Assessment of hormonal parameters and psychological well‐being in healthy subjects after a Taoist qigong program: An exploratory study

Abstract

Qigong is an ancient form of health maintenance, which is part of Traditional China Medicine. Numerous beneficial mental and physical effects have been classically ascribed to this traditional psychosomatic method. The purpose of this work has been to assess the effects of Taoist qigong practice on several hormonal parameters of the Hipotalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal axis and specific measures of psychological well‐being in healthy subjects. Forty‐three healthy volunteers participated in the study, of whom 22 were randomly allocated to the experimental group, and 21 were assigned to the control group. Experimental participants underwent a qigong training program for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of hormonal parameters, and several instruments to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as well as subjective sleep quality, were obtained before and after the program. Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups, with the experimental group showing lower blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This study shows that Taoist qigong is a psychosomatic method able to exert a modulatory action on ACTH levels in healthy subjects. We consider the need to continue exploring the psychobiological modulation of this qigong method and its possible repercussion for human health care.

Changes of adrenocorticotropic hormone rhythm and cortisol circadian rhythm in patients with depression complicated with anxiety and their effects on the psychological state of patients

“…At present, studies on EEG identification of depression have been carried out, but most of the studies are based on the collected EEG signals of a small number of healthy people and patients with depression. This is related to the fact that the current open-source EEG samples are mainly from healthy people, while the number of EEG samples from patients with depression is very small ( 29 ). This work not only involved a relatively large number of samples, but also found fewer EEG channels to identify depression, making the study a lot of work and challenging.…”

Immunomodulatory Effects in Healthy Individuals Following a 4-Week Taoist Qigong Intervention: A Comparative Study

“…In this sense, it is well known that Qigong exerts noteworthy physiological [ 20 , 22 , 31 ] and psychological [ 2 , 18 , 26 ] effects. This broad psychophysiological action of Qigong is likely to influence the neuroendocrine system, thereby inducing endocrine effects [ 10 , 12 , 34 , 35 ] that may, ultimately, account for the changes in immune parameters, given the link between the immune and endocrine systems [ 79 , 80 ].…”

“…The different methods of Qigong are each associated either with the philosophical schools of Taoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, and there are also Qigong systems linked to Chinese medicine and martial arts [ 9 ]. The Taoist school of Qigong in particular is based on the principles of wu wei (fluid, unforced action) and wu xing (empty mind), its practice being characterized by natural body movements, simple postures, and natural breathing, that on the whole promote a state of relaxed awareness which is said to improve health and longevity [ 10 ]. Given its unique features, Taoist Qigong may impact biological systems differently from other Qigong methods.…”

A randomized controlled trial examining a Tranquil sitting intervention compatible with Confucian values

“…The Tao ethics, which include the principles of “Benefit not to harm,” “Nourish not to contend,” and “Be quiet and follow nature,” are employed mainly by TCT to bring about a change in personal values and facilitate psychological treatment ( Chang et al, 2016 ; Chang et al, 2019 ; Wu and Lei, 2019 ). Other forms of Taoist practice, such as Taoist Tai Chi (TTC), Qigong and acupressure, have their roots in Taoist philosophy and have been proven to alleviate symptoms of psychological issues like anxiety, depression and sleep difficulty ( Fogarty et al, 2016 ; Lai et al, 2017 ; Vera et al, 2019 ). TCT has been recognised for its intervention effects in the past 20 years.…”