Does tea lower blood pressure?

Yes, by a small amount. A 2025 meta-analysis of 36 randomized trials found green tea lowered systolic pressure by 1.08 mm Hg (95% CI 0.18 to 1.98) and diastolic by 1.09 mm Hg in adults. A 2021 meta-analysis of 13 trials found black tea lowered them by 1.04 and 0.59 mm Hg. In trials of flavan-3-ol foods, tea among them, the fall was larger in people whose pressure was already raised. No trial has counted strokes, heart attacks or deaths.

Established. Green and black tea lower blood pressure by about 1 to 2 mm Hg. Six meta-analyses of randomized trials agree on the direction and roughly on the size. A Cochrane review of trials lasting at least 3 months found both teas together lowered systolic pressure by 2.25 mm Hg and diastolic by 2.81 mm Hg, from a small number of trials per analysis.

Unsettled. Whether that fall prevents strokes or heart attacks has not been tested. The Cochrane review found no trial that reported cardiovascular events, and the green tea results it pooled did not hold up in its sensitivity analysis.

What the trials found

Green tea

Four meta-analyses have pooled green tea trials, and they land between about 1 and 2 mm Hg for systolic pressure. The 2025 analysis of 36 trials is the newest and largest. Its trials disagreed with each other a good deal (I2 85% for systolic pressure), it mixed brewed tea with extracts, and it found no clear relation with dose or duration. A 2020 analysis of 24 short-term trials in 1697 people found falls of 1.17 and 1.24 mm Hg, and its authors asked for longer trials that count clinical events. A 2014 analysis of 20 trials in 1536 people found a systolic fall of 1.94 mm Hg, with trials that agreed closely (I2 8%).

In overweight and obese adults, a 2015 meta-analysis of 14 trials in 971 people found green tea or green tea extract lowered systolic pressure by 1.42 mm Hg (95% CI 0.36 to 2.47) and diastolic by 1.25 mm Hg. The authors rated that evidence low quality.

Black tea

The 2021 meta-analysis of 13 black tea trials found systolic pressure fell by 1.04 mm Hg, with an interval running from 0.03 to 2.05, so the lower end almost touches no effect. It found no dose or duration effect. In 19 people with hypertension, black tea twice a day for 8 days lowered systolic pressure by 3.2 mm Hg and diastolic by 2.6 mm Hg against placebo, measured in the clinic over 4 hours. That is a very small and short trial.

People with raised blood pressure

A 2025 meta-analysis of 145 trials in 5205 people looked at flavan-3-ols, the compounds tea shares with cocoa, apples and grapes. In people whose pressure was elevated or hypertensive at the start, office pressure fell by 5.9 mm Hg systolic (95% CI 1.8 to 10.0) and 2.7 mm Hg diastolic. Tea was one of several sources, and the abstract does not separate its effect.

What a small fall might mean

Observational data from 39 cohort studies linked each extra daily cup of tea (8 fl oz / 236.6 mL) with a 4% lower risk of cardiovascular death and a 4% lower risk of stroke, on low to moderate strength of evidence. These are relative figures, and the abstract gives no absolute rates. Studies at higher risk of bias showed larger links, and people who drink more tea differ in other ways, so this is an association rather than proof that tea prevents anything.

Hibiscus tea is a different plant and has its own review, on the hibiscus tea and blood pressure page.

Who should be careful

People taking nadolol. In 10 healthy volunteers who drank 24 fl oz (700 mL) of green tea a day for 14 days, a single dose of this beta blocker reached blood levels 85% lower, and its effect on systolic pressure was significantly reduced. That was one drug in healthy people.

People taking lisinopril. In 10 healthy volunteers, a drink of green tea extract containing about 300 mg of EGCG, given with 10 mg of lisinopril, cut the drug's blood levels to about a third (exposure ratio 0.337, 90% CI 0.269 to 0.405). This was a single dose of extract, and blood pressure was not measured.

Not for everyone. If you take a blood pressure drug, especially nadolol or lisinopril, ask whoever prescribes it before drinking large amounts of green tea or taking green tea extract. Both findings come from 10 people each, and neither tested whether blood pressure control actually suffered in patients.

We have no card on pregnancy, children or caffeine for this question. Black tea has no interaction study on this page.

What expert bodies say

A 2020 position document from the European Society of Hypertension, on foods and supplements for high-normal blood pressure, says antioxidant-rich beverages, teas and coffee among them, could be considered. That is a cautious statement based on a literature review. We found no statement on tea and blood pressure from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, the American Heart Association or NICE.

How we searched

What would change this answer

• A randomized trial that counts strokes, heart attacks or deaths. The Cochrane review found none.
• Longer trials of brewed tea at ordinary amounts in people with hypertension, using 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, which would pin down the size of the effect where it matters most.
• Trials in patients actually taking beta blockers or ACE inhibitors that measure blood pressure control, which would show whether the drug interactions above matter in practice.

For what tea contains and how it fits a diet, see the green tea and black tea pages.

Sources

1. ev-teabp-01 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 11 RCTs, 821 participants (whole review)
   When both tea types were analysed together they showed favourable effects on LDL cholesterol (MD -0.48 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.61 to -0.35) and blood pressure (SBP: MD -2.25 mmHg, 95% CI -3.39 to -1.11; DBP: MD -2.81 mmHg, 95% CI -3.77 to -1.86).
   
   Who: healthy adults and adults at high cardiovascular risk in randomized trials of at least 3 months
   Effect: both teas: SBP MD -2.25 mm Hg (95% CI -3.39 to -1.11); DBP MD -2.81 mm Hg (95% CI -3.77 to -1.86); black tea SBP -1.85 (95% CI -3.21 to -0.48), green tea SBP -3.18 (95% CI -5.25 to -1.11)
   Certainty: Only a small number of trials per analysis; green tea results not stable to sensitivity analysis; no cardiovascular events reported. n from review summary, not in the quoted sentence. PMID outside the local corpus.
   Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013, CD009934 (green and black tea for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease) · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
2. ev-teabp-02 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 36 RCTs
   Green tea reduced SBP (WMD: -1.08 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.98, -0.18; I2 = 85.0%) and DBP (WMD: -1.09 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.67, -0.50; I2 = 74.0%).
   
   Who: adults 18 years or older in randomized controlled trials of green tea supplementation vs control or placebo
   Effect: SBP WMD -1.08 mm Hg (95% CI -1.98 to -0.18; I2 85%); DBP WMD -1.09 mm Hg (95% CI -1.67 to -0.50; I2 74%); no clear dose or duration relation
   Certainty: Newest and largest green tea synthesis; high heterogeneity; mixes brewed tea and extracts.
   Blood Press, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
3. ev-teabp-03 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 13 trials, 22 arms
   It was observed that black tea supplementation significantly reduced SBP (WMD - 1.04 mmHg; 95% CI - 2.05 to -0.03; and P = 0.04) and DBP (WMD - 0.59 mmHg; 95% CI - 1.05 to -0.13; and P = 0.01) compared to the control.
   
   Who: adults in randomized controlled trials of black tea supplementation
   Effect: SBP WMD -1.04 mm Hg (95% CI -2.05 to -0.03); DBP WMD -0.59 mm Hg (95% CI -1.05 to -0.13); no dose or duration effect in nonlinear analysis
   Certainty: Small effect; no small-study effects found.
   Food Funct, 2021 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
4. ev-teabp-04 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials · n = 1697 (24 trials)
   The pooled results showed that green tea significantly lowered systolic BP (SBP; MD: -1.17 mm Hg; 95%CI: -2.18 to -0.16mm Hg; P = .02) and diastolic BP (DBP; MD: -1.24 mm Hg; 95%CI:-2.07 to -0.40mm Hg; P = .004).
   
   Who: subjects in randomized placebo-controlled trials of green tea supplementation
   Effect: SBP MD -1.17 mm Hg (95% CI -2.18 to -0.16); DBP MD -1.24 mm Hg (95% CI -2.07 to -0.40); I2 43% and 57%
   Certainty: Short-term trials only; authors ask for longer trials with clinical events.
   Medicine (Baltimore), 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
5. ev-teabp-05 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials · n = 1536 (20 RCTs)
   A meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure favouring green tea (MD: -1.94 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.95 to -0.93; I(2) = 8%; p = 0.0002).
   
   Who: participants in randomized clinical trials of green tea (Camellia sinensis)
   Effect: SBP MD -1.94 mm Hg (95% CI -2.95 to -0.93; I2 8%)
   Certainty: Low heterogeneity for SBP; adverse events not quantified in abstract.
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2014 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
6. ev-teabp-06 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 971 (14 RCTs)
   Green tea or GTE produced a significant effect on both SBP (mean difference -1.42 mmHg, 95% confidence interval -2.47 to -0.36, P = 0.008; I = 52%, P = 0.01 for heterogeneity) and DBP (mean difference -1.25 mmHg, 95% confidence interval -2.32 to -0.19, P = 0.02; I = 74%, P < 0.001 for heterogeneity), compared with placebo.
   
   Who: overweight and obese adults (47% women) in parallel and crossover RCTs of green tea or green tea extract vs placebo
   Effect: SBP MD -1.42 mm Hg (95% CI -2.47 to -0.36); DBP MD -1.25 mm Hg (95% CI -2.32 to -0.19); quality of evidence low
   Certainty: Authors rate the evidence low quality.
   J Hypertens, 2015 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
7. ev-teabp-07 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 145 RCTs, 5205 participants
   Effects were larger with elevated and hypertensive baseline BP or categorical hypertension (office: -5.9 [-10.0, -1.8]/-2.7 [-4.4, -1.0] mmHg, 24 h ABP: -6.8 [-16.3, 2.8]/-5.1 [-12.5, 2.2] mmHg).
   
   Who: participants in RCTs of flavan-3-ol-rich foods, beverages or supplements (epicatechin, EGCG, cocoa, tea, grape extract, apples)
   Effect: elevated or hypertensive baseline: office -5.9 (95% CI -10.0 to -1.8)/-2.7 (95% CI -4.4 to -1.0) mm Hg; strength of evidence moderate
   Certainty: Tea is one of several sources; tea-only effect not separated in abstract.
   Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
8. ev-teabp-08 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized double-blind controlled crossover trial, black tea with 129 mg flavonoids twice daily for 8 days · n = 19
   Black tea decreased systolic and diastolic BP (-3.2 mmHg, p<0.005 and -2.6 mmHg, p<0.0001; respectively) and prevented BP increase after a fat load (p<0.0001).
   
   Who: patients with hypertension
   Effect: SBP -3.2 mm Hg (p < 0.005); DBP -2.6 mm Hg (p < 0.0001); lower wave reflection, also after a fat load
   Certainty: Very short, small; office measurements over 4 hours.
   Nutrients, 2015 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
9. ev-teabp-09 · Observational data · systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies · n = 39 prospective cohort publications
   Linear meta-regression showed that each cup (236.6 mL) increase in daily tea consumption (estimated 280 mg and 338 mg total flavonoids/d for black and green tea, respectively) was associated with an average 4% lower risk of CVD mortality, a 2% lower risk of CVD events, a 4% lower risk of stroke, and a 1.5% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
   
   Who: generally healthy adults in prospective cohort studies
   Effect: per cup (236.6 mL) per day: CVD mortality -4%, CVD events -2%, stroke -4%, all-cause mortality -1.5%; strength of evidence low to moderate
   Certainty: Observational; higher risk-of-bias studies showed larger associations. Links tea to outcomes that blood pressure is meant to predict, not proof of cause.
   Adv Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
10. ev-teabp-10 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized crossover pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study · n = 10
    Green tea markedly decreased the maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-48)) of nadolol by 85.3% and 85.0%, respectively (P < 0.01), without altering renal clearance of nadolol.
    
    Who: healthy volunteers, single 30 mg nadolol dose after 14 days of green tea 700 mL/day or water
    Effect: nadolol Cmax -85.3%, AUC0-48 -85.0% (P < 0.01); effect of nadolol on SBP significantly reduced
    Certainty: Healthy volunteers; a single beta blocker. People on blood pressure drugs should ask before drinking large amounts of green tea.
    Clin Pharmacol Ther, 2014 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
11. ev-teabp-11 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · open-label randomized single-center 2-phase crossover · n = 10
    In an open-label, randomized, single-center, 2-phase crossover study, 10 healthy subjects ingested 200 mL of an aqueous solution of GTE containing ~ 300 mg of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, a major catechin component in green tea, or water (control) when receiving 10 mg of lisinopril after overnight fasting. The geometric mean ratio (GTE/control) for maximum plasma concentration and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve of lisinopril were 0.289 (90% confidence interval (CI) 0.226-0.352) and 0.337 (90% CI 0.269-0.405), respectively.
    
    Who: 10 healthy subjects, 6.8 fl oz (200 mL) green tea extract solution (about 300 mg EGCG) or water with 10 mg lisinopril
    Effect: lisinopril Cmax ratio 0.289 (90% CI 0.226 to 0.352); AUC ratio 0.337 (90% CI 0.269 to 0.405)
    Certainty: Single dose of extract, small sample; blood pressure effect not measured.
    Clin Transl Sci, 2021 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
12. ev-teabp-12 · Position of an expert body · society position document · n = —
    Antioxidant-rich beverages (teas, coffee) could be considered.
    
    Who: people with high-normal blood pressure
    Effect: teas and coffee: could be considered
    Certainty: Expert position based on literature review, no own pooled analysis.
    J Hypertens, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract