Does turmeric lower blood pressure?

Slightly, if at all, and every trial we found tested turmeric supplements. A 2024 meta-analysis of 35 randomized trials in adults of mixed health found curcumin or turmeric supplements lowered systolic pressure by 2.02 mmHg and diastolic by 0.82 mmHg, with very high heterogeneity between the trials. A 2023 meta-analysis of 17 trials in 1,377 people, from an overlapping pool of trials searched to the same month, found no significant effect on either number. The trials gave turmeric, curcumin, nano-curcumin or curcumin with piperine, mostly to people with diabetes, metabolic syndrome or fatty liver.

Unsettled. The answer is unclear for reasons we can name. Meta-analyses built from many of the same trials reached opposite conclusions, a systolic fall of 2.02 mmHg in one and 0.06 mmHg in the other. An umbrella review of 25 curcumin meta-analyses rated 83% of all curcumin outcomes as very low or low certainty. And we found no trial that enrolled people because they had high blood pressure, or that made blood pressure its main outcome.

What the trials found

The two largest pools disagree

The 2024 meta-analysis of 35 randomized trials is the one behind most claims that turmeric lowers blood pressure. Its systolic result was 2.02 mmHg, with a 95% confidence interval from 1.18 to 2.85, and its diastolic result was 0.82 mmHg, interval 0.18 to 1.46. A later umbrella review put the heterogeneity of that systolic estimate at 96.7%, which means the trials inside it found very different things.

The 2023 dose-response meta-analysis of 17 trials in 1,377 participants found a systolic change of 0.06 mmHg, with an interval from 0.62 lower to 0.50 higher, and a diastolic change of 0.18 mmHg that also did not reach significance. Diastolic pressure fell by 0.76 mmHg only in trials that lasted 12 weeks or more. The umbrella review of 2025 set these results side by side and concluded that the blood pressure meta-analyses disagree. In fatty liver disease it reports a systolic change of 0.93 mmHg, with an interval that crosses zero.

People with diabetes or prediabetes

A meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials in 855 adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, at 8 to 24 weeks, found systolic pressure 2.69 mmHg lower, interval 1.55 to 3.84. Diastolic pressure fell by 1.20 mmHg, which did not reach significance. Thirteen of the 15 trials were at low risk of bias and 8 of them came from Iran. Neither the dose nor the length of the trial explained the size of the effect. In the subgroup whose systolic pressure started at 130 mmHg or higher, the fall was 3.41 mmHg. That is a subgroup of trials in diabetes, it is not a trial in hypertension, and the abstract gives no interval for it.

Metabolic syndrome and fatty liver

In metabolic syndrome, a 2023 meta-analysis of 13 trials in 785 people found diastolic pressure 2.8 mmHg lower in the five trials that reported it. The systolic fall of 4.82 mmHg in six trials did not reach significance, and its interval ran from 9.98 lower to 0.35 higher. A 2019 meta-analysis in the same condition also found no significant change in systolic pressure. Pooling 10 earlier meta-analyses in metabolic disorders, a 2024 analysis found diastolic pressure 0.94 mmHg lower and no significant change in systolic pressure. Those 10 meta-analyses share trials, so some trials count more than once.

Nano-curcumin, a formulation made to be absorbed better, lowered diastolic pressure by a small standardized amount, 0.32, across 20 trials in 1,394 people. A standardized difference cannot be turned back into mmHg, and the abstract gives no interval for it. In fatty liver disease, 21 trials in 1,191 adults at 50 to 3000 mg a day found no significant change in systolic or diastolic pressure. Its authors warn that some untested products may have been adulterated or contaminated.

Older adults

A 2025 systematic review of seven randomized trials in older adults reported lower systolic pressure with curcumin, at p = 0.04. It did not pool a size for the effect, and the results were inconsistent across trials that used different products and doses.

Single trials

Three placebo-controlled trials of 12 weeks found no change in blood pressure. One gave 500 mg of curcuminoids with 5 mg of piperine to 72 people with type 2 diabetes and high triglycerides, where blood pressure was a secondary outcome the trial was not powered for. One gave 80 mg a day of nano-curcumin to 50 people with metabolic syndrome. One gave 500 mg a day of enhanced-absorption curcumin to 22 young obese men with normal blood pressure and measured central pressure and artery function.

The one positive single trial is weak. In 24 patients with lupus nephritis, 1.5 g of turmeric a day, containing 66 mg of curcumin, lowered systolic pressure over 3 months when values before and after were compared within the turmeric group. The abstract gives no comparison with placebo, there were 12 people per arm, and kidney disease raises blood pressure for its own reasons.

Who should be careful

Not for everyone. Two harms are on record, both from supplements. Some people on warfarin have had INR, the clotting test, climb above 10 after starting turmeric or curcumin supplements, according to a 2026 expert review of case reports that gives no estimate of how often this happens. The same review reports that liver injury from turmeric supplements usually appears after 1 to 4 months of use, rare and idiosyncratic, and that is the same window as the blood pressure trials.

NCCIH, a US federal research center, warns that highly bioavailable curcumin formulations may harm the liver, and the nano and piperine products used in many of these trials are that kind. A pathology series of 11 patients attributed acute hepatitis to over-the-counter turmeric supplements, and liver tests returned to normal in all of them after they stopped. It has no denominator, so it says nothing about how common this is. A single case report attributes liver injury at 23 weeks of pregnancy to turmeric, with no dose given and no rechallenge.

Across eight meta-analyses that reported harms, the side effects were mild stomach upset, headache, dizziness and rash, with no serious adverse events. The trials were short and too small to catch rare liver injury or bleeding. One case report describes repeated bleeding in the eye of a 48-year-old man taking a turmeric supplement among several others, which settled once he stopped all of them. Causality was not established.

We found no trial of turmeric taken together with blood pressure medicines. That absence is not reassurance. If you take any medicine, and above all a blood thinner, NCCIH advises talking with your health care provider before you start an herbal product.

What expert bodies say

NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to conclude that turmeric or curcumin is beneficial for any health purpose, and its turmeric page does not discuss blood pressure. We found no US or European body that recommends turmeric for blood pressure. NCCIH also advises anyone taking medicine to talk with a health care provider before using any herbal product, because some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.

How we searched

What would change this answer

• A trial that enrols people for high blood pressure, makes blood pressure the main outcome and measures it over 24 hours. We found none.
• A trial longer than 24 weeks, and any trial with heart attacks or strokes as an outcome.
• A trial of turmeric as a food or cooking spice. Every result on this page is from supplements.
• Data on turmeric taken alongside blood pressure medicines, and any trial in pregnancy or in children.
• Results from the completed registry trial, which are not posted, and one meta-analysis that explains why pools of the same trials reach 2.02 mmHg and 0.06 mmHg.

More on this spice: turmeric, turmeric and inflammation and turmeric and weight loss.

Sources

1. ev-turbp-01 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, random effects · n = 855
   Pooling 16 effect sizes revealed that curcumin/turmeric supplementation led to a significant reduction in SBP compared to the control groups (WMD: −2.69 mmHg; 95% CI: −3.84 to −1.55; p < 0.001) (Figure 3a).
   
   Who: adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes in placebo-controlled RCTs of turmeric, curcumin, nano-curcumin or curcumin with piperine for 8 to 24 weeks
   Effect: SBP WMD -2.69 mm Hg (95% CI -3.84 to -1.55; I2 30.1%); DBP WMD -1.20 mm Hg (95% CI -2.84 to 0.44), not significant
   Certainty: RoB 2: 13 of 15 trials low risk; leave-one-out robust; 8 of 15 trials from Iran; no dose or duration relation on meta-regression.
   Endocrinol Diabetes Metab, 2026 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the full_text
2. ev-turbp-02 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · subgroup analysis within a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = —
   A more substantial reduction in SBP (-3.41 mmHg) was observed in the subgroup of participants with baseline hypertension (SBP ≥ 130 mmHg).
   
   Who: adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and baseline SBP of 130 mm Hg or more, subgroup of 15 RCTs
   Effect: SBP -3.41 mm Hg in the baseline SBP >= 130 mm Hg subgroup; significant also with doses above 1 g/day
   Certainty: Subgroup finding, not a trial designed in hypertension; CI for the subgroup not in the abstract.
   Endocrinol Diabetes Metab, 2026 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
3. ev-turbp-03 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 35 RCTs
   Our findings suggested that curcumin/turmeric supplementation significantly improved SBP (WMD: -2.02 mmHg; 95 % CI: -2.85, -1.18), DBP (WMD: -0.82 mmHg; 95 % CI: -1.46, -0.18), VCAM-1 (WMD: -39.19 ng/mL; 95 % CI: -66.15, -12.23), and FMD (WMD: 2.00 %; 95 % CI: 1.07, 2.94).
   
   Who: adults of mixed health status in randomized controlled trials of curcumin or turmeric supplements
   Effect: SBP WMD -2.02 mm Hg (95% CI -2.85 to -1.18); DBP WMD -0.82 mm Hg (95% CI -1.46 to -0.18); FMD +2.00%; PWV not changed
   Certainty: Heterogeneity very high (I2 96.7% for SBP per the umbrella review 40538540); search to October 2022.
   Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
4. ev-turbp-04 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of clinical trials · n = 1377
   The findings of the meta-analysis did not indicate any significant effect of curcumin on SBP (WMD = -0.06 mmHg, 95% CI: -0.62, 0.50, p = 0.85; I2 = 44.2%) and DBP (WMD = -0.18 mmHg, 95% CI: -1.17, 0.82, p = 0.62; I2 = 77.2%).
   
   Who: participants in clinical trials of curcumin supplementation
   Effect: SBP WMD -0.06 mm Hg (95% CI -0.62 to 0.50); DBP WMD -0.18 mm Hg (95% CI -1.17 to 0.82); DBP -0.76 mm Hg only in trials of 12 weeks or more
   Certainty: Contradicts 38220376 from an overlapping trial pool searched to the same month; shows the pooled estimate is unstable.
   Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2023 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
5. ev-turbp-05 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · meta-analysis of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials · n = 10 meta-analyses
   However, curcumin did not significantly change systolic blood pressure (SBP) [WMD = -0.64, 95 % CI: -1.96, 0.67; p =0.34, I2 = 83.5 %, p <0.001], and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1) [WMD = -17.05; 95 % CI: -80.79, 46.70, p =0.601; I2=94.1 %, p < 0.001].
   
   Who: patients with metabolic disorders in meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials of curcumin
   Effect: DBP WMD -0.94 mm Hg (95% CI -1.59 to -0.30); SBP WMD -0.64 mm Hg (95% CI -1.96 to 0.67), not significant, I2 83.5%
   Certainty: Pools overlapping meta-analyses, so the same trials count more than once.
   Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
6. ev-turbp-06 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 785
   Meanwhile, there was no significant improvement in SBP (MD = -4.82, 95% CI: -9.98 to 0.35, p = 0.07, six studies), TG (MD = 1.28, 95% CI: -3.75 to 6.30, p = 0.62, eight studies), IL-6 (MD = -1.5, 95% CI: -3.97 to 0.97, p = 0.23, two studies), or hsCRP (MD = -1.10, 95% CI: -4.35 to 2.16, p < 0.51, two studies).
   
   Who: patients with metabolic syndrome in RCTs of curcumin lasting 4 to 12 weeks
   Effect: DBP MD -2.8 mm Hg (95% CI -4.53 to -1.06, five studies); SBP MD -4.82 mm Hg (95% CI -9.98 to 0.35, six studies), not significant
   Certainty: Only five or six trials report BP; SBP heterogeneity high; registered in PROSPERO.
   Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2023 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
7. ev-turbp-07 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = —
   Curcumin was not associated with a significant change in waist circumference measurement (p = 0.6) and systolic blood pressure level (p = 0.269).
   
   Who: patients with metabolic syndrome in randomized controlled trials of curcumin or turmeric
   Effect: DBP improved (p = 0.007); SBP not changed (p = 0.269); effect sizes not given in the abstract
   Certainty: Small pool; search to September 2018; abstract gives p values only.
   Phytother Res, 2019 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
8. ev-turbp-08 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 1394
   Improvement in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (SMD: -0.32 mmHg), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (SMD: 0.44 mmol/L), malondialdehyde (MDA) (SMD: -0.37 mmol/L), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (SMD: -2.30 ng/L), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (SMD: -1.07 ng/L), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (SMD: -0.34 mg/L) were observed.
   
   Who: adults with metabolic syndrome components in RCTs of nano-curcumin
   Effect: DBP SMD -0.32; SBP not reported as significant in the abstract
   Certainty: Standardized units only; CI not in the abstract; nano formulations are the highly bioavailable kind NCCIH flags for liver risk.
   Pharmacol Res, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
9. ev-turbp-09 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 1191
   There was no significant change in HbA1C, plasma insulin, QUICKI, HDL, SBP, DBP, CRP, TNF-α and WC after curcumin therapy.
   
   Who: adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
   Effect: SBP and DBP not significantly changed overall; SBP fell in subgroups of trials of 8 weeks or more and with over 55 participants
   Certainty: Authors flag possible adulteration or contamination of untested products; BP effect sizes not in the abstract.
   Complement Ther Med, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
10. ev-turbp-10 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (AMSTAR-2, GRADE) · n = 25 meta-analyses
    According to the GRADE, 82.79% (n = 101) of outcomes were rated as very low to low certainty, indicating limited confidence in the real word.
    
    Who: adults in meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of oral curcumin
    Effect: BP: SBP -2.02 mm Hg in one MA (I2 96.7%) vs SBP -0.93 mm Hg (95% CI -2.36 to 0.50) in NAFLD; GRADE very low to low for 101 of 122 outcomes
    Certainty: Methodological quality of included meta-analyses rated relatively poor by the authors.
    Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the full_text
11. ev-turbp-11 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials · n = 8 meta-analyses
    However, there were no serious adverse events.
    
    Who: adults in meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of oral curcumin
    Effect: adverse events mostly gastrointestinal; no serious adverse events
    Certainty: Trials are short and too small to detect rare liver injury or bleeding.
    Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the full_text
12. ev-turbp-12 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review of randomized controlled trials without pooled meta-analysis · n = 7 RCTs
    Cur supplementation (CurS) in elderly individuals resulted in significant improvements in several metabolic and inflammatory markers, including reductions in C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.03), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.04), fasting blood sugar (p = 0.02), and HOMA-IR (p = 0.01) compared with controls.
    
    Who: elderly people in randomized controlled trials of curcumin
    Effect: SBP reduced versus control (p = 0.04); no pooled effect size
    Certainty: Narrative synthesis with p value only; formulations and doses vary.
    Ageing Res Rev, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
13. ev-turbp-13 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial, 12 weeks · n = 72
    However, between-group comparisons showed no significant change in other parameters, including anthropometric indices (waist circumference and body mass index (BMI)), biochemical parameters (low-density lipoprotein (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), and insulin), HOMA-IR, blood pressure, quality of life, and DASS-21 items between the studied groups (p-value >0.05).
    
    Who: patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia
    Effect: no significant between-group change in blood pressure; triglycerides and fasting glucose fell
    Certainty: Blood pressure was a secondary outcome; trial not powered for it.
    Phytother Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
14. ev-turbp-14 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial, 12 weeks · n = 50
    But there were no significant differences in anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and biochemical factors-including FBS, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, and lipid profile variables include (total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C) at the end of the study.
    
    Who: patients with metabolic syndrome
    Effect: no significant difference in blood pressure; triglycerides fell
    Certainty: Small trial; low dose of a nano-micelle formulation.
    Phytother Res, 2021 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
15. ev-turbp-15 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial, 12 weeks · n = 22
    No changes were found with endothelial function, augmentation index, or central blood pressure in the curcumin group compared with the placebo group (P > 0.05).
    
    Who: men aged 18 to 35 with BMI of 30 or more
    Effect: no change in central (aortic) blood pressure, augmentation index or endothelial function versus fenugreek fiber control
    Certainty: Very small; normotensive young men.
    Nutrition, 2019 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
16. ev-turbp-16 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized placebo-controlled trial, 3 months · n = 24
    Also, systolic blood pressure and hematuria were found to decrease significantly when pre- and post-turmeric supplementation values were compared in the trial group.
    
    Who: patients with relapsing or refractory biopsy-proven lupus nephritis
    Effect: SBP fell from baseline in the turmeric group; placebo group unchanged; between-group difference not reported in the abstract
    Certainty: Within-group comparison only; 12 per arm; kidney disease raises BP for other reasons.
    J Ren Nutr, 2012 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
17. ev-turbp-17 · Laboratory or animal data · expert committee review of case reports and pharmacovigilance · n = —
    Similarly, some warfarin-treated patients have presented with marked INR elevation (>10) after initiating turmeric/curcumin supplements, prompting safety warnings that concentrated preparations of turmeric/curcumin may potentiate the activity of warfarin (Medsafe NZ 2018).
    
    Who: case reports of patients taking fluindione or warfarin with turmeric or curcumin
    Effect: INR above 10 in some warfarin-treated patients after starting turmeric or curcumin supplements
    Certainty: Case reports only; no incidence estimate. Relevant because many people with high blood pressure also take anticoagulants.
    Pharmaceutical Biology, 2026 (USP DSAEL Expert Committee) · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the full_text
18. ev-turbp-18 · Laboratory or animal data · expert committee review of case reports · n = —
    In case reports, hepatotoxicity typically occurs after 1 to 4 months of use and presents with symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, dark urine, and jaundice.
    
    Who: published case reports of clinically apparent liver injury with turmeric or curcuminoid supplements
    Effect: onset 1 to 4 months; ALT often above 1,000 U/L; resolution within 1 to 3 months in most cases; rare transplant
    Certainty: Idiosyncratic and rare; BP trials last 8 to 24 weeks, the same window as typical onset.
    Pharmaceutical Biology, 2026 (USP DSAEL Expert Committee) · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the full_text
19. ev-turbp-19 · Laboratory or animal data · case report · n = 1
    These antithrombotic agents are not only limited to prescription medications but can also include dietary supplements such as turmeric.
    
    Who: one 48-year-old man with recurrent subretinal hemorrhage
    Effect: recurrent hemorrhage after retinal surgery; normal thrombotic work-up; improvement after stopping supplements
    Certainty: Single case with several supplements; causality not established.
    Case Rep Ophthalmol, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
20. ev-turbp-20 · Position of an expert body · agency fact sheet · n = —
    If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using any herbal product; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
    
    Who: general public, NIH consumer fact sheet updated April 2025
    Effect: position statement; no effect size
    Certainty: General advice, not specific to blood pressure drugs.
    NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety, updated April 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
21. ev-turbp-21 · Position of an expert body · agency fact sheet · n = —
    We don’t know enough to definitively conclude if turmeric or curcumin is beneficial for any health purposes.
    
    Who: general public, NIH consumer fact sheet updated April 2025
    Effect: position statement; no effect size
    Certainty: No US or European body endorses turmeric for blood pressure; NCCIH page lists NAFLD, osteoarthritis and lipids as studied areas.
    NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety, updated April 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
22. ev-turbp-22 · Position of an expert body · agency fact sheet · n = —
    Highly bioavailable formulations of curcumin, which enhance the body’s ability to absorb the curcumin, may harm your liver.
    
    Who: general public, NIH consumer fact sheet updated April 2025
    Effect: position statement; no effect size
    Certainty: Position of a US federal center; not a dose limit.
    NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Turmeric: Usefulness and Safety, updated April 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
23. turm-dv2-13 · Observational data · retrospective clinicopathological case series · n = 11
    We identified 11 patients via retrospective pathology archive review: 10 females (91%) and one male, with a median age of 58 years (range = 37-66 years)...All patients stopped ingesting turmeric supplements after presenting with liver injury, and four patients additionally received steroid therapy; liver function tests normalised in all patients.
    
    Who: 11 patients with biopsy-proven liver injury attributed to turmeric supplements, retrospective archive review
    Effect: RUCAM probable in 8 and possible in 3; recovery in all after withdrawal
    Certainty: No denominator, so no incidence; causality by RUCAM, not by rechallenge.
    Histopathology, 2025 · checked 2026-09-23 · we read the abstract
24. turm-dv2-20 · Observational data · case report · n = 1
    We hereby report a case of a pregnant patient who demonstrated atypical signs and symptoms of dietary-induced liver injury during pregnancy. She presented with itching at 23 weeks 4 days of pregnancy and had deranged liver function tests and was diagnosed with dietary-induced liver injury.
    
    Who: one pregnant woman presenting with itching and abnormal liver tests at 23 weeks 4 days
    Effect: dietary-induced liver injury attributed to high-dose turmeric; improvement after dietary restriction
    Certainty: Single case; no dose in abstract; causality not tested by rechallenge.
    Case Reports Hepatol, 2024 · checked 2026-09-23 · we read the abstract