Can patients with high blood pressure take red ginseng?
Disease description:
My father has hypertension. Recently, a relative gave us some red ginseng, saying that it can help strengthen his health. I'm worried now—can people with high blood pressure take red ginseng? Could it potentially raise blood pressure even higher?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
Whether patients with high blood pressure can consume red ginseng mainly depends on their specific blood pressure condition. If the blood pressure is well-controlled and only slightly elevated, red ginseng can usually be consumed in moderation. However, for patients whose blood pressure is poorly controlled, red ginseng is generally not recommended.
Red ginseng has various therapeutic effects such as invigorating vital energy, nourishing the body, enriching blood, and calming the mind, and is widely used in regulating conditions such as deficiency of both qi and blood and weak constitution. However, ginsenoside Rg1 in red ginseng has mild vasoconstrictive and blood pressure-raising effects. For patients with hypertension whose blood pressure is well-controlled and only mildly elevated, taking red ginseng in moderation under medical guidance may not cause significant fluctuations in blood pressure.
However, for patients with poorly controlled blood pressure, consuming red ginseng may lead to increased blood pressure and additional cardiovascular strain, which is detrimental to disease management and treatment. Before consuming red ginseng, hypertensive patients should consult a physician. The physician will comprehensively evaluate the suitability of red ginseng based on the patient's specific medical condition, physical constitution, medication use, and other factors.
In daily life, the diet of hypertensive patients should follow the principles of low salt, low fat, high potassium, and high magnesium intake to promote stable blood pressure levels.
