A Cautious Thumbs Up For Tai Chi

May 22, 2010

Tai Chi, a low impact martial art, has been associated with reduced stress,

anxiety and depression, and enhanced mood, in both healthy people and those with

chronic conditions. A systematic review of the subject, published in the open

access journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that although

Tai Chi does appear to have positive psychological effects, more high quality,

randomized trials are needed.

Dr. Chenchen Wang, Associate Professor, from Tufts Medical Center, Tufts

University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA, worked with a team of

researchers to pool the results of 40 studies, including 17 randomized

controlled trials, into the mental health effects of Tai Chi. She said, " Tai

Chi, the Chinese low impact mind-body exercise, has been practiced for centuries

for health and fitness in the East and is currently gaining popularity in the

West. It is believed to improve mood and enhance overall psychological well

being, but convincing evidence has so far been lacking " .

Wang and her colleagues found that practicing Tai Chi was associated with

reduced stress, anxiety, depression and mood disturbance, and increased

self-esteem. The quality of the studies identified was generally modest,

however. In particular, rigorous, prospective, well controlled randomized trials

with appropriate comparison groups and validated outcome measures are generally

lacking. Wang said, " More detailed knowledge about the physiological and

psychological effects of Tai Chi exercise may lead to new approaches to promote

health, treat chronic medical conditions, better inform clinical decisions and

further explicate the mechanisms of successful mind-body medicine " .

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