3 Cups of HIBISCUS Tea a Day (What Really Happens to Your Blood Pressure After 60)

3 cups of hibiscus tea a day: what really happens to your blood pressure after 60? Hibiscus has more research in real people than most herbal remedies, including a placebo-controlled trial at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. But the box on your grocery shelf may not contain what those studies used. In this video: what hibiscus tea is actually made from, what lab studies suggest and why that isn't proof, the Boston trial where the placebo looked and tasted like hibiscus, what the larger reviews found, why low doses didn't work, how to read the tea label, what the research does and doesn't tell us after 60, and the medicine interactions worth asking your doctor about. THE PANTRY VERDICT "Hibiscus tea is just a pretty flower drink": Myth. "Hibiscus tea can lower blood pressure": Proven, in the short term, in people with mildly high blood pressure, at doses like the ones in the studies. "Any tea with hibiscus on the box will do it": Myth. "It works the same way after 60, or on top of medicine": Promising. We need more research. "Hibiscus tea can replace blood pressure medicine": Myth. HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR TEA Look for a box where hibiscus is the first ingredient, or the only one. Some labels list it as Hibiscus sabdariffa or hibiscus flowers. In the U.S., ingredients are listed by weight, so hibiscus far down the list likely means a small amount. Dried hibiscus calyces are also sold in bulk, often labeled flor de jamaica. The Boston study used one tea bag (about 1.25 g of dried hibiscus) per cup, steeped about 6 minutes, three cups a day, for six weeks. IF YOU WANT TO TRY IT Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first if you take daily medicine, and bring the tea box with you. Keep it unsweetened or close to it. Measure your blood pressure at home before you start and for several weeks after, write the numbers down, and share them with your doctor. Make one change at a time. SAFETY Hibiscus may add to the effect of blood pressure medicine, which can push blood pressure too low. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, especially when standing up, stop and call your doctor. In animal studies, hibiscus changed how the body handled hydrochlorothiazide, a common water pill. In small studies with healthy volunteers, it changed how the body processed acetaminophen and diclofenac. Hibiscus may also affect blood sugar; tell your doctor if you take diabetes medicine or have surgery planned. Safety during pregnancy is not established. The tea is acidic; drinking it with meals or rinsing with water afterward is gentler on teeth. Never reduce or stop a prescribed medicine because of something in your pantry. Do you already check your blood pressure at home? And if you tried hibiscus, would you drink it hot or iced? Tell us in the comments. Missed the last episode? Beet Juice For Blood Pressure After 60: What Science REALLY Says:    • Should You WASH Your Thanksgiving Turkey? ...   DISCLAIMER: This video is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before adding hibiscus tea, especially if you take medication for blood pressure, diabetes, or any daily condition. #bloodpressure #hibiscustea #healthyaging #after60 #health #hibiscus #tea #proofinthepantry