YOGA has increasingly been explored as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing elevated blood pressure, yet questions remain about the strength and reliability of the evidence. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to update previous findings by examining the effects of yoga on individuals with prehypertension or hypertension. By synthesising results from 30 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the study offers insight into the potential role of yoga in cardiovascular health. Notably, researchers found that yoga was associated with a significant reduction in blood pressure, with systolic blood pressure decreasing by nearly 8 mmHg compared to waitlist controls.
The researchers conducted comprehensive literature searches across Medline/PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane CENTRAL database from inception through April 2024. Eligible studies included RCTs that compared yoga interventions to either waitlist or active controls in participants diagnosed with prehypertension (120–139/80–89 mmHg) or hypertension (≥140/≥90 mmHg). Outcomes assessed included systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR), with results pooled using mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Study quality and risk of bias were appraised using the Cochrane tool.
The meta-analysis incorporated data from 2283 participants. Compared with waitlist controls, yoga significantly lowered SBP (mean difference –7.95 mmHg; 95% CI: –10.24––5.66; p<0.01), DBP (mean difference –4.93 mmHg; 95% CI: –6.25––3.60; p<0.01) and HR (mean difference –4.43 mmHg; 95% CI: –7.36––1.50; p<0.01). Comparisons with active controls showed a statistically significant reduction in DBP (–1.88 mmHg; 95% CI: –3.41––0.36; p=0.02) and HR (–5.16 mmHg; 95% CI: –8.39––1.92; p<0.01), but not SBP. The evidence was rated as very low quality due to high heterogeneity and methodological limitations.
In conclusion, while findings suggest that yoga may support reductions in blood pressure and heart rate, the low certainty of the evidence limits the confidence with which these outcomes can be translated into clinical guidelines. Nonetheless, yoga may serve as a useful adjunct in lifestyle-based blood pressure management, particularly for patients seeking non-pharmacological options. Further robust, large-scale trials are essential to confirm these effects and better inform clinical practice.
Reference
Geiger C et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga for arterial hypertension. PLoS One. 2025;DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323268.
