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八段锦 与高血压
八段锦对高血压患者非常有益。它不仅能够切实、有效地降低患者的血压水平，还能作为降压药物的“绝佳辅助”，进一步放大药效；长期坚持练习，甚至能够大幅降低中风的发生率以及由于各种原因导致的死亡风险。不过，现有的科学证据也明确指出，八段锦不能完全替代正规的降压药物，最明智的做法是在遵医嘱服药的基础上，将八段锦作为日常的“运动加餐”。
为了让您彻底明白八段锦为什么对高血压好、具体有多好，以及该怎么练，我们将结合全球多项严谨的科学研究，为您把这些硬核的医学知识翻译成大白话。
一、 “高压”与“低压”：八段锦如何化解“血管危机”
要理解八段锦的作用，我们首先得知道血压是什么。您可以把人体想象成一套极其复杂的自来水管网，心脏就是那个不断往外打水的“水泵”，而血管就是“水管”。
- 收缩压（我们常说的“高压”或 SBP）：是指心脏用力收缩，把血液“泵”进水管时，水流对水管壁产生的最大压力。
- 舒张压（我们常说的“低压”或 DBP）：是指心脏在两次泵水之间休息时，水管里依然保持的基础压力。 高血压就是这股水流对管壁的压力太大了，长期下去容易把“水管”撑坏。
科学家们为了搞清楚八段锦到底能不能降血压，采用了医学界非常严谨的“随机对照试验（RCT）”方法。这就好比扔硬币，把一群高血压患者公平地分成两组，一组去练八段锦，另一组不练，最后比一比谁的血压降得多。不仅如此，科学家还会把全球很多个这样的试验结果汇总在一起，用数学方法算一个总账，这在医学上叫“荟萃分析”，得出的结论非常具有说服力。
算总账的结果非常令人振奋： 在一项包含了2121名成年人的大型数据汇总中，科学家发现，练习八段锦让患者的“高压”平均下降了 9.3 毫米汞柱，“低压”平均下降了 6.3 毫米汞柱。 不同的研究因为参与的人群和对比方式不同，具体的数字会有一点差异。比如另一项包含1058人的研究显示，“高压”下降了 8.52 毫米汞柱，“低压”下降了 4.65 毫米汞柱；还有研究甚至观察到了“高压”最高下降 13.00 毫米汞柱的好成绩。对于老年人群体来说，八段锦的降压效果尤其稳定，因此科学家非常推荐老年人练习。
二、 降压药的“神仙辅助”
很多人会问：“既然八段锦能降血压，我能不能干脆不吃药了，天天练这个就行？” 科学的回答是：不行，但它能帮你的降压药发挥更好的作用。
研究表明，单纯对比“只练八段锦”和“只吃降压药”，两者对血压的降低效果并没有明显的胜负之分。但是，当患者采用“八段锦 + 降压药”的组合拳时，奇迹出现了：相比于那些只吃药不锻炼的人，边吃药边练八段锦的患者，他们的“高压”额外多降了 7.49 毫米汞柱，“低压”额外多降了 3.55 毫米汞柱。只要坚持练习超过 12 周，这种“药物+八段锦”的组合就能展现出极其显著的降压优势。
三、 血管清道夫：降血压之外的“血脂大扫除”
高血压之所以可怕，是因为它不仅自己作恶，还经常和高血脂结伴而行，共同破坏心血管健康（心血管疾病是一类影响心脏和血管的严重疾病的总称，比如冠心病等）。
血液里有几种我们需要特别关注的物质：
- 低密度脂蛋白（LDL）：您可以把它理解为血液里的“坏脂肪”或“建筑垃圾”，它最喜欢粘在水管（血管）壁上，慢慢堆积成硬块，让血管变窄、变脆。
- 高密度脂蛋白（HDL）：这是血液里的“好脂肪”或“清道夫”，它专门负责把那些坏脂肪拉走，清理血管。
- 总胆固醇（TC）和甘油三酯（TG）：这些是血液中漂浮的其他类型的油脂。
研究发现，八段锦简直就是天然的血管清理工。针对高血脂患者，练习八段锦能让血液中的总胆固醇下降 0.78，甘油三酯下降 0.78，最危险的“坏脂肪（LDL）”下降 0.76，同时还能让保护血管的“好脂肪（HDL）”升高 0.32。 更有趣的是，一项对比了多种中国传统运动（如太极拳、八段锦、导引养生功）的研究发现，在改善血管代谢方面各有所长。太极拳最擅长提升“好脂肪”，导引养生功最擅长降血糖，而八段锦在降低“坏脂肪（LDL）”方面拿下了第一名（降低程度的标准化数值达到了 -0.95）。这说明八段锦在防止血管堵塞方面有着得天独厚的优势。
四、 终极护盾：远离中风与死亡的威胁
我们努力控制血压和血脂，最终的目的只有一个：活得更长、活得更好，避免突发的严重疾病。其中，高血压患者最怕的就是脑卒中（俗称中风），也就是大脑里的血管突然破裂或者被血块堵死了。
科学家通过长达 20 到 30 年的长期观察发现，八段锦能为高血压患者提供极其强大的长期保护伞。数据显示，练习八段锦能将高血压患者的全因死亡风险（指因为任何健康原因导致死亡的风险）大幅降低，危险系数降到了原来的 0.55 倍（相当于风险减少了近一半）；同时，将中风死亡风险降到了原来的 0.49 倍（风险减少了一半以上）。
五、 抚慰身心：打破“高血压-失眠-焦虑”的恶性循环
很多高血压患者都有一个共同的痛点：晚上睡不好，白天易心烦。睡眠差会导致血压飙升，血压飙升又让人更焦虑，形成了一个死循环。
八段锦作为一种讲究呼吸配合、动作舒缓的“身心运动”，在助眠和安神方面是一把好手。多项针对老年人的研究显示，八段锦能显著改善睡眠质量。医学上有一个用来评估睡眠有多差的打分表，分数越高说明睡眠越糟糕。练习八段锦后，老年人的睡眠糟糕得分平均下降了 2.89 分，对于本身就有睡眠障碍、抑郁和高血压的人群，改善效果尤为明显。此外，八段锦还能有效减轻患者的焦虑情绪（焦虑得分下降 3.37），让身心得到真正的放松。
六、 科学家的“处方”：普通人该怎么练？
既然八段锦这么好，普通人在家应该怎么练呢？科学家们翻阅了 2000 年到 2019 年间的数百项临床研究，总结出了一套最常被验证有效、且最容易模仿的“运动处方”：
- 选对版本：目前研究中使用最多、效果最确切的是中国国家体育总局在 2003 年推出的标准化八段锦版本。
- 掌握时长：每次练习大约 35 分钟。不用练得大汗淋漓，微微出汗、感觉身体舒展通透即可。
- 保持频率：每天练习 1 到 2 次，每周坚持练习 3 到 5 天。
- 耐心坚持：不要指望练两三天血压就降下来。科学研究表明，平均坚持 18 周（大约4个半月） 左右，身体各项指标会出现非常稳定、明显的改善。
- 绝对安全：在严谨的科学观察中，练习八段锦没有出现过任何严重的“不良事件”（即没有因为练八段锦导致身体受到严重伤害的情况），这对于患有慢性病的老年人来说极其友好。
七、 一点严谨的提醒：我们为什么不能只听好话？
虽然前面说了八段锦的诸多好处，但作为客观的科学解答，必须向您交代目前医学界对八段锦研究的一点“保守态度”。
在多项汇总研究中，科学家们给目前关于八段锦（以及其他传统非药物疗法）的“证据质量”打出了“低”或者“中等偏低”的分数。 请注意，证据质量低，并不是说八段锦没效果、或者对身体有害。 它是指目前科学家们做这些实验时，过程还不够完美。比如，这存在“偏倚风险”（您可以理解为裁判在吹哨时可能存在的主观误差）。因为八段锦是一种运动，患者练没练自己心里门儿清，很难像吃假药片那样骗过大脑，这就容易产生“安慰剂效应”（因为觉得自己锻炼了，心情变好，血压自然跟着降了）。另外，很多研究只是看血压数字降了多少，没有花十几年去跟踪患者到底有没有得心脏病。
因此，科学家们非常鼓励大家去练八段锦，但同时也在呼吁医学界未来要做更多、更严格、更大规模的研究来彻底坐实这些结论。
总结来说，如果您或您的家人患有高血压，请继续按时服用医生开的降压药。在这个基础上，赶紧把八段锦练起来吧！它不仅能帮您降压、降血脂、护血管，还能让您睡得更香、心情更好，是守护心血管健康的一剂“免费良方”。
References
1The effect of Ba Duan Jin exercise intervention on cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PubMed
Jiali Chen, Man Zhang, Yihao Wang, et al.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 6;12:1425843. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1425843. eCollection 2024.
BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in the use of complementary therapies for the prevention of disease and the maintenance of health. Furthermore, complementary therapies that incorporate exercise are becoming increasingly prevalent among the older adult, and thus may represent a crucial strategy for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise therapy, as a means to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, has been gradually applied in clinical practice. It has the advantages of reducing mortality, improving clinical symptoms, restoring physical function and improving quality of life. In recent years, traditional Chinese sports such as Ba Duan Jin and Qigong have developed rapidly. Therefore, a comprehensive systematic review is required to examine interventions involving Ba Duan Jin exercise in healthy adults or those at increased risk of CVD in order to determine the effectiveness of Ba Duan Jin exercise for the primary prevention of CVD. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Ba Duan Jin exercise intervention for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: Eight databases were systematically searched from inception to July, 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluated the impact of Ba Duan Jin exercise intervention on cardiovascular diseases. The search terms were "Cardiovascular diseases" "Ba Duan Jin" and "Randomized controlled." The Cochrane risk assessment tool was used to evaluate the study quality, and the meta-analysis was performed using Rev. Man 5.4 software. RESULTS: Seventeen completed trials were conducted with 1,755 participants who were randomly assigned and met the inclusion criteria. All 17 studies were conducted in China. The meta-analysis indicates that Ba Duan Jin exercise therapy can provide long-term benefits (20-30 years) by reducing all-cause mortality ( = 0.55, 95% : 0.44-0.68, < 0.01) and stroke mortality ( = 0.49, 95% : 0.36-0.66, < 0.01) in hypertensive patients. Subgroup analyses reveal that Ba Duan Jin exercise therapy decreases SBP ( = -4.05, 95% = -6.84 to -1.26, < 0.01) and DBP ( = -3.21, 95% = -5.22 to -1.20, < 0.01) levels in patients with essential hypertension, significantly reduces serum TC ( = -0.78, 95% = -1.06 to -0.50, < 0.01), TG ( = -0.78, 95% = -0.93 to -0.62, < 0.01), and LDL-C ( = -0.76, 95% = -0.92 to -0.60, < 0.01) levels in patients with hyperlipidemia, increases HDL-C ( = 0.32, 95% = 0.14-0.51, < 0.01) levels, and produces beneficial effects on cardiovascular function. Additionally, it can alleviate anxiety ( = -3.37, 95% = -3.84 to -2.89, < 0.01) and improve sleep quality ( = -2.68, 95% = -3.63to -1.73, < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Ba Duan Jin exercise therapy can improve the physical and mental condition and quality of life of patients with cardiovascular diseases, and it is worthy of further promotion and application in clinical practice. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, identifier: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024496934.
2The effect of Baduanjin exercise on the physical and mental health of college students: A randomized controlled trial.PubMed
Yaqun Zhang, Xin Jiang
Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Aug 25;102(34):e34897. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000034897.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Around the world, college students physical and mental health is deteriorating. Finding practical ways to enhance college students health is crucial. One of the traditional Chinese Qigong exercises is Baduanjin, which is possibly one of the most efficient workout techniques out there. However, it is unknown how Baduanjin practice may affect college students health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Qigong Baduanjin on the physical and mental health of female college freshmen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 78 female college students were recruited and randomly divided into Baduanjin group or control group. Participants in the control group were told to keep their original habits of life and exercise. The Baduanjin exercise group received 12 weeks of Baduanjin exercise, 3 days a week and 1 hour a day. After the 12 week randomized controlled trial, the physical and mental health indexes of female students in Baduanjin group and control group were evaluated, including physical shape, physical function, physical fitness and scl-90 self-assessment scale. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, at the end of the 12 week intervention, the weight, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, somatization score, obsessive-compulsive disorder score, interpersonal sensitivity score, depression score, anxiety score and phobic anxiety score of Baduanjin group decreased significantly. Compared with the control group, the vital capacity, vital capacity index, Stand test, Genchi test, Stand on 1 leg with closed eyes, standing bends and squats of the Baduanjin group have been significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Compared with usual activities, Qigong Baduanjin exercise has advantages in improving female college students body shape (weight and body mass index), cardiovascular and respiratory lung function, flexibility, balance ability, muscle endurance and mental health.
3The effects of Qigong exercise on sleep quality in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.PubMed
Xingjian Xiong, Lu Zhang, Enming Zhang
Front Public Health. 2025 Dec 19;13:1664055. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1664055. eCollection 2025.
BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are common among older adults. While pharmacological treatments may offer short-term relief, they are often associated with adverse effects. Non-pharmacological interventions are thus urgently needed. Qigong, a traditional Chinese practice known for its safety and adaptability, has gained attention as a potential intervention to improve sleep. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the existing evidence regarding the effects of Qigong on sleep quality in older adults. METHODS: Seven databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to October 8th, 2025. The primary outcome was the total score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and its subcomponents. The methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.4 and R version 4.2.0. RESULTS: We included 15 RCTs involving 1,074 participants. Low certainty of evidence showed that Qigong significantly improved sleep quality compared to control groups, as measured by PSQI total score (MD = -2.47, 95% CI [-3.09, -1.85], < 0.001). Substantial heterogeneity was observed ( = 82.3%). Subgroup analyses showed that Baduanjin demonstrated significant improvement in sleep quality (MD = -2.89, 95% CI [-3.39, -2.39], < 0.001), while Wuqinxi did not (MD = -0.64, 95% CI [-3.74, 2.46], = 0.68). Positive effects were observed in participants with sleep disturbances (MD = -3.30, 95% CI [-4.62, -1.98], < 0.001), depression (MD = -1.96, 95% CI [-3.01, -0.90], = 0.0003), and hypertension (MD = -2.61, 95% CI [-3.02, -2.20], < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. However, the overall certainty of the evidence was rated as moderate to low due to the high heterogeneity and risk of bias in some studies. CONCLUSION: Qigong, particularly Baduanjin, may effectively improve sleep quality in older adults. Nevertheless, given the methodological limitations and heterogeneity of the included studies, further high-quality research is needed to validate these findings and inform clinical practice. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024621360, identifier: CRD42024621360.
4Role of Yoga in Cardiovascular Diseases.PubMed
Harshita Sharma, Swetanshu, Pratichi Singh
Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024 Jan;49(1 Pt A):102032. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102032. Epub 2023 Aug 13.
Cardiovascular diseases are a collection of conditions that affect the blood vessels and the heart. These conditions include cardiac rehabilitation, hypertension, cardiac failure, rheumatic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and coronary heart disease. Poor nutrition, alcohol, lack of exercise, smoking, etc are the main behavioral risk factors for heart disease. This study delivers a methodical review of yoga's role in the management and inhibition of cardiovascular diseases and their associated risk factors. This review suggests that proper maintenance of fitness and stress employing yoga effectively lowers cardiovascular disease. In this review, various asanas, and pranayama like Marjaryasana, Kapalabhati, Halasana, etc have been discussed. Also, their role in the prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). In addition to this different metabolic syndrome associated with cardiovascular diseases and the relation of yoga with hypertension has been discussed. The review has documented satisfactory proof and concludes that yogic exercise enhances cardiovascular health and reduces associated risk factors.
5Baduanjin exercise in the treatment of hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PubMed
Zhen Ma, Honghui Lei, Kexin Tian, et al.
Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Aug 15;9:936018. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.936018. eCollection 2022.
BACKGROUND: As a therapy to prevent and treat hypertension, exercise is widely used in clinical practice. But due to the lack of documentary evidence, Baduanjin as a relaxed and convenient mode of exercise is not currently recommended by professional health organizations to treat hypertension. The purpose of this article is to examine the efficacy of Baduanjin as an antihypertensive exercise therapy. METHODS: Our systematic retrieved of the entire relevant literatures in 12 databases. Finally, 28 eligible trials involving Baduanjin intervention in hypertension were included. After the quality assessment and bias risk assessment of the included trials, we analyzed the blood pressure values before and after the intervention, and performed meta-analysis on the random effect results. In order to explore the factors influencing the decrease of blood pressure, we also performed a subgroup analysis of the results. RESULTS: Participants ( = 2121) were adults (61.74 ± 5.85years of age, mean ± SD), with baseline blood pressure (systolic blood pressure (SBP) = 150.7 ± 9.2 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) = 93.2 ± 8.8 mmHg). Baduanjin was practiced 7.5 ± 3.8 sessions / week for 28.2 ± 12.8 min /session for 16.7 ± 9.2 weeks. Overall, Baduanjin resulted in SBP (-9.3 mmHg, d = -1.49, 95%CI: -1.73 to -1.13) and DBP (-6.3 mmHg, d = -1.20, 95%CI: -1.51 to -0.88) vs. the control group ( < 0.001). After a subgroup analysis of age, we found that SBP heterogeneity was significantly reduced in the elderly group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that Baduanjin can effectively reduce blood pressure (i.e., 9.3 mmHg and 6.3 mmHg of SBP and DBP reductions, respectively), and reduce the incidence rate of cardiovascular disease in hypertensive patients. In addition, we will be more likely to recommend that the elderly exercise Baduanjin.
6Characteristic of Clinical Studies on Baduanjin during 2000-2019: A Comprehensive Review.PubMed
Jing Zhou, Yunyang Yu, Biwei Cao, et al.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Oct 16;2020:4783915. doi: 10.1155/2020/4783915. eCollection 2020.
To date, a growing number of clinical studies have demonstrated the safety and health benefits from Baduanjin intervention. Based on this, our objective is to systematically retrieve and summarize the clinical studies on Baduanjin, with a view to providing more evidence-based evidence in support of the application of Baduanjin for healthcare, and to identify the shortcomings of existing research and provide feasibility suggest for further clinical research. Both four English language and four Chinese language electronic databases were used to search articles related to Baduanjin during 2000-2019. SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze the data, and the risk of bias tool in the RevMan 5.3.5 software was used to evaluate the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials. A total of 810 publications were identified, including 43 (5.3%) systematic reviews, 614 (75.8%) randomized controlled trials, 66 (8.1%) nonrandomized controlled clinical studies, 84 (10.4%) case series, and 3 (0.4%) case reports. The top 10 diseases/conditions included diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, low back pain, neck pain, stroke, coronary heart disease, cognitive impairment, insomnia, and osteoporosis or osteopenia. The style of State General Administration of Sport of China in 2003 was the most commonly used version of Baduanjin, and Baduanjin was practiced with an average of 35 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day, 3-5 days per week, and a 18-week average duration. It is also worth noting that there were no serious adverse events related to Baduanjin intervention. Most studies were small sample size research, and the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials is generally low. The clinical studies of Baduanjin have a substantial quantity and evidence base. However, there are significant differences among different studies in the specific intervention measures such as style, intensity, duration, learning, and practice methods, which need to be further standardized and unified. Further high-quality designed and reporting studies are recommended to further validate the clinical benefits of Baduanjin.
7Mind⁻Body (Baduanjin) Exercise Prescription for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.PubMed
Shi-Jie Liu, Zhanbing Ren, Lin Wang, et al.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Aug 24;15(9):1830. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15091830.
Baduanjin exercise is a traditional Chinese health Qigong routine created by an ancient physician for health promotion. Its mild-to-moderate exercise intensity is suitable for individuals with medical conditions. Recently, a large number of trials have been conducted to investigate the effects of Baduanjin exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains to be determined whether Baduanjin exercise prescription is beneficial for the management of COPD patients. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to objectively evaluate the existing literature on this topic. We searched six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang) from inception until early May 2018. The adapted Physical Therapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used for study quality assessment of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Based on 95% confidence interval (CI), the pooled effect size (Hedge's g) of exercise capability (6-Minute Walking Test, 6-MWT), lung function parameters (forced expiratory volume in one second, FEV₁; forced volume vital capacity, FVC; FEV₁/FVC ratio), and quality of life were calculated based on the random-effects model. Twenty RCTs ( = 1975 COPD patients) were included in this review, with sum scores of the adapted PEDro scale between 5 and 9. Study results of the meta-analysis indicate that Baduanjin is effective in improving exercise capability (Hedge's g = 0.69, CI 0.44 to 0.94, < 0.001, ² = 66%), FEV₁ (Hedge's g = 0.47, CI 0.22 to 0.73, < 0.001, ² = 68.01%), FEV₁% (Hedge's g = 0.38, CI 0.21 to 0.56, < 0.001, ² = 54.74%), FVC (Hedge's g = 0.39, CI 0.22 to 0.56, < 0.001, ² = 14.57%), FEV₁/FVC (Hedge's g = 0.5, CI 0.33 to 0.68, < 0.001, ² = 53.49%), and the quality of life of COPD patients (Hedge's g = -0.45, CI -0.77 to -0.12, < 0.05, ² = 77.02%), as compared to control groups. Baduanjin exercise as an adjunctive treatment may potentially improve exercise capability and pulmonary function of COPD patients as well as quality of life. Baduanjin exercise could be tentatively prescribed for COPD in combination with the conventional rehabilitation program to quicken the process of recovery. To confirm the positive effects of Baduanjin exercise for COPD patients, future researchers need to consider our suggestions mentioned in this article.
8Effects of Baduanjin exercise on essential hypertension: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PubMed
Yuanyuan Guan, Yang Hao, Yun Guan, et al.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Aug 7;99(32):e21577. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000021577.
OBJECTIVES: To analyze the influence of Baduanjin exercise on blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials were identified in Chinese and English databases to study the impact of Baduanjin exercise on essential hypertension. Qualified trials were selected and methodologic quality was critically evaluated. Two reviewers selected studies independently of each other. RESULTS: Twelve trials were included. There was a significant difference between the Baduanjin exercise intervention and control groups with regard to the change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) [SMD = - 1.80, 95% CI (- 2.86, - 0.73), P = .0009] and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [SMD = -0.22, 95% CI (-2.00, -0.57), P = .0004]. Taking into account the subgroup analyses, the combined results showed that Baduanjin plus Antihypertensive drugs significantly reduced both SBP and DBP over a period > 12 weeks in all studies. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with control interventions, Baduanjin exercise seems to be an effective physical exercise in treating essential hypertension. Different training durations can lead to different effects.
9Effect of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PubMed
Xingjiang Xiong, Pengqian Wang, Shengjie Li, et al.
Maturitas. 2015 Apr;80(4):370-8. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.01.002. Epub 2015 Jan 9.
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension. Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, CBM and Wanfang databases were searched. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified. Baduanjin significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) (WMD=-13.00 mmHg; 95% CI: -21.24 to -4.77; P=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD=-6.13 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.20 to -1.07; P=0.02), body mass index, blood glucose, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and improved high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and quality of life compared to no intervention. No significant difference between Baduanjin and antihypertensive drugs on SBP (WMD=1.05 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.07 to 4.17; P=0.51) or DBP (WMD=1.90 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.22 to 5.02; P=0.23) was identified. Baduanjin plus antihypertensive drugs significantly reduced SBP (WMD=-7.49 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.39 to -3.59; P=0.0002), DBP (WMD=-3.55 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.25 to -1.85; P<0.0001), blood glucose, and total cholesterol compared to antihypertensive drugs. Baduanjin is an effective therapy for hypertension. However, further rigorously designed RCTs are still warranted.
10Should acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, Qi gong, relaxation therapy, device-guided breathing, yoga and tai chi be used to reduce blood pressure?: Recommendations based on high-quality systematic reviews.PubMed
Jian-Fei Niu, Xiao-Feng Zhao, Han-Tong Hu, et al.
Complement Ther Med. 2019 Feb;42:322-331. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.10.017. Epub 2018 Oct 26.
BACKGROUND: This review aims to rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations in high-quality systematic reviews of non-drug therapies. Hypertensive patients who are resistant or non-adherent to antihypertensive drugs may be easier to manage if they choose alternative non-drug therapies for hypertension, based on this review. METHODS: P: Adults (>18 years), except pregnant women, with essential hypertension. I: Cupping, moxibustion, acupuncture, acupoint stimulation, yoga, meditation, tai chi, Qi gong, Chinese massage, massage, spinal manipulation, biofeedback, device-guided breathing therapy, aromatherapy, music therapy, and relaxation approaches. C: 1. No treatment. 2. Sham therapy. 3. Conventional treatment, including antihypertensive drugs and lifestyle modification (e.g., exercise). O: 1. Change in the incidence of cardiovascular death. 2. Change in the incidence of myocardial infarction. 3. Change in the incidence of stroke. 4. Change in blood pressure (BP). 5. Efficacy rate of BP lowering. 6. Adverse effects (review specific). S: Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials, including meta-analyses and assessments of the methodological quality/risk of bias. INFORMATION SOURCES: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane library, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database were searched. The bibliographies of the included articles were also searched for relevant systematic reviews. GRADE criteria were used to rate the quality of evidence in systematic reviews considering 6 factors, including risk of bias. RESULTS: This review ultimately included 13 systematic reviews of 14 non-drug therapies (acupuncture, wet cupping, Baduanjin, blood letting, auricular acupuncture, music, massage, Qi gong, moxibustion, relaxation therapies, biofeedback, device-guided breathing, yoga and tai chi) based on the inclusion criteria. The quality of evidence was generally low, and weak recommendations were given for most therapies except massage and acupuncture plus antihypertensive drug. Based on the analyzed evidence, massage and acupuncture plus antihypertensive drug could benefit people who want to lower their BP and do not have contraindications for massage and acupuncture plus antihypertensive drug. DISCUSSION/STRENGTH: The GRADE approach makes this review a unique reference for people who are considering the grade of quality of evidence in systematic reviews, the balance of desirable and undesirable consequences and the strength of recommendations to decide which intervention should be used to reduce BP. LIMITATIONS: Many non-drug therapies were excluded due to the low methodological quality of their systematic reviews, and only 14 therapies were evaluated in this review. As no patient-important outcomes were reviewed, surrogate outcomes were used to rate the strength of recommendations. This approach may cause a decrease in evidence quality according to GRADE, but we argue that this is appropriate in the context of this review.
11Comparative efficacy of exercise regimens on sleep quality in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.PubMed
Faizul Hasan, Yu-Kang Tu, Chih-Ming Lin, et al.
Sleep Med Rev. 2022 Oct;65:101673. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101673. Epub 2022 Aug 27.
The efficacies of various exercise modalities in improving older adults' sleep quality remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, network meta-analysis was performed by comparing the efficacies of various exercise regimens in improving sleep quality in this age group. Six electronic databases were searched for relevant studies between the date of database creation and August 13, 2021. Only randomized controlled trials reporting the effects of exercise on sleep quality in this population were included. Random-effects network meta-analysis based on a frequentist framework was conducted. In total, 35 trials involving 3519 older adults were included. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, muscle endurance training combined with walking, Tai chi, Baduanjin, resistance training combined with walking, and resistance training significantly improved sleep quality to a greater degree than did usual care (P < 0.05). Muscle endurance training combined with walking led to significantly higher sleep quality than did regimens involving sleep hygiene, Pilates, only walking, health education, resistance training, Taichi, resistance training combined with walking, or yoga. Muscle endurance training combined with walking was identified as the optimal exercise program (88.9%) for enhancing sleep quality in older adults. The results of this study support the claim that exercise can improve sleep quality in this population. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020178209.
12The effectiveness of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PubMed
Bao-Yi Shao, Xia-Tian Zhang, Robin W M Vernooij, et al.
BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020 Oct 8;20(1):304. doi: 10.1186/s12906-020-03098-w.
BACKGROUND: Hypertension, a major risk factor of cardiovascular mortality, is a critical issue for public health. Although Baduanjin (Eight Brocades, EB), a traditional Chinese exercise, might influence blood pressure, glucose, and lipid status, the magnitude of true effects and subgroup differences remains unclear. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of EB on patient-important outcomes. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Chinese databases since inception until March 30, 2020. Meta-analysis was carried out using "meta" package in R 3.4.3 software. A prespecified subgroup analysis was done according to the type of comparisons between groups, and the credibility of significant subgroup effects (P < 0.05) were accessed using a five-criteria list. A GRADE evidence profile was constructed to illustrate the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis, including 14 eligible trials with 1058 patients, showed that compared with routine treatment or health education as control groups, the mean difference (MD) in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the EB groups was - 8.52 mmHg (95%CI:[- 10.65, - 6.40], P < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was - 4.65 mmHg (95%CI: [- 6.55, - 2.74], P < 0.01). For blood pressure, the evidence was, however, of low certainty because of risk of bias and inconsistency, and for the outcomes of most interest to patients (cardiovascular morbidity and mortality directly), of very low certainty (measurement of surrogate only). Subgroup analysis showed there was no significant interaction effect between different type of comparisons (SBP P = 0.15; DBP P = 0.37), so it could be easily attributed to chance. CONCLUSION: Regularly EB exercising may be helpful to control blood pressure, but the evidence is only low certainty for blood pressure and very low certainty for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Rigorously designed RCTs that carry out longer follow-up and address patient-important outcomes remain warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration number: CRD42018095854 .
13Effects of six Chinese mind-body exercise therapies on glycolipid metabolism and vascular endothelial function in hypertensive patients.PubMed
Haojie Li, Xinyu Lin, Xinglu Li, et al.
iScience. 2025 May 15;28(6):112682. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112682. eCollection 2025 Jun 20.
Hypertension adversely affects glycolipid metabolism and vascular function in aging populations. This network meta-analysis evaluated 36 randomized trials ( = 2875) comparing traditional mind-body exercises (Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Daoyinyangshengshu) for metabolic and vascular improvements. Analyses revealed Tai Chi most effectively raised high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (standardized mean differences [SMD] = 0.88), while Daoyinyangshengshu optimally reduced fasting glucose (SMD = -1.21) and endothelin-1 (SMD = -1.82) while increasing nitric oxide (SMD = 1.41). Baduanjin best lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (SMD = -0.95), with other exercises improving cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings demonstrate that specific mind-body practices differentially enhance cardiometabolic health, with Tai Chi and Daoyinyangshengshu showing particular promise for comprehensive benefits. These evidence-based results support incorporating traditional exercises into hypertension management protocols to address both metabolic and vascular dysfunction.
14Evidence map of traditional Chinese exercises.PubMed
Yan Yu, Tongtong Wu, Murou Wu, et al.
Front Public Health. 2024 Sep 18;12:1347201. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1347201. eCollection 2024.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess and visually depict the clinical evidence landscape of traditional Chinese exercises and identify any research gaps and future research needs. METHODS: We comprehensively searched seven Chinese and English databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) evaluating the effects of traditional Chinese exercises from their inception until May 2023. The quality of evidence was assessed via the GRADE approach, and the research topics, intervention effects, and strength of evidence were graphically displayed. RESULTS: This evidence map includes 2,017 studies, comprising 1,822 RCTs and 195 SRs. These studies were conducted globally in various countries. Among the traditional Chinese exercises, Tai Chi and Baduanjin have received the most research attention, with a growing number of publications. When traditional Chinese exercises were compared with the control groups, 88.2% of the included SRs reported significantly positive effects, 4.1% reported unclear effects, and 7.7% reported no significant differences. The findings suggested that traditional Chinese exercises could benefit patients with osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, and depression. However, the overall quality of the evidence was suboptimal, with 11.3% rated as moderate, 45.6% as low, and 43.1% as critically low. CONCLUSION: This evidence map visually represents valuable information on traditional Chinese exercises. While most studies have reported significant benefits, the overall quality of evidence is low.