Can bitter melon lower blood pressure?
Disease description:
Last month, my husband had a routine health check-up at work and was found to have elevated blood pressure. His doctor advised him to pay attention to risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This month, during a follow-up examination, his blood pressure had decreased. After searching online, I realized we’d been eating bitter melon for several days. Can bitter melon lower blood pressure?
Doctor's answer (2)
Dr. Liu Shilei
This practice generally lacks scientific evidence. It may be that your diet has been relatively light recently, with reduced salt intake, leading to a drop in blood pressure; however, this effect is only relevant for mild elevations in blood pressure. For confirmed hypertension, we recommend consulting a cardiologist at a hospital. Blood pressure monitoring—including 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring—should be performed, and appropriate antihypertensive medications should be selected under the guidance of your physician based on the test results. Ensure adequate rest and avoid overexertion.
