concentration by nearly a third. If you’re on blood pressure medication and start taking St. John’s wort for mood support, your previously well-controlled readings could start climbing without any obvious explanation.
How Quickly Blood Pressure Recovers
The timeline for your blood pressure to normalize after stopping a supplement depends on the product. Stimulant-based supplements like bitter orange cause acute spikes that resolve within hours of a single dose. Licorice root creates a more sustained effect because it changes how your kidneys handle sodium and potassium, so it can take days to weeks for fluid balance to normalize after you stop taking it. As a general reference point, research on supplements with acute blood pressure effects shows that readings can return fully to baseline within about three weeks of discontinuation.
If you’ve noticed unexplained blood pressure increases, reviewing everything you take, including herbal teas, pre-workout formulas, weight loss aids, and combination supplements, is a practical first step. Many of the compounds listed above appear as secondary ingredients in products not specifically marketed for their stimulant or hormonal effects.