Traditional Tibetan medicine aims to tackle global hypoxia and altitude sickness

Traditional Tibetan medicine, refined over centuries in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, aims to offer a Chinese solution to the global medical challenge of hypoxia and altitude sickness, according to a national political adviser.

Mingkyi Tsomo, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a professor at the Xizang University of Tibetan Medicine, said the harsh geographic environment of the Xizang autonomous region allowed early practitioners to develop a theoretical and foundational understanding of altitude-related illnesses.

"My own research focuses on altitude sickness and pulmonary hypertension, and we have found that certain Tibetan medicines are very effective in treating altitude-related health problems," Mingkyi Tsomo told China Daily during the ongoing two sessions.

Hypoxia — oxygen deprivation at the tissue level — is not exclusively an environmental issue experienced by residents. As people age, their bodies naturally experience a decline in the ability to process and distribute oxygen, leading to systemic discomfort and illness.

"Because of this internal decline in oxygen production, hypoxia remains a worldwide medical challenge," Mingkyi Tsomo said. "By restoring the equilibrium between the three humors, Tibetan medical theory has demonstrated great efficacy in treating diseases caused by high altitudes. We have natural conditions in Xizang that provide a better environment for this research than anywhere else in the world."

Armed with these natural laboratories, the national political adviser expressed confidence that ongoing clinical studies will yield breakthrough achievements. "In the future, we will provide a Chinese solution, rooted in Tibetan medicine, to solve altitude sickness and hypoxia-related diseases for the world," she said.

As a prominent researcher in this sector, Mingkyi Tsomo said Tibetan medicine has experienced rapid domestic expansion in recent years. "The Xizang University of Tibetan Medicine has trained more than 11,000 professionals since its establishment," she said. Xizang now has 51 dedicated Tibetan medical institutions, which collectively handle 3.34 million patient visits annually.

The ancient medical system has also recently achieved global recognition. In 2018, the Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa — a traditional Tibetan practice of bathing in natural hot springs, herbal water, or steam — was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Furthermore, the foundational text of the discipline, the "Four Medical Tantras", was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2022.

Despite these cultural milestones and strong national financial support, Mingkyi Tsomo cautioned that the scientific sector still faces significant hurdles. During her field research, the CPPCC National Committee member found that the sector's disciplinary development should be enhanced to facilitate the professional certification of practitioners. She also noted that the Tibetan medicine standards issued in 1995 are no longer sufficient to meet modern clinical needs.

"These bottlenecks constrain our overall development and undermine our efforts to protect cultural security and sovereignty on the global stage," the political adviser said, adding that she has consistently proposed solutions to these challenges in recent years.

Pan Yiqiao contributed to this story.