Can DMSO Lower High Blood Pressure?

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is widely known in alternative health circles for its unusual ability to penetrate the skin and carry other substances with it. Over the years, Earth Clinic readers have also asked whether DMSO might help lower high blood pressure.

At this time, however, there is not enough clinical evidence to recommend DMSO as a treatment for hypertension. Research involving DMSO has documented changes in cardiovascular function, but the effects on blood pressure have not been consistent. Depending on the dose, route of administration, and circumstances, both increases and decreases in blood pressure have been reported.

For that reason, anyone experimenting with DMSO who also has high blood pressure should monitor blood pressure carefully and should not use DMSO as a substitute for prescribed hypertension treatment.

What Is DMSO?

DMSO, or dimethyl sulfoxide, is a sulfur-containing compound originally derived as a byproduct of wood processing. It readily penetrates biological membranes and is absorbed through the skin.

In the United States, prescription DMSO is FDA-approved for intravesical treatment of interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition. DMSO has not been FDA-approved as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Does DMSO Lower Blood Pressure?

The available evidence does not establish DMSO as an effective treatment for hypertension.

Some experimental research has shown that DMSO can influence vascular resistance and cardiovascular function. These findings have occasionally been interpreted as suggesting that DMSO might lower blood pressure by affecting blood vessel tone or circulation. However, this is very different from demonstrating that DMSO safely treats chronic hypertension in people.

Importantly, cardiovascular responses to DMSO have not always moved in the same direction. Studies and clinical reports involving DMSO exposure have documented both hypotension (low blood pressure) and hypertension (high blood pressure), as well as changes in heart rate.

This means it would be misleading to describe DMSO simply as a blood-pressure-lowering remedy.

What Human Research Shows

A systematic review examining adverse reactions to DMSO in humans found reports of several cardiovascular effects, including changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Both hypertension and hypotension occurred in the studies included in the review.

Older experimental research also found that DMSO could temporarily alter vascular resistance and cardiovascular measurements. However, much of this research involved intravenous administration, high doses, specialized medical circumstances, or animal models. Those findings cannot be directly translated into a safe oral or topical treatment for hypertension.

Why Might DMSO Affect Blood Pressure?

DMSO has several biological properties that could theoretically influence the cardiovascular system. Experimental research suggests that it can affect vascular resistance, fluid distribution, cellular membranes, inflammation, and oxidative processes.

But a biological mechanism is not the same as a proven treatment. Blood pressure is regulated by a complex interaction among the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nervous system, hormones, fluid balance, and medications. A substance that temporarily changes vascular resistance does not necessarily provide safe or sustained control of hypertension.

Earth Clinic Reader Experiences

The reader reports below illustrate why caution is warranted.

One longtime Earth Clinic contributor reported checking his blood pressure approximately one hour after taking DMSO orally and finding essentially no change from his usual reading.

Another reader later described an elderly family member whose blood pressure and resting pulse increased after oral DMSO. Because serious illness and other factors were also present, the report cannot establish that DMSO caused the changes. Nevertheless, it demonstrates why blood pressure and pulse should be monitored rather than assuming DMSO will lower them.

Reader experiences can provide useful observations and questions for further research, but they cannot establish whether a treatment is safe or effective.

DMSO Can Increase Absorption of Other Substances

One of the most important characteristics of DMSO is its ability to penetrate tissue and enhance the movement of certain substances across biological membranes.

This is particularly important with topical use. Applying DMSO over skin contaminated with medications, chemicals, fragrances, pesticides, or other substances could potentially increase their absorption.

Skin should therefore be thoroughly clean before topical DMSO is applied, and DMSO should not casually be mixed with medications or other compounds.

DMSO and Blood Pressure Medication

Extra caution is appropriate for anyone taking medication for hypertension or cardiovascular disease.

The prescribing information for pharmaceutical DMSO notes that DMSO may alter the effectiveness of medications a person is already receiving. Research is not sufficient to predict every possible interaction.

Combining DMSO with blood-pressure-lowering drugs could potentially produce an unpredictable response. Likewise, a person should not reduce or discontinue prescribed blood pressure medication because a home remedy appears to be working without discussing the change with a healthcare professional.

If You Use DMSO, Monitor Your Blood Pressure Correctly

Anyone with hypertension who chooses to use DMSO for another purpose should consider keeping a blood pressure log. Measurements are most useful when they are taken under consistent conditions.

• Sit quietly for at least five minutes before measuring.
• Keep your back supported and both feet flat on the floor.
• Support your arm so the blood pressure cuff is approximately at heart level.
• Do not talk during the measurement.
• Avoid measuring immediately after exercise, caffeine, nicotine, or a stressful event.
• Take two readings and record the results rather than relying on an isolated measurement.
• Record your pulse as well as your blood pressure if you are evaluating your response to DMSO.

A pattern over several days is generally more informative than a single reading.

When High Blood Pressure Requires Immediate Attention

High blood pressure can exist without noticeable symptoms, which is one reason regular monitoring is important.

If your blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mm Hg, wait at least one minute and measure it again. If it remains that high, contact a healthcare professional promptly.

If blood pressure is above 180/120 mm Hg and you also have symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, numbness, vision changes, back pain, or difficulty speaking, seek emergency medical care.

Do not attempt to treat a possible hypertensive emergency with DMSO or another home remedy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can DMSO lower high blood pressure?

There is currently insufficient clinical evidence to show that DMSO is an effective treatment for hypertension. DMSO can affect cardiovascular function, but both increases and decreases in blood pressure have been reported.

Is DMSO approved for hypertension?

No. In the United States, prescription DMSO is FDA-approved for the symptomatic relief of interstitial cystitis when administered directly into the bladder. It is not FDA-approved as a treatment for hypertension.

Can DMSO raise blood pressure?

It appears possible. Human safety literature includes reports of hypertension as well as hypotension following DMSO exposure. Individual responses may depend on dose, route of administration, underlying health conditions, medications, and other factors.

Can I use DMSO with blood pressure medication?

Potential interactions are not well characterized. Pharmaceutical DMSO labeling warns that DMSO may alter the effectiveness of medications a person is taking. Anyone using prescription cardiovascular medication should discuss DMSO with a healthcare professional before combining them.

Should I stop my blood pressure medication if DMSO lowers my readings?

No. Do not stop or reduce prescribed hypertension medication based on a few improved readings without consulting the healthcare professional managing your blood pressure.

The Bottom Line

DMSO is an unusual compound with documented biological effects and a long history of experimental and alternative use. However, the available evidence does not establish DMSO as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Research also suggests that DMSO's cardiovascular effects can vary. Rather than assuming it will lower blood pressure, people using DMSO should be aware that blood pressure and heart rate may change in either direction.

If you have used DMSO and carefully tracked your blood pressure before and after treatment, we invite you to share your experience below. Please include your approximate blood pressure before DMSO, the route of use, timing of your measurements, and what happened afterward. Detailed reports can be especially helpful to other readers.