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On blood pressure pills? What to check before any capsule
Blood pressure medicine and supplements can pull in different directions, so a pharmacist should see the label before the first capsule. Licorice can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. The Reviralis Complete label lists licorice root extract with no printed amount, and potassium at 50 mg, about 2 percent of the adult adequate intake.
Written by the Goreviralis label deskUpdated · 5 min read
The basics01
Why do blood pressure medicines and supplements need a check?
Because some plants push blood pressure up or down, and some minerals change how the drug behaves.
Say a woman takes a water pill and an ACE inhibitor each morning. Her pharmacist knows her potassium has to stay in a middle lane. A new capsule that holds potassium, or a plant that makes the body lose it, can move that lane without anyone noticing.
Licorice is the best-known example. Glycyrrhizin, the sweet compound in the root, can raise blood pressure and lower potassium, and licorice interacts with several medicines (NCCIH, Licorice Root). Memorial Sloan Kettering adds that even moderate doses taken for a long time have been linked to high blood pressure and low potassium (MSK About Herbs, Licorice).
Those figures are about candy and large intakes. They do not tell us what is in a capsule, which is why the question goes to a pharmacist.
On the label02
Which Reviralis lines matter if you take blood pressure medicine?
Four lines: licorice root extract, potassium, olive leaf powder and magnesium.
The label prints 22 vitamin and mineral amounts and then one 661 mg blend of 18 names with no single amount. Because blend names run from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36), each name has a ceiling of 661 mg divided by its place in the list.
| Line | What the label prints | Why it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| Licorice root extract (14th) | Not printed (at most 47.21 mg) | Can raise pressure and lower potassium |
| Potassium | 50 mg | Matters with ACE inhibitors, some diuretics and kidney disease |
| Olive leaf powder (12th) | Not printed (at most 55.08 mg) | Pressure trials used 500 to 1,000 mg (MSK About Herbs, Olive Leaf) |
| Magnesium | 50 mg | Some drugs bind it, so spacing can matter |
Ceilings are arithmetic, not findings. The real amounts could be well below them. The label does not say whether the licorice is the kind with glycyrrhizin removed, so do not assume either way.
Doses in context03
Does 50 mg of potassium matter for someone on blood pressure medicine?
The amount is small, about 2 percent of a day's need, but small is not the same as irrelevant for you.
NIH sets the adequate intake at 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women (NIH ODS, Potassium). Fifty mg is 1.5 percent of the first figure and 1.9 percent of the second. A banana holds many times more.
Still, a prescriber of blood pressure medicine often tracks potassium with blood tests. Some medicines raise it and some lower it. The test result, not the capsule's size, decides what is fine for you.
The same goes for olive leaf. Pressure trials used doses far above the 55.08 mg ceiling, so the label gives no reason to expect an effect. It also gives none to rule one out. Ask.
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See packsAt the counter04
What should you ask your pharmacist?
Bring the bottle or a photo of the Supplement Facts panel and ask these five things.
- Does licorice root extract matter with my pills, even if the amount is hidden?
- Do I need a potassium blood test sooner after starting?
- Should I space the capsules from my morning pills, and by how long?
- Is a home blood pressure log worth keeping for the first weeks?
- Which signs should make me call you or my prescriber?
Take blood pressure medicine exactly as directed. Do not skip or change a dose because of a supplement. The Reviralis label itself tells readers on medicine affecting the cardiovascular system to consult a healthcare provider first.
Safety05
When do symptoms need urgent care?
Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or swelling of the face or throat.
A pounding or skipping heartbeat, new muscle weakness or severe headache deserves a same-day call to a clinician. No source we cite has tested Reviralis itself, so we cannot say what it would do beside your medicine.
The label is not for anyone under 18 and asks pregnant or nursing readers to speak to a provider. The medicine check page and the side effects page cover more, the Supplement Facts page types out every line, and the post on licorice root extract goes deeper on the root.
FAQ06
Reviralis questions people ask
Can I take potassium supplements with blood pressure medicine?
Only if your prescriber says so. Some blood pressure drugs raise potassium and others lower it, so extra potassium can push you the wrong way. Reviralis lists 50 mg, a small amount, but ask your pharmacist about it.
Does licorice interact with blood pressure pills?
Yes, licorice is known to interact with several medicines, including some used for blood pressure and heart rhythm. The Reviralis blend names licorice root extract without an amount, so show the panel to your pharmacist before starting.
Should I stop my blood pressure medicine for a supplement?
No. Keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed. A capsule is not a replacement. If you want to try one, ask your prescriber or pharmacist first and mention it at every visit.
Is there a caffeine amount on the Reviralis label?
No. Green tea leaf extract is in the blend, but the label prints no caffeine figure and no amount for the extract. Its ceiling is 165.25 mg. Caffeine can matter with blood pressure, so mention it.
Who wrote this07
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, CDC, FDA, FTC, Mayo Clinic and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. stocking partner for Reviralis. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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