Effects and Mechanism of Tai Chi Exercise on Hyperlipidemia and Diabetes

Objective: To observe effect of Tai Chi exercise on hyperlipidemia with diabetes, and elucidate its mechanism.
Methods: The subjects were selected from well-educated aged women in the universities, who had been diagnosed to be hyperlipidemia and diabetes without organic changes. These 12 subjects were trained with Tai Chi exercise for 8 weeks. And then do acute exercise of Tai Chi at the end of 8th week. To differentiate between transient (acute) and training (chronic) effects of Tai Chi exercise respectively, fasting blood sugar, TG, TC, ApoA1, ApoB was tested before and after the 8-week exercise of Tai Chi.
Results: (1) By 8 weeks Tai Chi exercise, the serum levels of triglycerides (TG) and glucose (GLUK) decreased obviously (P<0.05), the serum levels of HDL-C, ,and insulin-receptor (InR)numbers and its binding volumes increased obviously (P<0.05), but TC, ApoA1, ApoB, Insulin (Ins), did not change obviously. (2) After the acute Tai Chi exercise on the end of 8th week, the serum levels of TC and ApoB increased greatly P<0.01, and HDL-C, GLUK, InR numbers and its binding volumes increased obviously (P<0.05), but TG, ApoA1 and Ins did not change obviously.
Conclusion: (1) Long term Tai Chi exercise decreased TG level, whereas increase HDL-C levels (or HDL-C/TC) effectively in hyperlipidemia with diabetes. (2) Long term Tai Chi exercise decreased serum GLUK levels effectively while maintaining Ins. still in normal level. (3) Tai Chi exercise improved the metabolism of serum lipid and glucose effectively in hyperlipidemia with diabetes by decreasing insulin resistance.