BloodPril Side Effects: Safety, Interactions and Warning Signs
Quick answerSide effects reported for L-arginine and L-citrulline include stomach upset, bloating, diarrhea and low blood pressure that can make you dizzy. The bigger risk is mixing them with blood pressure drugs, nitrates or sildenafil-type drugs. No safety trial of BloodPril itself is published. Never stop prescribed medicine, and ask your doctor before you start.
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What side effects can BloodPril cause?
The side effects reported for BloodPril's ingredients are stomach upset, bloating, diarrhea and blood pressure that drops too low. Most of these reports come from people taking several grams a day of arginine or citrulline.
Each BloodPril capsule holds a 500 mg blend of three amino-acid forms. No study has looked at side effects of this exact capsule. So the safest approach is to know what the ingredients can do and to watch how you feel.
Stomach and gut
Upset stomach, gas, bloating or loose stools are the most common reports for arginine.
L-arginine HCL pageBlood pressure dips
Both amino acids feed nitric oxide, which relaxes vessels. Pressure can dip too far for some people.
Citrulline pageMedicine mixes
The serious cautions are about drugs that also lower pressure or widen vessels.
Supplements with medicineSide effects at a glance
The table lists the effects named in the medical sources, what each one feels like, and a sensible first step. None of these sources tested a 500 mg blend, so treat them as things to watch for, not a forecast.
| Possible effect | What it can feel like | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stomach upset or cramps | Mild ache or queasy feeling after a dose | Take it with the full 8 oz of water; stop if it keeps happening | (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) |
| Bloating and gas | A full, tight belly | Usually eases; stop if it lasts more than a few days | (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) |
| Diarrhea | Loose stools | Drink fluids; stop and call your doctor if it continues | (MSKCC, Arginine) |
| Low blood pressure | Dizzy or lightheaded, mostly when standing | Sit down, check with a cuff, call your doctor | (WebMD, L-citrulline) |
L-arginine side effects: what is reported?
L-arginine is usually well tolerated, but it can upset the stomach. Mayo Clinic lists stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea and low blood pressure (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). Memorial Sloan Kettering adds that arginine can lower blood pressure enough to matter with medicine (MSKCC, Arginine).
BloodPril has two arginine forms: L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) and L-arginine HCL. The AAKG studies were exercise studies. In one, trained men took 12 g a day for 8 weeks and it appeared safe in that group (Campbell et al., 2006).
Gut effects tend to rise with dose. If your stomach is sensitive, take the capsule with the full 8 oz glass of water the label asks for. Stop if the upset keeps coming back.
L-citrulline side effects: what is reported?
L-citrulline is rated possibly safe for short-term use. WebMD notes it might lower blood pressure, so it can add to blood pressure drugs and nitrates (WebMD, L-citrulline).
Citrulline is the first and largest ingredient in BloodPril. Your kidneys turn it into arginine. Taken by mouth, it raises blood arginine more efficiently than arginine itself (Schwedhelm et al., 2008). That is useful, and it is also why the same blood pressure cautions apply to it.
The L-citrulline DL-malate page covers the research in more detail.
Nitric oxide side effects: why blood pressure is the main concern
Nitric oxide is a gas your body makes to relax blood vessels. Arginine and citrulline are building blocks for it. When vessels relax, pressure can drop.
For most people a small change goes unnoticed. The trouble starts when several things push pressure down at once. Examples include a blood pressure pill, a nitrate, a sildenafil-type drug, a hot day or not drinking enough water.
The how it works page explains the pathway step by step.
Low blood pressure symptoms to watch for
Low blood pressure often shows up as dizziness when you stand. Some people feel weak, see spots or feel sick to their stomach. Fainting is the sign to take most seriously.
Signs your pressure may be too low
- Dizziness or lightheadedness, mostly when you stand up
- Fainting, or feeling like you are about to faint
- Blurred or dimmed vision
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Nausea
- Cold, clammy or pale skin
If you feel dizzy or faint
Sit or lie down right away. When you feel steady, check your pressure with a home cuff and call your doctor. If you faint, hit your head or feel confused, get help at once.
Which medicines interact with L-arginine and L-citrulline?
Interactions matter more than mild side effects. With blood pressure drugs, nitroglycerin or sildenafil, arginine may make pressure drop too low (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). The table shows each group, why it matters and what to do.
| Medicine or condition | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure medicines (water pills, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and others) | Arginine and citrulline may add to the drop in pressure | Ask your doctor first. Keep taking every dose as prescribed. |
| Nitrates, such as nitroglycerin or isosorbide | Both widen blood vessels; pressure may fall too far | Do not combine unless your doctor says it is safe. |
| Sildenafil, tadalafil and similar drugs | They also relax blood vessels and lower pressure | Ask your doctor or pharmacist before the first capsule. |
| Heart attack in the past, or heart disease | An arginine trial after heart attack had more deaths in the arginine group | Talk to your cardiologist. Do not start on your own. |
| Kidney or liver disease | These organs handle amino acids; the label asks you to consult a physician | Ask your specialist first. |
| Pregnancy, nursing, or under 18 | The label asks this group to consult a physician | Ask your doctor first. |
| Planned surgery | Anesthesia also affects blood pressure | Tell your surgical team about every supplement you take. |
L-arginine and blood pressure medication: a safe way to ask
Never stop, skip or change a prescribed blood pressure medicine because of a supplement. BloodPril is not a blood pressure medicine. If you want to try it, make it a joint decision with your doctor.
The guide to checking blood pressure at home shows the cuff method step by step (AHA, Home monitoring).
L-arginine after a heart attack: why the warning?
In the VINTAGE MI trial, people who had just had a heart attack took L-arginine for 6 months. It did not help their hearts or arteries, and more deaths occurred in the arginine group, so the trial was stopped early (Schulman et al., JAMA 2006).
That trial used far more arginine than one capsule holds. Even so, MSKCC advises caution with arginine after a heart attack (MSKCC, Arginine). If you have had a heart attack or live with heart disease, talk to your cardiologist before you take any arginine product.
Who should ask a doctor before taking BloodPril?
Answer five quick questions. Any answer that raises a flag means you should talk to your doctor before the first capsule. The who it is for page goes into each group.
Are you an adult, 18 or older?
The label is for adults; under 18 should not use it without a physician.Do you take blood pressure medicine, nitrates or a sildenafil-type drug?
Arginine and citrulline may add to their effect and drop pressure too low. Ask your doctor first and never stop your medicine.Have you had a heart attack or do you have heart disease?
An arginine trial after heart attack was stopped early with more deaths in the arginine group. Talk to your cardiologist.Have you had a reading over 180/120, or chest pain or sudden weakness?
Those need urgent care now. Call 911 if you have symptoms.Are you pregnant or nursing, or do you have kidney or liver disease?
The label asks you to consult a physician first.
When to call 911: blood pressure warning signs
This is an emergency
A reading above 180/120 with any of the symptoms below needs 911 right away (AHA, Blood pressure readings). Do not wait to recheck, and do not take a supplement instead.
Call 911 if your reading is over 180/120 and you have
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
- Numbness or weakness
- Change in vision
- Trouble speaking
A very high reading without symptoms still needs attention. Wait a few minutes, check again, and call your doctor if it stays that high.
When should you stop taking BloodPril?
Stop and get help now
Fainting, chest pain, or any of the 911 warning signs above.
Stop and call your doctor
Dizziness that keeps coming back, readings much lower than usual, or diarrhea that does not settle.
Pause and ask first
Before surgery, when a new medicine is started, or if you become pregnant.
Use the window
If it simply does not suit you, call the order desk at +1 (302) 200-3480 inside the 60-day window.
Honest note: what has not been tested
No safety trial of BloodPril itself has been published. The label also does not list how much of each ingredient is in the 500 mg blend.
The side effects in the sources came mostly from gram doses, many times more than one capsule. Whether a smaller amount causes fewer problems has not been studied. Start with the label directions, keep your cuff log, and read the full Supplement Facts label.
BloodPril side effects FAQ: questions people ask
What are the side effects of BloodPril?
The side effects reported for its ingredients are stomach upset, bloating, diarrhea and blood pressure that drops too low. No study has tested BloodPril itself, so how often these happen with one capsule is not known.
What are the side effects of L-arginine?
Stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea and low blood pressure are the ones most often listed. L-arginine may also add to the effect of blood pressure drugs, nitrates and sildenafil-type drugs.
What are L-citrulline side effects?
L-citrulline is described as possibly safe for short-term use, with stomach upset reported in some people. Because it may lower blood pressure, it can add to blood pressure drugs and nitrates.
What are nitric oxide supplement side effects?
Most nitric oxide supplements use arginine or citrulline, so the side effects are the same: stomach upset and low blood pressure. Headache and lightheadedness can come with a drop in pressure.
Can I take L-arginine with blood pressure medication?
Only if your doctor agrees. Arginine may push your pressure lower than your medicine alone, which can cause dizziness or fainting. Never stop or cut back a prescribed medicine to make room for a supplement.
Can I take BloodPril with sildenafil or tadalafil?
Ask your doctor first. These drugs widen blood vessels, and arginine or citrulline may add to that effect and drop your pressure too low.
Is L-arginine safe after a heart attack?
It is not advised without your cardiologist. A trial of L-arginine after a heart attack was stopped early because more deaths occurred in the arginine group.
Can BloodPril make my blood pressure too low?
It is possible, mainly if you also take blood pressure medicine. Dizziness when you stand, blurry vision or fainting are signs to stop and call your doctor.
Can L-arginine cause diarrhea or bloating?
Yes, stomach upset, bloating and loose stools are reported with arginine, mostly at gram doses. Stop and ask your doctor if it does not settle within a few days.
What blood pressure reading is an emergency?
A reading above 180/120 with chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, weakness, vision change or trouble speaking needs 911 right away.
Ready to try BloodPril?
1 capsule a day, 60 per bottle, from $49 a bottle on the 6-bottle pack, with a 60-day satisfaction window. Taking blood pressure medicine? Ask your doctor first.
