Anti-Aging Benefits of Qigong

The present article focuses mainly on internal qi because almost everyone can learn qigong exercises for maintaining health and for self-healing.
Clinical studies indicating the anti-aging benefits of qigong
1. Therapeutic balancing of the meridians and functions of the body by qigong
The profound effect that internal qigong practice may have on balancing the energies of the organs and functions of the body is illustrated by measurements using Electroacupuncture According to Voll. Four subjects were examined by EAV before and after they practiced qigong. Qigong exercise decreased the average of the EAV measured values of the four subjects in the range of -19 to -31% (p<0.004). Qigong eliminated almost all the indicator drops.
In the second series, each of seven subjects was examined by EAV three times in a blind protocol, so that the operator did not know whether a subject had practiced qigong before the second or third examination. The results showed that qigong exercise changed the average EAV measured values in the range of -17 to -35% for four subjects and in the range of 4 to 15% for three subjects. Indicator drops again were markedly decreased.
2. Clinical studies of effects of qigong on hypertensive patients
The research of the Shanghai Institute of Hypertension was selected for discussion. the patients practiced 'Yan Jing Yi Shen Gong' for 30 minutes twice a day. This qigong is claimed to be especially valuable for therapeutic purposes and delaying senility.
a. Blood Pressure
Over the period of 20 years, the blood pressure of the qigong group stabilized while that of the control group increased. Remarkably, during this period the drug dosage for the qigong group could be decreased, while the dosage for the control group had to be increased.
b. Mortality and Stroke
Qigong exercise decreased by about 50 percent the incidence of total mortality,mortality due to stroke, and morbidity due to stroke. At the end of 30 years, 86 patients survived in the qigong group and 68 in the control group.
c. Improvements in heart function and microcirculation
The researchers evaluated the effects of qigong for 120 aged patients by using ultrasonic cardiography (UCG) and indices of microcirculation.
After practicing qigong for one year, cardiac output was increased, the total peripheral resistance decreased, and the ejection fraction mitral valve diastolic closing velocity and the mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening tended to be increased.
The incidence of disturbance in microcirculation disturbance was 73.9% in the deficiency of heart-energy hypertensive patients. After a year of qigong practice, the incident of disturbance was 39.1% (p<0.01).
d. Improvement in sex hormone levels
Seventy male patients with essential hypertension (ages 40 to 69; disease stage II) were divided into two groups. For the qigong group (n=42), which practiced qigong for one year, the estradiol level (E2) decreased from 70.1 to 47.7 pg/ml, a decrease of 32% (p<0.01),while no significant changes occurred in the control group (n=20).
For women qigong practiced one year resulted in an increase of E2 from 40.9±3.5 to 51.6±3.5 pg/ml. The value of T was also increased by qigong from 25.5±2.2 to 37.2±2.2 ng/dl.
e. Changes in blood chemistry in hypertensive patients
Qigong exercise may have on blood chemistry of hypertensive subjects. Improvements were noted in plasma coagulation firbrinolysis indices, blood viscosity, erythrocyte deformation index, levels of plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA),plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), VIII factor related antigen (VIII R:AG), and anti-thrombin (AT-III).
Enhanced activity of anti-aging enzyme SOD
The result showed that the mean level of SOD was increased by qigong exercise. For example, the SOD level was larger in the qigong group(about 2700 u/gHb)and than in the control group (1700 u/g Hb).
Cardiovascular function
Qigong exercise can protect healthy pilots from altitude stress when they flew rapidly from a low altitude to the high altitude of the Tibetan highlands.
Blood flow to the brain
Qigong exercise has been shown by rheoencephalography to increase blood flow to the brain. For 158 subjects with cerebral arteriosclerosis who practiced qigong for 1 to 6 months, improvements were noted in symptoms such as memory, dizziness, insomnia, tinnitus, numbness of limbs, and vertigo headache.
Combination therapy of qigong & drugs is superior to drug therapy alone.
Qigong also could promote drug uptake to tissue and cells via increased blood circulation.