Acute cardiovascular effects of bitter orange extract (p-synephrine) consumed alone and in combination with caffeine in human subjects: A placebo-controlled, double-blind study

Phytother Res. 2018 Jan;32(1):94-102. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5953. Epub 2017 Oct 19.

Abstract

The purpose was to examine cardiovascular responses to supplementation with p-synephrine alone and in combination with caffeine during quiet sitting. Sixteen subjects were given (in double-blind manner) either 103 mg of p-synephrine (S), 233 mg of caffeine +104 mg of p-synephrine (LC + S), 240 mg of caffeine (LC), 337 mg of caffeine +46 mg of p-synephrine (HC + S), 325 mg of caffeine (HC), or a placebo. The subjects sat quietly for 3 hr while heart rate (HR) and blood pressure were measured. Only HC + S and HC significantly increased mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) during the second hour and tended to increase mean SBP during the third hour. Mean diastolic blood pressure in S was significantly lower than the other trials during the first and second hours, and mean arterial pressure was significantly lower in S compared to the LC, LC + S, HC, and HC + S trials. No differences were observed in HR. Consumption of p-synephrine may acutely reduce diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure and not affect SBP or HR during quiet sitting. The addition of p-synephrine to caffeine did not augment SBP or HR indicating that consumption of up to 104 mg of p-synephrine does not induce cardiovascular stress during quiet sitting.

Keywords: Citrus aurantium; blood pressure; caffeine; heart rate; mean arterial pressure; p-synephrine.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • Caffeine / pharmacology*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Research Subjects
  • Synephrine / pharmacology
  • Synephrine / therapeutic use*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Caffeine
  • Synephrine