Author: Junjie Zhang1, Qingning Su2, Shengwen Calvin Li3,4
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> School of Physical Training and Physical Therapy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
<sup>2</sup> Center of Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
<sup>3</sup> Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Research Laboratory (NSCL), CHOC Children's Research Institute (CCRI), Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), 1201 W. La Veta Ave., Orange, CA 92868-3874, USA.
<sup>4</sup> Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Irvine (UCI), 200 S Manchester Ave Ste 206, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
Conference/Journal: Med Sci (Basel)
Date published: 2023 Feb 28
Other:
Volume ID: 11 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 21 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3390/medsci11010021. , Word Count: 163
Qigong is a meditative movement with therapeutic effects and is commonly practiced in Eastern medicine. A growing body of evidence validates its health benefits, leading to mechanistic questions about how it works. We propose a novel mechanism by which the "acid" caused by hypoxia affects metabolism, and the way it is neutralized through Qigong practice involves the body's blood flow and vasculature modifications. Specifically, Qigong exercise generates an oxygen supply and acid-base balance against the hypoxic effects of underlying pathological conditions. We also propose that Qigong exercise mediated and focused on the local hypoxia environment of tissues might normalize the circulation of metabolic and inflammation accumulation in the tumor tissue and restore the normal metabolism of tissues and cells through calm, relaxation, and extreme Zen-style breathing that gravitates toward preemptive health and medicine. Thus, we propose the mechanisms of action related to Qigong, intending to unify Eastern and Western exercise theory.
Keywords: Qigong; acid-base balance; cancer; eastern medicine; hypoxia; metabolism.
PMID: 36976529 DOI: 10.3390/medsci11010021