2024 Technology and Health Care
Acupuncture for high blood pressure consistently centres on a small set of limb points, especially a paired elbow-and-leg combination, revealing standardised treatment patterns.
Acupuncture for High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) and cardiovascular disease has become the most important preventable risk factor for premature deaths worldwide. A normal blood pressure level is around 120/80 mmHg.
Having a high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney failure and erectile dysfunction. More than 90% of high blood pressure cases are categorised as "primary hypertension" which means there is no clear diagnosable cause according to western medicine.
Studies have shown that both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may be beneficial as an adjunct therapy for high blood pressure.
What does the research say?
The following insights are obtained from systematic reviews and analysis of clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for high blood pressure.
2024 Microvascular Research
Blood-flow oscillations differ markedly between skin sites, so measurements at one location may misrepresent overall microcirculation.
2022 Sports Medicine
Brief light walking breaks during prolonged sitting lower after-meal blood sugar more effectively than standing breaks, offering a practical cardiometabolic health strategy.
2022 Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
Consumption of broccoli sprouts significantly lowers blood pressure, potentially due to properties of sulforaphane.
2022 Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Acupuncture, when combined with lifestyle changes, can effectively lower blood pressure in grade 1 hypertension patients with fewer side effects
2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The study shows the promising potential of Suan Zao Ren as a multi-effect traditional Chinese medicine derived from the seeds of Ziziphus Jujuba.
2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This study showed that the intervention time was concentrated at 4–8 weeks, mainly through Chinese herbal medicine for the prevention and treatment of elderly hypertension and the complications.
2019 Journal of Sleep Research
Acupuncture therapy does not impact the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, blood pressure, or quality of life in hypertensive patients.
2019 Nutrition & Metabolism
L-citrulline supplementation significantly decreased non-resting brachial and aortic systolic blood pressure.
2019 International Journal of Hypertension
Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy has antihypertensive effect.
2017 Maturitas
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have various health benefits for postmenopausal women including reducing triglycerides and improving depression and psychotic symptoms.
2016 The Journal of Nutrition
Dietary omega-3 intake shows promise in lowering systolic blood pressure.
2015 PLOS One
There is evidence of efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to western medicine for treating hypertension.
2014 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture significantly lowers blood pressure in patients taking antihypertensive medications.
2013 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Radish seed has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, constipation, and cough.
Seek personalised healthcare and advice
Although well-conducted clinical research can help members of the public to make better-informed decisions about their healthcare, we cannot claim that any particular treatment may be effective for any individual person.
When you consult with our Chinese medicine practitioners, you’ll receive personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms and Chinese medicine diagnosis.
Research papers
Browse our collection of scientific clinical research on acupuncture for high blood pressure.
It includes recent and reputable papers published by peer-reviewed journals within the last 10 years.
2024, Jan
Visual analysis of acupuncture point selection patterns and related mechanisms in acupuncture for hypertension
Technology and Health Care
Big data mining identified commonly used and strongly associated acupuncture points and treatment principles, including nourishing Yin and submerging Yang, pacifying the liver and submerging Yang, tonifying Qi and Blood, and calming the mind and restoring the pulse, providing a reference for clinical acupuncture point selection and grouping for hypertension.
Li X, Chen F, Wang W, Liu Y, Han JQ, Ke Z, Zhu HH Full Article
2024, Jan
Vasomotion heterogeneity and spectral characteristics in diabetic and hypertensive patients
Microvascular Research
The study showed that vasomotion differs markedly among acupoints and disease states, indicating that measurements at a single point may not accurately reflect overall skin microcirculation.
Zhao L, Liu S, Liu Y, Tang H Full Article
2022, Feb 11
The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Sports Medicine
Frequent short interruptions of standing significantly attenuated postprandial glucose compared with prolonged sitting, whereas light-intensity walking represented a superior physical activity break.
Buffey AJ, Herring MP, Langley CK, Donnelly AE, Carson BP Full Article
2022, Oct 18
Beneficial Effects of Sulforaphane-Yielding Broccoli Sprout on Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products
The study concludes that the dietary intake of broccoli sprouts significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and showed marginal changes in blood lipid biomarkers, confirming the hypotensive properties and potential sulforaphane-dependent effects of broccoli sprouts.
Houshialsadat Z, Mirmiran P, Zare-Javid A, Bahadoran Z, Houghton C Full Article
2022, Nov
Association between acupuncture and grade 1 hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
This review suggests an effect of acupuncture treatment on grade 1 hypertension, showing that acupuncture can help lower blood pressure and cause fewer adverse reactions than other treatments. Owing to few limitations, higher quality of randomised controlled trials with larger sample sizes are needed to better evaluate the results of acupuncture in the treatment of grade 1 hypertension.
Zhang M, Zhu Y, Wang J, Li Y, Hua Z Full Article
2020, Jul 10
Botanical and Traditional Uses and Phytochemical, Pharmacological, Pharmacokinetic, and Toxicological Characteristics of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen: A Review
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This article reflected the chemical components of red date with its high efficacy to produce antioxidant effects. Therefore suggests it to be highly effective in improving learning and memory, anti-inflammation, blood pressure and lipid lowering, antiaging, and even antitumor.
Su-Rong He, Chong-Bo Zhao, Jing-Xia Zhang, Jing Wang, Bo Wu, Chun-Jie Wu, Full Article
2020, Dec 19
Traditional Chinese Medicine for Essential Hypertension: A Clinical Evidence Map
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The conclusion of this systematic review and primary studies highlight TCM's advantages as adjunctive therapy for improving hypertension. Similarly, the development trend of Chinese Medicine and nondrug therapy for the prevention and treatment of hypertension is relatively good, which reflects the diverse TCM prevention and treatment measures for hypertension.
Zhang Y, Wang B, Ju C, Liu L, Zhu Y, Mei J, Liu Y, Xu F Full Article
2019, Dec 23
Effects of acupuncture on obstructive sleep apnea severity, blood pressure control and quality of life in patients with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial
Journal of Sleep Research
A short course of acupuncture in hypertensive patients under effective antihypertensive treatment with mild to moderate OSA did not reduce OSA severity, or daytime or nocturnal BP, and did not improve quality of life.
Silva MVFP, Lustosa TC, Arai VJ, Couto Patriota TLG, Lira MPF, Lins‐Filho OL, Chalegre ST, B.B.A.S. K, Secundo IV, Pedrosa RP Full Article
2019, Dec 26
Effect of oral L-citrulline on brachial and aortic blood pressure defined by resting status: evidence from randomized controlled trials
Nutrition & Metabolism
L-Cit supplementation significantly decreased non-resting brachial and aortic SBP. Brachial DBP was significantly lowered by L-Cit regardless of resting status
Yang HH, Li XL, Zhang WG, Figueroa A, Chen LH, Qin LQ Full Article
2019, Mar 7
The Mechanism of Acupuncture in Treating Essential Hypertension: A Narrative Review
International Journal of Hypertension
Acupuncture can significantly improve cardiac hypertrophy and the thickness of the aortic wall in order to prevent new vascular remodeling .The latest clinical study unveils the cardioprotective effects of acupuncture through improving wave reflection (augmentation index, AIx) and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patient. Therefore, acupuncture is highly essential in treating hypertension
Juan Li ,1 Mingsheng Sun ,2 Jing Ye,2 Yuxi Li ,2 Rongjiang Jin ,1 Hui Zheng ,2 and Fanrong Liang 2 Full Article
2017, Sept
Recommendations of the Spanish Menopause Society on the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by postmenopausal women
Maturitas European Menopause and Andropause Society
The study concluded that LCO3-PUFAs have various beneficial effects in postmenopausal women, including a decrease in triglycerides, antiarrhythmic effects, reduction in blood pressure, improvement in depressive and psychotic symptoms, and no increased risk of cancer.
Sánchez-Borrego R, von Schacky C, Osorio MJA, Llaneza P, Pinto X, Losa F, Navarro MC, Lubián D, Mendoza N Full Article
2016, Mar
Consumption of Fish Oil Providing Amounts of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid That Can Be Obtained from the Diet Reduces Blood Pressure in Adults with Systolic Hypertension: A Retrospective Analysis
The Journal of Nutrition American Society for Nutrition
These findings indicate that in adults with isolated systolic hypertension, daily doses of EPA+DHA as low as 0.7 g show clinically meaningful BP reductions, which, at a population level, could be associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk.
Minihane AM, Armah CK, Miles EA, Madden JM, Clark AB, Caslake MJ, Packard CJ, Kofler BM, Lietz G, Curtis PJ, Mathers JC, Williams CM, Calder PC Full Article
2015, Jul 24
Is Acupuncture Effective for Hypertension? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
PLOS One Public Library of Science
Our meta-analysis suggested that acupuncture plus western medicine had a more significant effect on both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure change magnitude than sham acupuncture plus medication, which indicated that acupuncture has an add-on effect for western medicine.
Zhao XF, Hu HT, Li JS, Shang HC, Zheng HZ, Niu JF, et al Full Article
2014, Mar 4
Acupuncture for Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Sham-Controlled Clinical Trials
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The study is consistent with acupuncture significantly lowers blood pressure in patients taking antihypertensive medications. Results from this meta-analysis of randomized sham-controlled trials provide evidence that acupuncture helped (lowered) BP in patients taking antihypertensive medications.
Li DZ, Zhou Y, Yang YN, Ma YT, Li XM, Yu J, et al. Full Article
2013, Jul 8
A Review of the Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities of Raphani Semen
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This systematic review showcased that Raphani Semen (Radish Seed) or more commonly known as LaiFuZi in Chinese Medicine, is found to have antihypertensive effects (hypertension), antilipase activities (treatment for obesity), gastrointestinal activities, constipation and antitussive effects. Thus, commonly used in Chinese Medicine for treatments.
Tung-Ting Sham, Ailsa Chui-Ying Yuen, Yam-Fung NgChi-On ChanDaniel Kam-Wah Mok, and Shun-Wan Chan Full Article
It is by virtue of the twelve channels that human life exists, that disease arises, that human beings can be treated and illness cured. The twelve channels are where beginners start and masters end.