Tai Chi ‘more effective’ for reducing blood pressure than jogging or cycling

Over 12 months, 324 people with prehypertension were split into two groups and monitored for change in blood pressure – DOUGAL WATERS/DIGITAL VISION

Tai Chi is more effective for reducing blood pressure than jogging or cycling, a study has found.

The ancient Chinese martial art was 52 per cent more effective at reducing high blood pressure than standard forms of aerobic exercise, researchers said.

Scientists at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences split 324 people with prehypertension – where blood pressure is higher than normal – into a group of people doing tai chi and a group doing typical fitness-improving exercise.

Prehypertension is a precursor for a diagnosis of high blood pressure without any intervention. Doctors will usually recommend lifestyle changes, including getting fitter, losing weight, and eating more healthily.

All 342 participants met the criteria for prehypertension because their systolic blood pressure – the higher of the two numbers that a reading will show – was between 120 and 139 mmHg, which is a measure of pressure in millimetres of mercury.

Once this figure passes the 140 mmHg threshold, blood pressure is considered to be high, and patients will likely be put on daily medication such as an Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or beta blocker, in order to keep blood pressure down and reduce the risk of heart disease, or a heart attack or stroke.

Half of the participants, who had an average age of 49, practised tai chi for one hour, four times a week, while the other half went running, cycling, swimming or brisk walking for the same amount of time.

After 12 months, the researchers found that those practising the ancient Chinese martial art had lowered their systolic blood pressure reading by 7.01 mmHg, while those carrying out aerobic exercise had lowered it by just 4.61 mmHg.

Researchers found a similar pattern after just six months.

A significant reduction was also found in the blood pressure of the tai chi participants at night.

Balance, breathing and heart function

Tai chi is practised by people from around the world for self-defence and meditation as well as physical and mental health.

It is a gentle exercise and involves making slow and intentional movements, but regular practice can increase flexibility and strength, and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Researchers said the results should encourage health professionals to promote the gentle martial art in preventing heart disease in those with hypertension.

The traditional mind-body exercise benefits balance as well as breathing and heart function. Previous studies have also shown its benefits in reducing blood pressure.

Around 15 million people have high blood pressure but five million people are thought to be living with it undiagnosed, according to the British Heart Foundation.

It is dubbed the “silent killer” because there can often be no symptoms, which is why so many people will not know they have the condition unless they have their blood pressure checked.

Dr Yanwei Xing, lead author of the study, said the results showed the potential benefits of practising tai chi over aerobic exercise to reduce blood pressure.

He suggested health authorities promote the martial art to prevent heart disease because it was a “safe, moderate-intensity, multimodal mind-body exercise” and “suitable for people of all ages and physical conditions”.

Dr Xing added it was easy to introduce programmes into local communities and that it also helped people to “improve body flexibility, balance, and cardiopulmonary function while reducing the risk of falls”.

The study was published in the JAMA Network Open journal.

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