The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the effects of Qi therapy without touching or with touching on anxiety, mood, neurohormones, and cellular immune function. Twenty-four healthy male subjects were randomly assigned to either QTN (n = 12) or QTT (n = 12). They received Qi therapy (external Qigong) without touching (QTN) or with touching (QTT). Nonparametric statistical tests revealed no significant differences between the effects of QTN and QTT (all p > .05). Separate Wilcox signed rank tests for each intervention revealed significant effects on anxiety, alertness, depression, fatigue, tension, cortisol levels, and NK cell cytotoxicity for both QTN and QTT, and on neutrophil function for QTN only. These findings suggest that there are few differences between the effects of QTN and QTT. However, the reproducibility of the findings should be tested with multiple sessions, and long-term follow-up tests.

This article examined the effects of qi-training on peripheral T lymphocyte concentrations in a cross-sectional study involving three groups of subjects: normal healthy subjects (n = 22) and two groups of qi trainees (group Q1: qi-training for 1-12 months, n = 52; and group Q2: qi-training for >12 months, n = 63). Nonparametric statistical tests revealed significant differences between the groups in TH/TS/C ratio (p < .001) and in the ratio of memory TH lymphocytes (CD45RA-) to naïve TH lymphocytes (CD45RA+) (p < .001). These findings suggest that qi-training modulates peripheral T lymphocyte concentrations. However, the functional modulation of T helper lymphocytes should be tested in a larger population and compared with other interventions.