Could Zobo save lives?

When I first heard that Zobo (a.k.a Hibiscus Sabdariffa) effectively treated hypertension. I dismissed the claims. I was confident it was one of the exaggerated claims that one would typically find in WhatsApp messages with “forwarded many times” written in fine print.

However, when I decided to do some research, I was surprised to see how much research had gone into the anti-hypertensive properties of Zobo. As of 2022, over 17 studies (all RCTs) had been conducted on human subjects with their results published in peer-reviewed journals [1].

The results of systematic reviews have been clear — zobo has anti-hypertensive properties. Most remarkably, zobo, when taken in the same concentration as the Zobo drink you had during Christmas was found, including in two studies from Nigeria, to be as effective as routinely prescribed antihypertensive drugs such as Lisinopril [2, 3].

Massive, right?

The dopest thing about it all is that in all of the studies conducted, zobo hasn’t been associated with side effects like weakness, leg cramps and fatigue that may occur in patients taking medication [4].

So why aren’t more doctors recommending Zobo?

To be honest, I don’t know.

A decent number of studies, from experiments on animals to clinical trials on human subjects have been published on this since 2004, so it seems like a recommendation of Zobo would pass as “evidence-based”.

It is possible, however, that doctors are still waiting for more research. The studies available have mostly been carried out on small samples of people with less risky forms of hypertension — prehypertension and mild to moderate hypertension.

My guess is Doctors don’t want to hype Zobo as a wonder drug so that patients — especially those with more serious forms of hypertension — do not overestimate its efficacy and slack on taking their routine meds because they assume Zobo is doing all the work.

Bottom line?

• If you’re prehypertensive there’s a good chance that you will find Zobo helpful.
• As far as dosage is concerned, it is very unlikely that you would overdose. In most Nigerian-based studies, participants took about 1 litre of Zobo a day.
• Consult your doctor. This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. If you’re interested in seeing if Zobo will have any effects on your cardiovascular health, contact your doctor first so you receive medical advice that is accurate and unique to you.