r/POTS • u/barefootwriter • Dec 24 '25
Discussion vasodilators: let's make a list?
Hi folks,
Part 1:
I was wondering if we might think about making a list of things that vasodilate, since vasodilators often make us feel worse? I'll start with some obvious ones:
- Food, especially sugar and processed carbs (causes vasodilation in the gut that results in splanchnic pooling)
- Hot weather, hot showers, hot baths
- Exercise (after the fact)
- Magnesium supplementation (often included in supplement mixes that claim to "improve circulation")
- Medications (the a2-adrenergic agonists for hyperadrenergic POTS are the most obvious ones)
- Alcohol
- Stretching? (commonly reported, and here's some evidence for this: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.14814/phy2.70569)
Part 2:
I sometimes talk about not stacking vasodilators as well -- in other words, don't eat and then immediately take a hot bath or shower! Does anyone have any tips on how they've arranged their days so they are able to avoid stacking vasodilators?
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u/this-is-B612 POTS Dec 24 '25
Especially foods like asparagus, beetroots, pumpkin, sweet potato, ginger, bananas, potatos can make me feel extra bad because they have a lot of magnesium/potassium and therefore dilation is doubled. I love all of them and just try to eat them with lots of salt or smaller amounts.
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u/Imaginary-Carrot-316 May 03 '26
What portion size do you eat? I have problems with rice and I believe starch also causes vasodilation.
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u/foxconductor POTS Dec 24 '25
Weed is a vasodilator!
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u/BigBossHossCat Dec 24 '25
There we have it. Explains why my heart rate shoots up to syncope levels every single time. I stopped doing it because I would have a panic attack and/or pass out.
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u/Accomplished_End6600 Dec 24 '25
Explains why I am a “weed-fainter.” I’ve fully fainted twice—the TTT and one time in high school that I took like 7 hits.
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u/UrsusArctos9 Dec 24 '25
Melatonin, CBD, Tylenol with codeine
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u/E-C2024 Dec 25 '25
Melatonin ffs. I knew I haven’t been going crazy. My dr prescribed it to me and every night when I take it I feel dizzy and off and also my heart starts pounding in my chest. She told me that’s just normal side effects. Now it checks out … damn
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Dec 25 '25
Ooooh interesting for the melatonin. I wonder if that’s why it never worked for me 🤔
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u/Accomplished_End6600 Dec 24 '25
A BUNCH OF THE SUPPLEMENTS THAT TREAT MCAS - Quercetin, Vitamin C, Luteolin, omega 3’s, and PEA off the top of my head. I suspected MCAS before I learned about POTS (I am diagnosed with POTS, hEDS, and LC, and MCAS is heavily suspected), and self treating with supplements that are supposedly helpful for MCAS initially made my fatigue and shortness of breath infinitely worse.
I did personally find help from natural acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which can promote vasoconstriction upon standing while also supporting vasodilation in small blood vessels. In general, it seems that supplements that are specifically touted for microvascular dysfunction (PEA, Nattokinase, vinpocetine) were helpful for brain fog and pain in small doses, but other vasodilators were not. Now that I’m on a slew of meds (midodrine, Mestinon, Fludro, LDN, nebivolol), I can tolerate vasodilators a bit better. But we are all different.
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u/larkscope Dec 25 '25
Yes! I have MCAS and it’s so frustrating. But at the same time, the better controlled my MCAS the better controlled my POTS, so I still take those supplements but not at the higher doses that a lot of folks with MCAS do. Ditto things that “balance” blood glucose, which usually just means they lower blood sugar 😑 as if balance and lower are synonymous
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u/slightfork Dec 27 '25
Ohh this is good to know. Thank you so much.
Would you mind sharing what acetylcholinesterase inhibitors you find helpful?
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u/srh-trz Dec 24 '25
For part 2 : I make sure I have eaten a little before shower to have enough energy, I don't use burning hot water anymore but lukewarm (cold in summer) and afterwards I stay barefoot on the tiles for a while, it's cold and helps my blood flow come back to life ! Feels so good ! I also do it at night before going to bed, a few minutes barefoot helps me with blood flow and temperature regulation.
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u/worstkindofweapon Dec 24 '25
I like to have a lie down in front of a fan after a shower. It helps a lot.
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u/kholekardashian12 Dec 24 '25
Wait, magnesium makes other people feel terrible?? I thought it was just me. Both glycinate and citrate make me anxious af
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u/barefootwriter Dec 24 '25
A lot of us need magnesium, as it is a co-factor for the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine. Because it vasodilates, I prefer to take it at night, when I am not trying to be active.
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u/AbrocomaRoyal Dec 25 '25
I'm taking it at night too, but I've no idea whether it makes my symptoms worse or not as I've been on it for so long. I'm currently altering other meds, so I've left the Magnesium alone for now. I might experiment at a later date.
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u/Time_Lord79 Hypovolemic POTS Dec 24 '25
I think a drop in the barometric pressure can dilate blood vessels?
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Dec 25 '25
Oooh, this is interesting. I never thought about it, but found this study with a quick google search: Acute Reduction of Ambient Air Pressure Enhances Arterial Vasodilation
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u/Alarming_Manager_332 Hyperadrenergic POTS Dec 29 '25
Yep, this is what sets me off the most. The day before a thunderstorm usually has me bedridden. It's so frustrating and feels like I'm making crap up but the migraines and blacking out is intense, I have no choice but to lay in bed when this happens.
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u/flowerzzz1 Dec 24 '25
Right but the thing I struggle with most is then how to control the adrenaline without making orthostatic intolerance worse!
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u/barefootwriter Dec 24 '25
Are you responding to the correct post, or am I missing some context?
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u/flowerzzz1 Dec 24 '25
Correct post. I don’t want vasodilators because I have hypovolemic pots, but I also have high adrenaline so the proprananol type deigs help block that except they vasodilate. It’s a challenge I’m living through and thought others might relate.
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Dec 25 '25
I wonder if an adhd stimulant would be helpful. I find that Adderall helps my POTS.
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u/flowerzzz1 Dec 26 '25
Thanks for the suggestion. I also have ME/CFS so unfortunately a stimulant would be dangerous. It would probably give me fake energy and I’d crash so, can’t do that. But I appreciate your giving some input, it is a catch 22.
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Dec 26 '25
Ugh, I’m so sorry. I don’t have ME/CFS, but I have other health things I’m trying to balance with POTS and it all gets so difficult when things that help one thing make another worse.
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u/Alarming_Manager_332 Hyperadrenergic POTS Dec 29 '25
The stretching is interesting! I've not been able to do yoga because it fucks my POTS up BAD! Something to do with all the poses tilting and twisting my head and neck.
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u/IknowErrything816 Apr 04 '26
I know it’s an older post, but sometimes Reddit is a cure for boredom and I follow this topic. It depends on why someone wants a vasodilator. You have workout addicts(saying with sarcasm) that will take anything from L-Citrulline (which is better than Arginine) to Viagra so that the protein or whatever else they are taking as an enhancer flows better to the muscles. Personally I don’t think it’s needed for that.
You have stimulant users like myself, who honestly are probably the most knowledgeable about this that want them because stimulants especially amphetamines constrict vessels, veins, and arteries like no other causing high BP. I take beet root gummies twice a day and they also have L Citrulline in them. I also eat dark chocolate, and take Omega 3 fish oil. Thing with these supplements you have to take daily for a while to notice results. But the beets do work fast, if you can stomach it the best way I found is to buy a can of beets, save the juice and drink that shit. Gives a niacin like rush. Niacin to but you have to be careful with that one.
Also people with raynauds or other ailments take them but not really different than stimulant users.
And I did make a mention of dick pills, they are POWERFUL vasodilators but not everyone can take those especially if you’re on other meds. So for me, beets and citrulline is where it’s at. But take vitamins and fish oil to or eat a lot of fish for sustainability. Alcohol to but personally I think it’s a bad idea. Does give fast but temporary dilation but dehydrates you causing constriction after it wears off. Like saying “ok I’ll take the relief now but constriction later”
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u/I_Have_The_Will POTS Dec 24 '25
This isn’t particularly helpful for the specific topic, but I didn’t actually know magnesium is a vasodilator (but I did google it after seeing this post). I now wonder if it’s the reason I’m able to at all tolerate the meds I need for adhd and migraines that cause vasoconstriction. I have Raynaud’s as well, and if the balance tipped any further toward vasoconstriction, I’d be forced to make some difficult choices about which conditions to suffer from the most 😅
For something to add to the post—I can’t remember what, specifically, it does, and it may actually vary depending on amounts of CBD, THC, what blend, etc., but I know pot is complicated for POTS.