Qigong can effectively reduce blood pressure levels. - GreenMedInfo Summary
The Effects of Qigong for Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 ;2021:5622631. Epub 2021 Oct 8. PMID: 34659434
Xiaosheng Dong
BACKGROUND: Hypertension has been a global public health problem. Qigong as a complementary and alternative therapy is often used to reduce blood pressure. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of Qigong on blood pressure in hypertensive patients.
METHODS: Six electronic resource databases were searched from inception to January 2019, and randomized controlled trials of Qigong on hypertension were retrieved. Meta-analysis was conducted according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration, and Review Manager 5.3 was applied. Two researchers independently identified articles to include based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, data extraction, and quality evaluation.
RESULTS: Fourteen studies, with 829 individuals, were included. The meta-analysis demonstrates that, compared with no exercise, Qigong has significant positive effects on systolic blood pressure (mean difference = -8.90, 95% CI (-12.13, -5.67),<0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference = -5.02, 95% CI (-7.88, -2.17),<0.00001). There is, however, no significant difference between Qigong and other aerobic exercises in reducing blood pressure.
CONCLUSION: Qigong can effectively reduce blood pressure levels. Longer-term engagement in the practice has an even better effect in hypertension patients. However, the conclusion of this study still needs to be verified by more high-quality studies.