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What the Study Found
To arrive at these conclusions, researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial between July 25, 2019, and January 24, 2022, at two tertiary public hospitals in China. They examined the effects of two popular interventions on blood pressure reduction—tai chi and aerobic exercise. The study enrolled 342 adults ages 18 to 65 with prehypertension. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1-to-1 ratio to either a tai chi or aerobic exercise group. Over a span of 12 months, both groups diligently engaged in four 60-minute supervised sessions of their respective activities per week.
The researchers conducted a rigorous comparative analysis that revealed a notable discrepancy between the two groups. The tai chi group showed a substantially greater reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to their counterparts in the aerobic exercise group, highlighting tai chi’s potential as an effective strategy for blood pressure management.
At the six-month mark, tai chi consistently showed better results in reducing blood pressure than aerobic exercise. The tai chi group also experienced significant reductions in 24-hour and nighttime blood pressure. It’s believed that the meditative aspect of tai chi may calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with your fight-or-flight stress response. Additionally, the rhythmic nature of tai chi’s movements may enhance blood circulation and vascular function to support blood pressure regulation.
These results suggest that adopting a consistent tai chi practice may be superior to other regular exercise for improving cardiovascular health and reducing stress-related factors contributing to high blood pressure. Including tai chi as a holistic approach to blood pressure management might also help prevent cardiovascular disease risk.
The Bottom Line
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