Abstract: Natural protected areas are crucial areas for improving human health well-being, possessing significant health value. Research on the mechanisms linking protected areas and human health well-being in China is still in its infancy. To fully leverage the health benefits of natural protected areas, it is imperative to summarize research experiences from both domestic and international perspectives and to consider future research directions in light of the current development status of China's natural protected area system. We identified the current state of research on the relationship between natural protected areas and human health based on bibliometric analysis, reviewing the health benefits of natural protected areas from the perspectives of individual and public health, summarizing the existing methods for valuing the health services of natural protected areas, and outlining the mechanisms by which protected areas influence health benefits. The review revealed that natural protected areas positively affect individual physiological, psychological, and social health, and help citizens become more resilient to public health crises, thereby improving public health outcomes. Despite the existence of a multitude of methodologies for estimating the value of natural protected areas in terms of their health services, a unified standard for valuation has not yet been formed. In terms of mechanisms, the health benefits of natural protected areas are affected by a combination of factors, including natural environmental features, population characteristics, social and cultural backgrounds, and the attributes of experience activities. Finally, the paper proposed three suggestions for future research and practice: firstly, to conduct long-term tracking studies to clarify the causal relationship between natural protected areas and human health well-being; secondly, to delve into the impact of different factors on health benefits; and thirdly, to strengthen the health benefits of protected areas through policy measures. To provide references for the spatial planning, resource development, and ecosystem cultural service product design of natural protected areas in China.