Blueberries - can they help lower high blood pressure?

Two small studies suggested that blueberries (or bilberries) may have a positive effect on Blood pressure. However, a 2023 review tempers those hopes.

At a university in Florida, Sarah A. Johnson and her team studied in 2015 the effects of taking 22 g per day of a powder made from freeze-dried blueberries (about one cup of fresh blueberries). Forty-eight postmenopausal women took part in the study. The women were divided into two groups: one group received the 22 g of blueberry powder mentioned and the other group received a matching placebo powder.

At the start of the study the participants' blood pressure was in the high-normal to mildly elevated range. After eight weeks, the systolic blood pressure in the group that received the blueberry powder had dropped on average by 7 mmHg and the diastolic pressure by about 5 mmHg. In the comparison group there was no change in blood pressure during the observation period.

In addition to the blood pressure reduction, the study group also showed improved vascular flexibility the blood vessels were less stiff and became more elastic again.

A more recent study by researchers at King's College London points in the same direction. In 2019 the scientists gave the 40 healthy participants in their study a daily drink made from 200 g of blueberries or a control beverage. Over the one-month observation period, the participants' systolic blood pressure fell by an average of 5 mmHg. Blueberry juice also had a positive effect on blood vessel function: just two hours after drinking the juice, the elasticity of the brachial artery had improved.

The researchers mainly attribute these effects to the berries' blue pigment (the so-called anthocyanins). They backed this up in a second study in which participants were given a drink containing purified anthocyanins. For comparison they used a blueberry drink as well as control drinks that contained equivalent amounts of fiber, minerals, or vitamins from blueberries.

None of the control drinks affected endothelial function. These effects could only be detected in the drinks with anthocyanins. Endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels, play an important role in blood clotting and in regulating blood pressure.

Lead researcher Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Mateos nevertheless recommends eating the whole berry to get the full benefit from this tasty superfood.

However, a 2023 meta-analysis that evaluated 17 studies on the effects of blueberries and also lingonberries and cranberries came to the sobering conclusion that the blood pressure reductions were not statistically significant not large enough to be convincing. So a true effect cannot be proven at this time. High-quality further studies would be needed to possibly demonstrate effectiveness.

In summary, blueberries may cause a rather small reduction in blood pressure. Whether this effect persists with regular consumption or fades over time is not clear. Since these tasty berries are also said to have other health-promoting effects, feel free to include them in your diet.

Sources

This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 04/2024).

Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.

Blueberries - can they help lower high blood pressure?

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