The Effect of Psyllium Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Global incidence of hypertension is estimated to be, in excess of, one billion people, and given the efficacy of soluble dietary fibers, in particular, Psyllium, to positively impact blood pressure in patients with hypertension, it is of clinical importance that consensus on its supplementation be established. Therefore, the aim of the study was systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of psyllium supplementation on blood pressure of hypertensive patients in randomized controlled trials. We searched six universal databases including; Pubmed/Medline™, Ovid™, Cochrane Library™, Google Scholar™, Embase™, and Scopus™ until November 2018. Both combined and stratified analyzes were conducted. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was used to assess the mean effect sizes. An eventual 15 trials with 740 participants were considered as eligible for inclusion in the present meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction of 2.04 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference (WMD): -2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.58, -1.51, p<0.0001). Whilst meta-regression highlighted that the hypotensive effect of psyllium was stronger in subjects with higher baseline blood pressure. Given the overarching benefits and lack of reported side effects, particularly for hypertensive patients, health care providers and clinicians should consider the use of psyllium supplementation for the treatment or abatement of hypertension, or hypertensive symptoms.