Tai Chi has many benefits for middle-aged/older individuals including improvements to muscle strength and various body lipid components. DHEAS and testosterone have anti-obesity/anti-aging characteristics and also improve libido, vitality and immunity levels. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the differences between middle-aged Tai Chi practitioners (n = 17) and sedentary individuals (n = 17) in terms of leg strength, blood levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, as well as DHEAS, testosterone and cortisol. Unpaired t-tests were used to identify significant differences between the two groups. There were no significant differences in body composition, leg strength, blood lipid components and testosterone. However, the Tai Chi practitioners had higher levels of DHEAS (P< 0.01) and lower levels of cortisol (P< 0.05). Thus, Tai Chi practitioners have a higher ratio of DHEAS to cortisol, which might have potential benefits in terms of improving an individual’s health-related quality of life during the aging.

The addition of pectin and a protopectin preparation containing galactose and arabinose to a noncholesterol-containing basal diet increased the fecal excretion of saponifiable lipids; the absorption of endogenous cholesterol and the excretion of nonsaponifiable lipids were uninfluenced. The addition of pectin to a basal diet containing cholesterol increased the excretion of fecal saponifiable and nonsaponifiable lipids and decreased the absorption of exogenous cholesterol. The addition of the protopectin preparation to the same diet had no significant effect on the excretion of saponifiable lipids, but the excretion of cholesterol was decidely reduced and, in two experiments out of three, there occurred an approximately equivalent increase in noncholesterol nonsaponifiable material. The addition of gum arabic or arabinose to this ration produced practically no changes in the amount of saponifiable and nonsaponifiable fecal lipids and in the recovery of exogenous cholesterol in the feces. Only very small quantities of noncolor-developing sterols were eliminated either on the cholesterol basal diet or when this diet was supplemented with pectin, protopectin, gum arabic or arabinose.

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