Baduanjin Cut Blood Pressure in 216 Adults, Matching Some Drugs Within 3 Months
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 16
Baduanjin Cut Blood Pressure in 216 Adults, Matching Some Drugs Within 3 Months
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 16
A 216-person clinical trial found adults 40 and older with Stage 1 hypertension lowered blood pressure within three months by practicing Baduanjin five times a week.
The yearlong study reported reductions comparable to some first-line medications, and said the traditional Chinese exercise matched brisk walking in results and safety after one year.
Baduanjin combines eight slow movements, breathing and meditation in a routine that typically takes about 10 minutes and requires no equipment.
Researchers and outside physicians said that simplicity could make it an accessible lifestyle option for controlling hypertension, a condition linked to heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
If a 10-minute routine rivals blood pressure drugs, could it become a standard prescription in doctors' offices worldwide?
Is this ancient exercise’s power in its specific moves, or just the daily ritual of mindful calm it provides?
As medicine validates ancient practices, what other traditional remedies could be hiding scientifically-backed health benefits?
Baduanjin for Hypertension: Evidence from the 2026 BLESS Study and Its Global Potential in Blood Pressure Management
Overview
The 2026 BLESS Study marks a major advance in blood pressure management by rigorously investigating Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese exercise, as a non-drug option for people with high blood pressure. With its strong, likely multicenter and randomized design, the study offers credible and comprehensive evidence that could influence future clinical guidelines. Importantly, the BLESS Study found that Baduanjin is not only effective but also very safe, with low rates of adverse events. This positions Baduanjin as a promising and accessible intervention for hypertension, supporting its use as part of broader health strategies.