March 8, 2004 Practicing the traditional Chinese martial art of tai chi appears to offer both mental & physical benefits for people with chronic diseases, but researchers aren't exactly sure what those benefits are.

A new review of studies on tai chi shows that the practice is safe & probably beneficial for older adults w/conditions such as heart failure, high blood pressure, arthritis & multiple sclerosis. It may also offer psychological benefits in reducing stress & anxiety in healthy people.

But researchers say the lack of rigorous scientific studies on the subject makes it difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the long-term risks or health benefits of practicing tai chi.

Tai chi combines deep breathing & relaxation with postures that move smoothly from one to the other in slow, gentle movements.

Researchers say it has been promoted for good health, memory concentration, digestion, balance & flexibility. It's also thought to improve mental problems such as anxiety, depression & age-related declines in mental function.

"However, despite its popularity, the biological mechanism & clinical effects of tai chi aren't well understood, write researcher Chenchen Wang, MD, MSc, of Tufts-New England Medical Ctr. in Boston & colleagues.

Health Benefits of Tai Chi Unclear

For the study, published in the March 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed 47 English & Chinese -language studies on the effects of tai chi in people with chronic health problems.

These studies reported health benefits including improvements in balance & strength, cardiovascular & respiratory function, flexibility, immune function & symptoms of arthritis.

Psychological benefits in reducing stress & anxiety were also reported.

But only 9 of the studies reviewed were randomized & controlled, which is the highest standard for scientific research, & all of them were short-term.

"Therefore, the long-term effects of tai chi practice are still unknown & there is insufficient information to recommend Tai Chi to patients w/chronic conditions," conclude the researchers.