Evidence for the effectiveness of pomegranate supplementation for blood pressure management is weak: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. Hypertension is one of the most important preventable causes of premature death. Studies have been conducted assessing the impact of pomegranate on blood pressure, with varying results. The aim of this review was to critically appraise and evaluate the effect of pomegranate on blood pressure in adults, using evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs). We conducted electronic searches in Medline, Embase, Amed, and The Cochrane Library, and included RCTs assessing the effectiveness of pomegranate on blood pressure. We assessed the reporting quality using the Cochrane criteria. We included 8 RCTs comprising 619 participants. The studies varied in their reporting quality, and compared pomegranate juice or capsules with a control. Two studies reported significant reductions in systolic blood pressure favoring pomegranate: p =.002 and p