Qigong training reduces basal and stress-elicited cortisol secretion in healthy older adults
Qigong, a mind–body practice combining meditation, physical movement and controlled breathing, is reported to improve psychological well-being and physical function in older adults. However, the effects of qigong on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity and reactivity to stress in older people are elusive. An uncontrolled, before-and-after study in a group of healthy older adults was conducted to investigate the possible benefits of 12-week qigong training on self-rated distress symptoms and cortisol secretion under basal and stimulated conditions. The contents of the qigong training are well described in the study.
Before and after qigong training, participants (n = 28), men and women, mean age 65 years; (smokers, obese subjects, persons with chronic diseases and oral pathologies, and subjects reporting major stressful events in their recent past were excluded) answered the PSS-10 (perceived stress scale with 10 items) questionnaire. Salivary samples were collected for cortisol detection at various times of the day during a challenging mental task.
A total of 130 people were screened for eligibility. Of these, 28 were eligible (7 men and 21 women; Mean age = 64.82 ± 1.45 year). None reported having previous experience of qigong practice; no drop-outs from the program were registered.
There were no significant differences between the pre-test and the post test for the Perceived Stress Scale (p<.05). There were significant reductions in saliva stress hormone levels between pre-tests and post tests (p values ranging from .006 to .002).
Abstract
Qi-gong training reduces basal and stress-elicited cortisol secretion in healthy older adults
Elisa Ponzio, Lucio Sotte, Marcello M. D’Errico, Stefano Berti, Pamela Barbadoro, Emilia Prospero, Andrea Minelli,∗
European Journal of Integrative Medicine xxx (2015) xxx.e1–xxx.e8
Received 13 November 2014; received in revised form 5 January 2015; accepted 5 January 2015
Introduction: Qi-gong, a mind–body practice combining meditation, physical movement and controlled breathing, is reported to improve psycho-
logical well-being and physical function in older adults. However, the effects of Qi-gong on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activityand reactivity to stress in older people are elusive. An uncontrolled, before-and-after study in a group of healthy older adults was conducted to investigate the possible benefits of 12-week Qi-gong training on self-rated distress symptoms and cortisol secretion under basal and stimulated
Conditions.
Methods: Before (T0) and after (Tf) Qi-gong training, participants (n = 28), men and women, mean age 65 years;(smokers, obese subjects, persons with chronic diseases and oral pathologies, and subjects reporting major stressful events in their recent past were excluded) answered the PSS-10 questionnaire. Salivary samples were collected for cortisol detection at various times of the day during a challenging mental task.
Results: Qi-gong training reduced basal cortisol output across the day, notably in the morning. In subjects who responded to the stressor at T0 (n = 16, baseline-to-peak increment >1.5 nmol/l), cortisol response to cognitive challenge was markedly blunted after training, accompanied by a
decreasing trend of PSS-10 score.
Conclusion: Qi-gong practice in elderly people appears to improve control on HPA axis activity, reducing daytime cortisol levels and attenuating cortisol responses to mental stress. Ameliorating the profile of basal and stimulated HPA activity, may reflect better adaptation to stress, and may favor successful aging and positive health outcomes. Present findings encourage the implementation of programs aimed at further disseminating
Qi-gong practice among the older population.
