Can Marijuana Lower Blood Pressure?

This article originally appeared on Jointly and has been republished with permission.

Millions of people suffer from high blood pressure, so it’s no wonder many want to know if their cannabis habit has the potential to make it better or worse. Cannabis has some effects on blood pressure, we’ll get to that in a moment, but first:

Blood pressure refers to the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries while the heart is pumping. Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

Systolic blood pressure is “the pressure caused by your heart contracting and pumping out blood,” and diastolic blood pressure is “the pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.” In other words, systolic blood pressure is the force exerted on your arteries when your heart contracts, and diastolic blood pressure is the pressure on your arteries between heartbeats.

Photo by Marcelo Leal via Unsplash

Healthy blood pressure for a typical adult is a systolic pressure less than 120 and a diastolic pressure less than 80. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure greater than 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80 or more.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and death. That’s why it’s crucial to keep your blood pressure under control. Doctors prescribe medications like ACE inhibitors, ALPHA blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, and more to lower blood pressure. Cannabis should not be viewed as a substitute for prescription drugs.

TIED TOGETHER: Is marijuana a tranquilizer?

To answer the question, “Does marijuana lower blood pressure?” we need to be more specific. What we should be asking is, “What kind of marijuana lowers blood pressure?” This question will help us get a better answer as cannabis can vary significantly in:

• cannabinoids
• terpenes
• flavonoids
• anthocyanins

These bioactive compounds work together to produce complex biological effects.

There are three categories of marijuana: indica, sativa, and hybrid. Indica strains are considered more relaxing, while sativa strains are considered more uplifting. Hybrid strains have a mix of indica and sativa effects. These classifications are subjective rather than taxonomic. (Want to know the truth about cannabis strains? Read: Why Jointly is better than a strain finder)

Indica vs. Sativa for Hypertension

Let’s take a look at indica vs. sativa for blood pressure. Indica strains are known for their calming effects, while sativa strains are known for their energizing effects. While indica strains are better at general relaxation, sativa strains can help relieve stress—and stress is a leading cause of high blood pressure.

It is widely believed that the type of marijuana most likely to lower blood pressure is indica. This is because indica strains are known for their relaxing and calming effects.

Does smoking weed lower blood pressure?

There is some research that suggests that smoking weed can lower blood pressure. A study looking at the cardiovascular pharmacology of cannabinoids found that “chronic use of cannabis in humans, as well as both acute and prolonged administration of THC in experimental animals, produce long-lasting reductions in blood pressure and heart rate.”

Another study examining the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol on arterial and intraocular hypertension found that inhalation of 2.8% THC resulted in an initial increase in heart rate, followed by a decrease in systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and intraocular pressure.

Photo by Volodymyr Bondarenko/EyeEm/Getty Images

THC and blood pressure

Researchers have found that natural “cannabinoids and their synthetic and endogenous analogs” produce “profound hypotension.” Hypotension is the opposite of high blood pressure, so cannabinoids like THC cause low blood pressure. But how does THC affect blood pressure?

Cannabinoids exert complex effects in the central nervous system and the periphery, but scientists have identified some of the mechanisms involved. As we discussed in Your Unique Endocannabinoid System:

The main function of the ECS in organisms is to maintain homeostasis or maintain stability in an organism’s internal environment in response to changes in the external environment.

So it makes sense that the ECS plays a role in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis.

The cardiovascular effects of cannabis have been documented since the 1960s. We now know that cannabinoid administration results in “a profound decrease in arterial blood pressure, cardiac contractility, and heart rate.”

According to a 2008 study, “several lines of evidence suggest that the cardiovascular depressant effects of cannabinoids are mediated through CB1 receptors in the periphery.” The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord while the peripheral nervous system is all the nerves that branch off from the central nervous system. Based on animal studies, cannabinoids are also believed to induce vasodilation.

Endocannabinoid System and Blood Pressure

Cannabis affects blood pressure through the ECS, which plays an interesting role in maintaining healthy cardiovascular function.

For example, recent evidence suggests that the ECS is involved in the “pathomechanism of hypotension associated with various forms of shock.” Additional research highlights the protective role of endocannabinoids in myocardial ischemia. For this reason, researchers have considered the possibility that cannabinoids could be used as “novel antihypertensive agents” for at least 50 years.

RELATED: How Your Endocannabinoid System Affects Your Cannabis Experience

Anandamide (the happiness molecule) is an endocannabinoid found in mammals and responsible for the runner’s high. Anandamide induces cardiovascular effects similar to THC—a triphasic blood pressure response and slow heartbeat—but the effects only last a few seconds. These effects are mediated through the vagus nerve as they are eliminated in animals with a transected vagus nerve.

Anandamide has also been found to induce vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels. Vasodilation helps lower blood pressure by making blood flow more easily through arteries and veins.

Does Smoking Weed Increase Blood Pressure?

While cannabinoids can have blood pressure lowering effects, smoking cannabis that contains THC can also raise your blood pressure. THC can cause an increase in heart rate, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.

Does CBD Lower Blood Pressure?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to have many health benefits, including the ability to reduce stress and anxiety. This is beneficial for people with high blood pressure, as stress and anxiety can contribute to higher blood pressure levels.

One research study administered 600 mg of CBD to nine healthy men and found that this dose of CBD lowered blood pressure. Another study conducted on rats found that CBD causes vasodilation. While more research is needed, there is some early evidence that CBD lowers blood pressure.

Please note that none of the information in this article is intended to suggest that cannabis or CBD can replace prescription blood pressure medication.

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Have you started your cannabis wellness journey? Jointly is a new cannabis wellness app designed to help you discover purposeful cannabis use so you can achieve your wellness goals with cannabis and CBD. In the Jointly app, you can find new cannabis products, rate products based on how well they’ve helped you achieve your goals, and track and optimize 15 factors that can impact your cannabis experience. These 15 factors include your dose, the environment you use cannabis in, who you are with when you take it, how hydrated you are, the quality of your diet, how much sleep you got last night, and more. Download the Jointly app on the App Store or Google Play Store to start your cannabis wellness journey.

Sam Anderson is Content Director at Jointly, a cannabis wellness company powered by a proprietary data platform to help people reach their full potential. The company was founded on the premise that purposeful cannabis use is the key to a better you.