Does CBD or hemp oil help with high blood pressure?
In our society, hemp has always had something of an aura of the forbidden, as its cultivation was prohibited for many years. The plant was generally grown illegally by some people solely for its intoxicating effects. These effects are caused by the compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is present in varying concentrations in different types of hemp.
What is hemp oil?
Hemp oil-or, more precisely, hemp seed oil-is the oil extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant.
What is CBD oil?
CBD oil refers to oil extracted from the green leaves. CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is found mainly in fiber hemp and, unlike the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) mentioned at the beginning, has no psychoactive effect.
While hemp seed oil is sold in many stores, drugstores have recently once again taken the CBD oils they offered off their shelves. Although CBD is not intoxicating and hemp products are not allowed to exceed a THC content of 0.2 percent, the legal status of cannabis products outside medical use is still tricky.
So does hemp or CBD oil help with high blood pressure?
On the internet and from dubious sellers you'll find descriptions of the truly miraculous health benefits that CBD oil is supposedly able to provide. Lowering blood pressure is also frequently advertised. Some sellers even hang out in relevant forums and groups to promote their products with big claims. We researched the effect on blood pressure at length and found the following:
There is currently little scientific evidence for a blood-pressure-lowering effect of hemp or CBD oil.
However, there are early, small studies that could point to a possible effect. A sub-study published in February 2023 showed a reduction in blood pressure in the 54 participants. The participants had grade 1 hypertension that had either not previously been treated with medication or had been treated with ACE inhibitors, ACE inhibitors combined with calcium channel blockers, or thiazide diuretics. But this sub-study also has limitations. The researchers point out that it is uncertain whether the effect can be transferred to CBD products other than the one used in the study. It also does not allow conclusions to be drawn about an effect in more severe cases of high blood pressure. The number of participants is also fairly small, as blood pressure studies generally require significantly more subjects.
In June 2023 a study was published that found a blood-pressure-lowering effect. However, that study had only 16 participants.
These studies therefore provide the first glimmers of hope for a possible blood-pressure-lowering effect. However, there is still far too little evidence to draw a valid conclusion.
However, a study published in July 2025 warns that CBD oil may have a liver-damaging effect. Of the study's 201 participants, all of whom were healthy (which is usually not the case for CBD oil users), 8 developed elevated liver enzyme levels while taking CBD oil. As a result, 7 of them had to withdraw from the study.
However, a study published in July 2025 warns that CBD oil may have a liver-damaging effect. Of the study's 201 participants, all of whom were healthy (which is usually not the case for CBD oil users), 8 developed elevated liver enzyme levels while taking CBD oil. As a result, 7 of them had to withdraw from the study.
So the issue is still being hotly debated. On the one hand, CBD is said to have an almost miraculous array of positive effects, but on the other hand, the legal situation apparently remains a gray area that has not been fully clarified.
Please discuss taking CBD with your doctor, because interactions between cannabis and medications are known.
Sources:
- https://www.natur-kompendium.com/cbd-oel/
- https://www.deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de/news/artikel/2019/04/26/rossmann-und-dm-nehmen-cbd-oele-aus-dem-sortiment
- https://www.bvl.bund.de/SharedDocs/Fokusmeldungen/01_lebensmittel/2019/2019_03_20_Cannabidiol.html
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223001750
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37291376/
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2836267
This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 01/2026).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
