Students from the Celestial Tai Chi College are taking part in an Australian Federal Government funded (through the National Health and Medical Research council) research program to look at the scientific basis of the health benefits of Tai Chi.  The research is being done by researchers from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

There have been some studies showing the benefits of Tai Chi for those with arthritis, diabetes and other chronic conditions and it may reduce stress.  However none of these studies have looked at the mechanisms behind these reported benefits.  Before the Australian Government can recommend Tai Chi as a health-promoting practice, scientific evidence has to be gathered. This study is to try to study the mechanisms of Tai Chi practice at the level of cells in the body.

• The first is to measure the end sections of chromosomes called telomeres.  A chromosome is a rod-shaped element of the cell that appears in the nucleus as cells divide. There is some evidence that telomeres get shorter as we get older and perhaps when we get sick with certain conditions such as heart problems.
• The second test is to look at measures of the energy production of the cell, in a part of the cell called the mitochondria.  The mitochondria and its function can be affected by stress in a person’s life and this might be helped by Tai Chi practice.
• The third test will be to examine whether Tai Chi can positively regulate the cellular modification of genes that have been shown in research studies to be associated with ageing and some chronic diseases.