Abstract
Currently, qigong and tai chi exercises are the two most common preventive as well as therapeutic interventions for chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the quantitative evaluation of these interventions is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of qigong and tai chi intervention in middle-aged and older adults with T2DM. The study included 103 eligible participants, who were randomized to participate for 12 weeks, in one of the following intervention groups for the treatment of T2DM: fitness qigong, tai chi, and control group. Three biochemical measures, including fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and C-peptide (C-P) levels, assessed at baseline and 12 weeks, served as the primary outcome measures. During the training process, 16 of the 103 participants dropped out. After the 12-week intervention, there were significant influences on HbA1C (F2,83 = 4.88, p = 0.010) and C-P levels (F2,83 = 3.64, p = 0.031). Moreover, significant reduction in C-P levels was observed after 12-week tai chi practice (p = 0.004). Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between the duration of T2DM and the relative changes in FPG levels after qigong intervention, and the relative changes in HbA1C levels were positively correlated with waist-to-height ratio after tai chi practice. Our study suggests that targeted qigong exercise might have a better interventional effect on patients with a longer duration of T2DM, while tai chi might be risky for people with central obesity.Trial registration: This trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The registration number is ChiCTR180020069. The public title is “Health-care qigong · study for the prescription of chronic diabetes intervention.”
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period
Tai chi intervention had a poor effect on blood glucose regulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is reflected by the upward trend in HbA1C and a significant decrease in C-P levels
Our study suggests that targeted qigong exercise may have a better interventional effect on patients with T2DM
Summary
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Medication is beneficial for T2DM and has been advocated as a core component for diabetes treatment [15,16,17], some patients continue to inject and administer oral insulin when blood sugar levels are not adequately controlled [18], leading to low blood sugar and serious complications [19]. Relevant studies have suggested the favorable effects of qigong on blood glucose, HbA1C, 2-hour plasma glucose, insulin sensitivity, and blood viscosity [28, 29]. This single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was conducted for analyzing the physical benefits of qigong and tai chi in middle-aged or older patients with T2DM. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of 12-week tai chi and qigong interventions on three biochemical measures in adults aged 40 years or older; the major physiological states of patients affecting treatment outcomes were analyzed as well
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