In this video, Dr. Ashley Frazee, a primary‑care physician running a direct‑primary‑care clinic in Mesa, Arizona, outlines five supplement‑based strategies that patients with borderline or high blood pressure can use to potentially lower their readings and delay prescription medication. She explains the physiological rationale, recommended dosages, and safety considerations for each supplement: beetroot juice/powder (nitrate‑derived nitric oxide), L‑citrulline and L‑arginine (amino‑acid precursors to nitric oxide, especially helpful in metabolic syndrome), magnesium (relaxant for stress‑induced spikes, with forms that cross the blood‑brain barrier), CoQ10 (mitochondrial co‑factor that can offset statin‑induced depletion and modestly lower systolic pressure), and Carditone (an Ayurvedic rauwolfia/argina blend that acts more like a medication and requires close monitoring). Dr. Frazee emphasizes that these are adjuncts to lifestyle changes, not cures, and stresses the importance of monitoring blood pressure and consulting a physician before use. She also briefly promotes her direct‑primary‑care model, noting it gives her time to research and personalize care.
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I'm a primary care doctor who believes in options because your health is on the line and I'm not playing around. My patients are always asking me, doc, is there anything I can do before I take the blood pressure medication? So lately I've been recommending these supplements to help people stay off the medications. Let's get into it. I don't want to waste your time. The first thing I recommend to anyone who has blood pressure issues is beetroot juice or beetroot powder. Beets are the OG of blood pressure hacks. They're loaded with natural nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes and opens up your blood vessels, which lowers the pressure. Imagine the pressure that's going through a really stiff pipe that magically becomes a rubber tube. Studies show drinking beetroot juice can lower your blood pressure by 5 to 10 points on top. That's legit. How much beetroot juice or powder? Drink 8 ounces of beetroot juice or 1 to 2 teaspoons of beetroot powder mixed into a glass of water, which is basically the same thing, and drink once daily. If you're prone to kidney stones, be careful. Beets are high in oxalates, which can contribute to stone formation. So maybe opt out of this one if you have a lot of kidney stones. All right, the second thing I recommend to high blood pressure patients: L-citrulline and L-arginine. I group these together because they often come in combination. These 2 amino acids work together to also boost nitric oxide, just differently than beets do. How much do you want to take? About 6 grams of each per day. L-citrulline actually turns into L-arginine, which helps relax your blood vessels. And what's cool about these amino acids is they tend to work better in people with metabolic syndrome, which is when, you know, you have a combination of extra belly fat, high blood sugar, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and yeah, Hypertension. When you've got this combo, your blood vessels are just stiff and dysfunctional. They get inflamed, they're stubborn, they won't open up. This next one's for you if your blood pressure tends to spike when you get stressed out. I'm talking about magnesium, the chill pill for your blood vessels. Magnesium is a top supplement for overall health. Our overreliance on processed foods causes us to miss out on a lot of minerals like magnesium. A ton of people are deficient in magnesium, especially if you're sleep deprived or stressed out or your diet's not on point. Hey, I'm guilty of all of that. Magnesium just helps your blood vessels relax. It can also help with sleep and migraines, but it definitely combats stress-induced blood pressure spikes. The dose, 300 to 500 milligrams of magnesium. Do glycinate or threonate if you can. They can cross the blood-brain barrier. Take magnesium at night if you can. Your gut will thank you. I will say I've tried magnesium glycinate and threonate and can't really tolerate them. I have really bad dreams on them. Let me know if that's ever happened to you in the comments, but it definitely lowered my blood pressure the next day when I took it. All right, 4th tip, CoQ10. CoQ10 is like battery charger for your muscle cells. It's a key player in the electron transport chain, if you ever studied that in school, but you need it for everything to work and for you to make energy. Several studies have shown about a 10-point drop in systolic blood pressure, the pressure on top, using CoQ10 supplementation, and that's about as effective as using a mild blood pressure medication like this one. 100 to 300 milligrams is sufficient, especially if you're on something like a statin medication, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, Lipitor, or Crestor, which can deplete your CoQ10. This next one's a little controversial. In fact, I actually thought about leaving it out, but let's just go for it. It's called Carditone. It's an herbal blend of something called rauwolfia and argina. It's used in Ayurvedic medicine. I've had patients swear by it, and I've seen people actually trade in their prescriptions in favor of this supplement. But here's the deal, don't treat this one like a vitamin. It can be strong and acts more like a plant-based medication than a supplement. Track your blood pressure while you're using it and talk to your doctor about it. It's not for everybody, but I've seen it work. All right, look, supplements aren't magic, and though it might seem like it, I'm not actually a supplement pusher. But if your blood pressure's in that borderline zone and you really want to stay off of medications, these supplements can absolutely help you stay off meds, or at least delay starting them while you're getting your exercise on and your healthy diet, right? If you can control your blood pressure before we put you on medications, I consider that a win. Hey, I'm Dr. Ashley Frazee. I run a direct primary care clinic in Mesa, Arizona. Direct primary care has allowed me to make my patients my top priority, and it also gives me time to research stuff like this. If you want to know more about direct primary care, there are a couple links in my description. You guys have a good day.
