Supplements · Sweeteners · Metabolic & Cardiometabolic
stevia decreases blood pressure
In plain terms: Does stevia lower blood pressure?
Part of: • Stevia
Only at doses far higher than you'd ever sweeten food with. The blood-pressure results come from giving hypertensive patients gram-level doses of stevioside - basically using it as a drug - and even those studies nearly all come from one research group. At normal tabletop amounts, stevia does nothing to blood pressure.
📅 Last reviewed: 2026-07-15 ⓘ
Evidence ladder
How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."
Top evidence so far: All trials, pooled (Meta-analysis)
How the studies fall
What the evidence shows
The blood-pressure claim is real but dose-dependent, and doesn't apply to everyday use. The positive results come from older trials giving gram-level pharmacological doses of stevioside (750–1500 mg/day) to hypertensive patients — and nearly all of them trace to a single, non-independent East-Asian research cluster.
The evidence (9)
| Source | Grade | Stance | Quality | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hsieh MH, Chan P, Sue YM, Liu JC, Liang TH, Huang TY, Tomlinson B, Chow MS, Kao PF, Chen YJ 2003 · Clin Ther | RCT | mixed | moderate | 2-yr RCT (174 mild hypertension): stevioside 1500 mg/d lowered SBP/DBP. [high dose; SAME research cluster as Chan - not independent] |
| Chan P, Tomlinson B, Chen YJ, Liu JC, Hsieh MH, Cheng JT 2000 · Br J Clin Pharmacol | RCT | supports | moderate | 1-yr RCT (106 Chinese hypertensives): stevioside 750 mg/d lowered SBP/DBP vs placebo. [high pharmacological dose; single research cluster] |
| Rizwan F, Yesmine S, Rashid HU, Monjur F, Rahman M, Chatterjee TK 2025 · Cureus | RCT | mixed | low | Stevia 250mg BID (therapeutic dose) in CKD Stage I-III patients: SBP p<0.043, DBP p<0.001 reduction at 9mo; reverted toward baseline during washout (no stevia). |
| Jeppesen PB, Gregersen S, Rolfsen SE, Jepsen M, Colombo M, Agger A, Xiao J, Kruhøffer M, Orntoft T, Hermansen K 2003 · Metabolism | animal | supports | low | Diabetic rats: stevioside lowered systolic and diastolic BP - mechanism/plausibility, not human proof. |
| Ayoub-Charette S, Kavanagh M, Khan T, Sievenpiper J 2025 · Appl Physiol Nutr Metab | meta-analysis | mixed | moderate | Umbrella review, not evidence: 'we conducted an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses' (6 trial- and 5 cohort-based analyses); 'LNCS reduced ... systolic blood pressure in bias-adjusted only'. LNCS class, stevia not separated. Units are syntheses — review, zero weight. |
| Onakpoya IJ, Heneghan CJ 2015 · Eur J Prev Cardiol | meta-analysis | mixed | moderate | SR/meta: pooled BP reduction in hypertensives BUT flags high risk of bias, small trials, same research groups, dose-dependence. |
| Anker CCB, Rafiq S, Jeppesen PB 2019 · Nutrients | meta-analysis | supports | low | Pooled 6 trials (7 RCTs, 403 people): stevioside lowered systolic blood pressure by 6.32 mmHg versus placebo (95% CI -10.17 to -2.46, p=0.001), and by 10.78 mmHg in the two long-term trials of non-diabetic hypertensive patients (n=268). Diastolic pressure fell 3.62 mmHg but not significantly (95% CI -7.69 to 0.49, p=0.08), with wide disagreement between trials. Doses were 200-1500 mg/day; most included trials reported their randomisation, blinding and other bias safeguards poorly, and the authors say the results should be read with caution. |
| Barriocanal LA, Palacios M, Benitez G, Benitez S, Jimenez JT, Jimenez N, Rojas V 2008 · Regul Toxicol Pharmacol | RCT | contradicts | moderate | RCT at sweetener dose (250 mg TID): NO significant change in SBP/DBP in any group - 'apparent lack of pharmacological effect'. |
| Ferri LA, Alves-Do-Prado W, Yamada SS, Gazola S, Batista MR, Bazotte RB 2006 · Phytother Res | RCT | contradicts | moderate | RCT (mild hypertensives): crude stevioside up to 15 mg/kg/d showed NO antihypertensive effect beyond placebo (both fell). [moderate/culinary-comparable dose] |
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Educational only, not medical advice. Grades and scores reflect published evidence weighted by study design and quality; see the methodology.