We live in a world where there are vitamins and supplements for pretty much anything you could ever need or want. But unfortunately, the human body and medical science are both extremely complex and finicky, and almost nothing is a constant. If you are considering taking a multivitamin, you may be worried about whether or not it will raise your blood pressure.
Unfortunately, the only concrete answer is “maybe.” It depends on many factors, including which multivitamin you take, your body’s individual nuances, and more. A multivitamin is not guaranteed to raise your blood pressure, but it’s also possible that it could.
Why is the Answer so Vague?
If you’re wondering why there’s no definitive yes or no to this question regarding multivitamins, it’s because said vitamins are, well, multi. That makes it very difficult to pinpoint what exact impact a multivitamin will have on anyone, side effects included. When you are getting so many vitamins and nutrients at once, it clouds the waters.
Think of it this way: if you take a Vitamin D supplement, and you react oddly to it, you know it’s the Vitamin D. After all, that’s the only thing in the supplement. But if you react oddly to a multivitamin, it’s hard to know what the problem is. Is it the potassium? The Vitamin E? Calcium? Is it even the multivitamin at all?
Because multivitamins have so many different components in them, it’s difficult to know for certain if it will raise your blood pressure, unless you know for a fact that a certain element contained in that multivitamin has that effect on you.
Reasons Why a Multivitamin Might Raise Your Blood Pressure
While it’s not guaranteed, there are some potential reasons why a multivitamin might raise your blood pressure. For instance, some multivitamins contain caffeine, which raises blood pressure in some individuals. But not all multivitamins have caffeine, and not everyone reacts to caffeine the same way.
Too much Vitamin E can also potentially raise blood pressure for a time, since blood pressure is affected by the amount of liquid in one’s blood, and Vitamin E slows down the absorption of water from the bloodstream into your muscles. But this too is particular to the individual and not a universal guarantee.
Should You Take a Multivitamin if You are Concerned About Blood Pressure?
Everyone’s body is different, and every multivitamin is different too. That’s why it’s extremely difficult to predict whether or not a multivitamin will have a negative impact on your blood pressure. For that reason, we recommend that you only take a multivitamin if it is recommended by your doctor.
After all, while you may understand how your body feels better than anyone, your doctor is more likely to understand why your body feels a certain way and whether or not it is lacking (or getting too much of) a particular vitamin or nutrient. The opinion of a healthcare professional should be your guide as to whether or not you need a multivitamin.
