Long before modern blood pressure medication, herbalists in Europe and Asia relied on plants to support the heart and circulation. Some of those herbs are now being studied by modern researchers. Alistrol brings five of them together in one formula registered by Health Canada. Here's a closer look at each ingredient, what it has traditionally been used for, and what the research says so far.
Hawthorn berry (200 mg per serving)
Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a flowering shrub whose berries, leaves and flowers have been used for heart health in European herbal medicine for centuries. In traditional Chinese medicine, the fruit (Shan Zha) is used to support digestion and circulation.
Hawthorn contains flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins, plant compounds studied for their antioxidant effects and their role in supporting relaxed, flexible blood vessels. Small clinical trials of hawthorn for blood pressure have had mixed results, with some showing modest benefits. It remains one of the most widely used heart herbs in the world.
Aged garlic (30 mg extract, equal to 450 mg dried bulb)
Garlic is one of the best-studied herbs for blood pressure. Aged garlic extract is made by ageing garlic for months, which turns harsh compounds into gentler, stable ones such as S-allyl cysteine, and greatly reduces the odour.
Several clinical reviews have found that garlic supplements can produce modest reductions in blood pressure in people with hypertension, and research suggests garlic supports healthy blood vessel function and the flexibility of artery walls. Garlic can thin the blood slightly, so check with your doctor if you take blood thinners.
Daikon radish seed (84 mg extract, equal to 1,260 mg dried seed)
Daikon seed (Raphanus sativus), called Lai Fu Zi in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for centuries to support digestion and healthy circulation. Modern research on daikon seed and blood pressure is mostly early-stage laboratory and animal work, which has looked at compounds that may help blood vessels relax. It is one of the traditional herbs at the core of the Alistrol formula.
Holly leaf (126 mg extract, equal to 1,890 mg dried leaf)
Holly leaf has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has been used to support circulation and heart health. Like daikon seed, its modern research base is still developing, but it has been part of traditional heart formulas for generations.
Fulvic mineral extract (50 mg)
Fulvic minerals are a natural complex of trace minerals and organic acids formed from ancient plant matter. CLE sources its fulvic extract from a prehistoric shale deposit in the United States that the company owns, and adds it to its formulas as a source of trace minerals. Your heart and blood vessels rely on minerals such as magnesium and potassium to function normally. Read more about why CLE uses fulvic minerals.
Why a combination formula?
Traditional herbal medicine rarely relies on a single plant. Herbs are combined so they complement each other. Alistrol was formulated by practitioners using that same approach: five ingredients at set amounts, in a capsule that is easy to take morning and evening.
Alistrol has also been studied in its own right: an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 300 adults with mild to moderate high blood pressure. You can read the study and see the results on the Alistrol page.
Herbs work best with healthy habits
No herb replaces the basics. Diet, sodium, exercise, sleep and stress management all have a big effect on blood pressure. See 9 research-backed habits that support healthy blood pressure, and learn what your readings mean in High blood pressure: what your numbers mean.
All five ingredients, one capsule. Alistrol is a herbal formula registered by Health Canada (NPN 80047013) for blood pressure support. Practitioner formulated, clinically studied and made in Canada since 2009.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you take blood pressure medication or blood thinners, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a medical condition. Never stop or change a prescribed medication without medical advice.