A Review of “The Beneficial Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile and Anxiety Status in a Randomized Controlled Trial”

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. A major risk factor of this condition is hypertension. The Western advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension have helped lower the incidences of cardiovascular disease in many countries; however, there are still many patients who struggle with managing their blood pressure. Not only can regular physical activity benefit hypertensive patients, but it can be used in regards to other health concerns such as weight loss and stress relief. Tai Chi Chuan (or Tai Chi Quan/Tai Chi/Taiji/Shadow Boxing) is an age-old Chinese martial art form which many people, especially the senior community, use as a form of exercise in present-day America. Tai Chi is known to strengthen balance, body awareness, flexibility and muscle strength and enhance mind-body health (Harvard Health Publishing, 2019).

In the study conducted by Jen-Chen Tsai, Ph.D et al. at the Taipei Medical University Hospitals and University campus in Taipei, Taiwan, an investigation into the effects of Yang-style Tai Chi was conducted. This study investigated the question of whether 12 weeks of Tai Chi training could be used as a means to reduce blood pressure in previously sedentary subjects with high-normal blood pressure or stage I hypertension. This study also evaluates the effects of Tai Chi on a subject’s lipid profile and anxiety status (Tsai, 2003).

Out of the 88 subjects enrolled in this study, 76 individuals have completed the study. The age range of the subjects were between 35 to 65 years with a mean age of 52 years. These 76 individuals were required to have documented borderline hypertension (resting systolic blood pressure 130–159mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure 85–99 mmHg) and were recruited from the campus and two teaching hospitals of Taipei Medical University. The subjects were not receiving medications or an exercise program prior to the study, as they were newly diagnosed. Written consents were given to the individuals to participate in the study after learning of the risks and benefits, explained to them verbally and in writing. It was also required that the dietary intake of each subject was kept maintained throughout the study. Physician-conducted medical history questionnaires and complete physical check-ups, including a preliminary blood pressure screening, were also completed. Any individual having a personal history of coronary artery disease, stroke, limiting orthopedic problems, or any other major health problem was excluded from this study.

After the screening process, the 88 subjects were selected after the screening process and then randomly assigned by a drawing to either the Tai Chi group or the sedentary life control group. No subject from either group has previously practiced Tai Chi. Before beginning the study, the Tai Chi group first learned the Yang style Tai Chi exercise with a qualified instructor. The subjects then performed the exercise 3 times each week. Each session included 10 minutes of warm-up exercises, 30 minutes of Tai Chi practice, and 10 minutes of cool-down exercise. Heart rates of the subjects were monitored during practice; LDL levels, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at the preliminary physical and at the 12th week of the study period; state and trait anxiety levels were assessed by the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after the study.

After 12 subjects dropped out of the study, the outcomes measured were amongst 37 participants in the Tai Chi group and 39 in the sedentary group. Results showed that after 12 weeks of training, the Tai Chi group showed a significant decrease in blood pressure. Mean systolic pressure decreased from 142.4 to 126.8 mm Hg (a difference of 15.6 mm Hg) and a mean diastolic pressure decreased from 87.4 to 78.6 mm Hg (a difference of 8.8 mm Hg). The control group blood pressure showed an increase in blood pressure with systolic pressure increased from 148.2 to 154.6 mm Hg (a difference of 6.4 mm Hg) and diastolic pressure increased from 86.2 to 89.6 mm Hg (a difference of 3.4 mm Hg). The measurements for triglycerides and LDL cholesterol also showed a favorable decrease for the Tai Chi group and an increase in the sedentary group. State and trait anxiety resulted in both groups decreasing; however the decrease amongst the Tai Chi group was significantly greater than that of the sedentary group.

The data of this study shows that Tai Chi exercise can help mildly hypertensive subjects to reach normalized blood pressure levels similar to those of antihypertensive pharmaceuticals (Guitard 1997). That means patients could avoid the many side effects of prescription medications (Olowofela, 2017) while saving money and keeping themselves naturally healthy (although the process may take longer time with Tai Chi). Not only will Tai Chi help with cardiovascular health, stress relief and overall fitness for those who prefer or require light exercise, it is easy to learn, economically beneficial and enhances the mind-body balance. Because Tai Chi can be practiced anywhere and at any time without expensive equipment or far-off venues, patients can save time, money and effort with this practice.

Although Tai Chi benefits cardiovascular health, it does not show a significant change with BMI; therefore I would suggest a more vigorous exercise routine for patients who need to lose weight in a considerably shorter amount of time. Tai Chi is safe enough that I would recommend it to anyone who would like to try it, especially for patients who are looking to enhance their cardiovascular health, balance and overall anxiety in conjunction with their doctor’s advice, acupuncture and other healing modalities within the scope of practice.

References

Harvard Health Publishing. (2019, September 24). The health benefits of tai chi. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-tai-chi 

Tsai, J., Wang, W., Chan, P., Lin, L., Wang, C., Tomlinson, B., … Liu, J. (2003). The Beneficial Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Blood Pressure and Lipid Profile and Anxiety Status in a Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 9(5), 747-754. doi:10.1089/107555303322524599

Guitard, C., Lohmann, F., Alfiero, R. et al. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther (1997) 11: 449. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007797405850 

Olowofela, A. O., & Isah, A. O. (2017, July). A Profile of Adverse Effects of Antihypertensive Medicines in a Tertiary Care Clinic in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579894/