Skip to main content

Tai Chi diminishes oxidative stress in Mexican older adults

The journal of nutrition, health & aging volume 16, pages 642–646 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To determine the effect of Tai Chi on oxidative stress in a population of elderly Mexican subjects.

Design

It was carried out a quasi-experimental study with a sample of 55 healthy subjects randomly divided into two age-matched groups: (i) a control group with 23 subjects and (ii) an experimental group with 32 subjects. The experimental group received daily training in Tai Chi for 50 min.

Measurements

It was measured before and after 6-month of exercise period: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx).

Results

It was found that the experimental group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in glucose levels, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and systolic blood pressure, as well as an increase in SOD and GPx activity and TAS compared with the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the daily practice of Tai Chi is useful for reducing OxS in healthy older adults.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. Sánchez-Rodríguez MA, Mendoza-Núñe VM. Envejecimiento, enfermedades crónicas y antioxidantes. México: FES “ZARAGOZA”, UNAM, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Harman D. Aging: a theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry. J Gerontol. 1956;11:298–300.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Mendoza-Núñe VM, Ruiz-Ramos M, Sánchez-Rodríguez M, Retana-Ugalde, R. Muñoz-Sánchez JL. Aging-related oxidative stress in healthy humans. Tohoku J Exp Med 2007;213: 261–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. McArdle A, Jackson MJ. Exercise, oxidative stress and ageing. J Anat 2000;197: 539–541

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Singh MA. Exercise and aging. Clin Geriatr Med 2004; 20: 201–221.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Frankel JE, Bean JF, Frontera WR. Exercise in the elderly: research and clinical practice. Clin Geriatr Med 2006; 22: 239–256.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nelson ME, Rejeski WJ, Blair SN, Duncan PW, Judge JO, King AC, Macera CA, Castaneda-Sceppa C; American College of Sports Medicine; American Heart Association. Physical activity and public health in older adults: recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation 2007; 116: 1094–1105.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ji LL. Exercise at old age: does it increase or alleviate oxidative stress?. Ann NY Acad Sci 2001;928:236–247.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Radak Z, Chung HY, Goto S. Exercise and hormesis: oxidative stress-related adaptation for successful aging. Biogerontology; 2005; 6: 71–75.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Yu PB, Chung HY. Adaptive mechanism to oxidative stress during aging. Mech Ageing Dev 2006; 127: 436–443.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jones AY, Dean E, Scudds RJ. Effectiveness of a community-based Tai Chi program and implications for public health initiatives. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005; 86:619–625.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Chen SC, Ueng KC, Lee SH, Sun KT, Lee MC. Effect of Tai Chi exercise on biochemical profiles and oxidative stress indicators in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16:1153–1159.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Tsang T, Orr R, Lam P, Comino E, Singh MF. Effects of Tai Chi on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in older adults with type 2 diabetes: a randomised double-blind sham-exercise-controlled trial. Age Ageing 2008;37:64–71.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Li JX, Hong Y, Chan KM. Tai Chi: physiological characteristics and beneficial effects on health. Br J Sports Med 2001; 35:148–156.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Goon JA, Aini AH, Musalmah M, Anum MY, Nazaimoon WM, Ngah WZ. Effect of Tai Chi exercise on DNA damage, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress in middle-age adults. J Phys Act Health 2009; 6: 43–54.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Palasuwan A, Suksom D, Margaritis I, Soogarun S, Rousseau AS. Effects of Tai Chi training on antioxidant capacity in pre- and postmenopausal women. J Aging Res. 2011; 2011:234696. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092538/pdf/JAR2011-234696.pdf

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Friedewald WT, Levy RI, Fredrickson DS. Estimation of the concentration of lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem 1972; 18: 499–502.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jentzsch AM, Bachmann H, Fürst P, Biesalski HK. Improved analysis of malondialdehyde in human body fluids. Free Radic Biol Med 1996; 20: 251–256.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sánchez-Rodríguez MA, Ruiz-Ramos M, Mendoza-Núñez VM. Proposal of a construct to measure severity of oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2006; 41:S29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Gomez-Cabrera MC, Domenech E, Viña J. Moderate exercise is an antioxidant: upregulation of antioxidant genes by training. Free Radic Biol Med 2008; 44: 126–131.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Calabrese EJ. Hormesis: changing view of the dose-response, a personal account of the history and current status. Mut Res 2002; 511: 181–189.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rattan S. Applying hormesis in aging research and therapy. Hum Exp Toxicol 2001; 20: 281–285.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Xu DQ, Li JX, Hong Y. Effect of regular Tai Chi and jogging exercise on neuromuscular reaction in older people. Age Ageing 2005; 34: 439–444.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Verhagen AP, Immink M, van der Meulen A, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. The efficacy of Tai Chi Chuan in older adults: a systematic review. Fam Pract 2004; 21:107–113.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Halbert JA, Silagy CA, Finucane P, Withers RT, Hamdorf PA. Exercise training and blood lipids in hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic adults: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999; 53:514–522.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Jiang JX. An observation on the effect of Tai Chi Quan on serum HDL-C and other blood lipids. Chin Sports Med 1984; 3: 99–101.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chen WW, Sun WY. Tai chi chuan, an alternative form of exercise for health promotion and disease prevention for older adults in the community. Int Q Community Health Educ. 1997; 16: 333–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Wang C, Collet JP, Lau J. The effect of Tai Chi on health outcomes in patients with chronic conditions: a systematic review. Arch Med Inter 2004; 164: 493–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tsai JC, Wang WH, Chan P, Lin LJ, Wang CH, Tomlinson B, Hsieh MH, Yang HY, Liu JC. The beneficial effects of Tai Chi Chuan on blood pressure and lipid profile and anxiety status in a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2003; 9:747–754.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Lee EN. The effects of tai chi exercise program on blood pressure, total cholesterol and cortisol level in patients with essential hypertension. Taehan Kanho Chin 2004; 34: 829–837.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Ko GT, Tsang PC, Chan HC. A 10-week Tai-Chi program improved the blood pressure, lipid profile and SF-36 scores in Hong Kong Chinese women. Med Sci Monit, 2006; 12(5): CR196–199.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Goon JA, Noor Aini AH, Musalmah M, Yasmin Anum MY, Wan Ngah WZ. Long term Tai Chi exercise reduced DNA damage and increased lymphocyte apoptosis and proliferation in older adults. Med J Malaysia 2008; 63(4): 319–324.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Leeuwenburgh C, Fiebig R, Chandwaney R, Ji LL. Aging and exercise training in skeletal muscle: responses of glutathione and antioxidant enzyme systems. Am J Physiol 1994;267(2 Pt 2):R439–445.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Ji LL. Modulation of skeletal muscle antioxidant defense by exercise: Role of redox signaling. Free Radic Biol Med 2008; 44: 142–152.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Scandalios JG. Oxidative stress: molecular perception and transduction of signals triggering antioxidant gene defenses. Braz J Med Biol Res 2005;38:995–1014.

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Epel E, Daubenmier J, Moskowitz JT, Folkman S, Blackburn E. Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1172: 34–53.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Yan JH, Downing JH. Tai Chi: an alternative exercise form for seniors. J Aging Phys Act 1998; 6:350–362.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Investigación en Gerontología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México D.F., México

    J. Rosado-Pérez & V. M. Mendoza-Núñez

  2. Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular del Cáncer, UIDCC, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, Mexico, Mexico

    E. Santiago-Osorio

  3. Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Apdo. Postal 55-535, C.P. 09340, México D.F., México

    R. Ortiz

  4. Guelatao # 66, Col. Ejército de Oriente, 09230, México, DF, México

    V. M. Mendoza-Núñez

Authors
  1. J. Rosado-Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Santiago-Osorio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Ortiz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. M. Mendoza-Núñez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. M. Mendoza-Núñez.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rosado-Pérez, J., Santiago-Osorio, E., Ortiz, R. et al. Tai Chi diminishes oxidative stress in Mexican older adults. J Nutr Health Aging 16, 642–646 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-012-0029-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-012-0029-9

Key words

  • Tai Chi
  • oxidative stress
  • antioxidants