Several common supplements can raise blood pressure, some by significant amounts. The most well-documented offenders are licorice root, caffeine-based supplements, and yohimbine, though a few others deserve attention. Whether you’re trying to avoid a blood pressure spike or managing hypertension, knowing which supplements carry this risk matters.
Licorice Root
Licorice root is one of the most potent blood-pressure-raising supplements available without a prescription. Its active compound, glycyrrhizin, interferes with an enzyme in the kidneys that normally keeps cortisol in check. When that enzyme is blocked, cortisol floods the kidney’s mineral-regulating receptors, triggering the body to hold onto sodium and flush out potassium. The result is a rise in blood pressure through the same pathway that causes salt-sensitive hypertension.
This isn’t a subtle effect. Licorice-induced hypertension is recognized as a form of secondary hypertension, meaning it’s caused entirely by an identifiable outside factor. The European Union’s scientific committee on food recommends keeping glycyrrhizin intake below 100 mg per day, roughly the amount in 50 grams of licorice. But many herbal supplements, teas, and digestive aids contain licorice root extract in concentrated forms that can easily exceed that threshold, especially with daily use. If you’re taking any supplement with licorice, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is the form that has had the blood-pressure-raising compound removed.
Caffeine and Caffeine-Containing Supplements
Caffeine in supplement form, often labeled as caffeine anhydrous, raises blood pressure within about 30 minutes of ingestion. The spike peaks at one to two hours and can last more than four hours. Reviews of caffeine’s acute effects show increases of 3 to 15 mmHg systolic and 4 to 13 mmHg diastolic. That range depends heavily on tolerance: people who don’t regularly consume caffeine see the largest jumps.
Guarana, a common ingredient in energy drinks and pre-workout formulas, is essentially a concentrated caffeine source. Guarana seeds contain 2% to 4.5% caffeine by weight, roughly double the concentration in coffee beans. A single 16-ounce energy drink may contain anywhere from 1.4 mg to 300 mg of guarana extract, but many companies don’t list the exact amount. When guarana is stacked on top of added caffeine in the same product, the total stimulant dose can be much higher than expected. Whether guarana has an additional synergistic effect beyond its caffeine content isn’t fully clear, but the combined load is what matters for your blood pressure.
Yohimbine
Yohimbine, sold as a fat-burning and sexual performance supplement, raises blood pressure through a direct action on the nervous system. It blocks a type of receptor (alpha-2 adrenergic) that normally acts as a brake on adrenaline-like chemical release. With that brake removed, the body releases more norepinephrine, ramping up sympathetic nervous system activity and constricting blood vessels.
In a controlled crossover study of patients with autonomic dysfunction, yohimbine increased standing diastolic blood pressure by 11 mmHg. Even in healthy people, both oral and intravenous yohimbine produce measurable blood pressure increases alongside rises in norepinephrine byproducts. This makes yohimbine one of the supplements most likely to cause a noticeable, acute spike, particularly if you’re already prone to high blood pressure or take other stimulants.
Bitter Orange (Synephrine)
Bitter orange extract gained popularity after the FDA banned ephedra, since its active compound, p-synephrine, has a structurally similar stimulant profile. However, the actual blood pressure data is more nuanced than the supplement’s reputation suggests.
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 103 mg of p-synephrine taken alone did not raise systolic blood pressure or heart rate during three hours of quiet sitting. In fact, it slightly lowered diastolic blood pressure compared to other trials. The concern arises when synephrine is combined with high doses of caffeine. When subjects took 337 mg of caffeine with 46 mg of synephrine, systolic blood pressure increased significantly during the second hour. So bitter orange on its own appears relatively low-risk, but the combination products commonly sold as weight-loss or energy supplements, which pair synephrine with caffeine, are the ones more likely to push blood pressure up.
Effervescent Vitamin Tablets
This one catches people off guard. Effervescent tablets, the kind that fizz when dropped in water, often contain substantial amounts of sodium as part of their delivery system. Vitamins, particularly effervescent vitamin C and multivitamins, are among the most commonly used effervescent products.
A large French cross-sectional study found that while most occasional users stayed below clinically meaningful sodium thresholds, a notable proportion of regular users exceeded 20% of the WHO’s recommended daily sodium limit from the tablets alone. That’s on top of whatever sodium they consumed through food. A separate randomized crossover trial found that three weeks of effervescent medication use raised 24-hour systolic blood pressure by about 4 to 5 mmHg in people with hypertension, compared to non-effervescent versions of the same product. If you take fizzy vitamin tablets daily, switching to a standard swallowable tablet eliminates this hidden sodium source entirely.
Supplements That Seem Risky but Probably Aren’t
Two supplements commonly mentioned in blood pressure discussions don’t appear to raise it based on current evidence. Panax ginseng, the most consumed ginseng species in the United States, has been studied in randomized controlled trials and consistently shows a neutral or even slightly lowering effect on blood pressure. An older observational report linked 3 grams daily to elevated readings, but subsequent controlled research, including a study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, has not confirmed this.
DHEA, a hormonal supplement popular for anti-aging purposes, also lacks evidence of blood pressure effects. A randomized controlled trial in elderly patients found no significant association between DHEA supplementation and changes in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure, consistent with larger observational data.
What Drives the Biggest Risks
The supplements most likely to raise your blood pressure fall into two categories: those that activate the sympathetic nervous system (yohimbine, caffeine, caffeine-guarana combinations) and those that cause sodium and fluid retention (licorice root, high-sodium effervescent tablets). The stimulant category tends to cause acute, temporary spikes that resolve within hours. The sodium and hormonal category can cause sustained elevations that persist as long as you keep taking the supplement.
Stacking is where the real danger lies. Pre-workout formulas and weight-loss products frequently combine caffeine, guarana, yohimbine, and synephrine in a single serving. Each ingredient alone might produce a modest effect, but the combination can create blood pressure spikes that none of the individual components would cause on their own. Reading the full ingredient label, not just the front-of-package marketing, is the most practical step you can take to avoid an unintended blood pressure increase from supplements.