Hypertension and Qi gong

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Feb-March, 2005 by Robert A. Anderson

Of 58 volunteers, systolic and diastolic blood pressures fell significantly (147 to 131 mmHg and 93 to 87 mmHg, respectively) (p<0.001) in those randomly assigned to Qi gong training for 10 weeks vs. routinely treated controls. Norepinephrine, metanephrine and epinephrine vs. baseline also fell significantly vs. controls (2p<0.05 to p<0.001). Forced vital capacity and FE[V.sub.1] were increased in the Qi gong subjects vs. controls (2p<0.001).

Lee MS, Lee MS, Choi ES, Chung HT. Effects of Qigong on blood pressure, blood pressure determinants and ventilatory function in middle-aged patients with essential hypertension. Am J Chin Med 2003; 31(3):489-97

COMMENT: Qi gong, part of the array of treatment and health maintenance practices in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is practiced as a discipline by hundreds of thousands of Chinese. Increasingly popular in the United States, the research demonstrating benefits is steadily expanding. Like Yoga and biofeedback, the gentle nature of the practices offers an approach which can be recommended with little concern for downside effects.