The Effect of a Course of Tai Chi Chuan Exercises on Serum Inflammatory-cell Death Indices in The Elderly

The inevitable aging of human life is an inherent and progressive process with an increase in inflammatory and cellular damage markers that over time and gradually increase inflammation and decrease the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tai chi exercise on inflammatory-apoptotic indices of Bax and TNF-α in the elderly. In the present study, 30 elderly women with an average age of 67 years, height 160 cm and weight 73 kg living in a nursing home in Tehran as a statistical population were randomly divided into two groups of 15 experimental and control. The subjects underwent medical examinations and if the physician diagnoses that the subjects' participation is unobstructed and also their written consent, the training protocol was performed for eight weeks. In the experimental group, tai chi exercises were performed three times a week, each session lasting 20 to 40 minutes at intensities of 40 to 50% of the reserve heart rate. The control group did not exercise during this time and did their daily chores.The results of statistical analysis showed that the serum TNF-α level after 8 weeks in the training group compared to the control showed a non-significant decrease (0.055) but these changes in the Bax rate in the training group compared to the control significantly decreased. Showed (P = 0.04). Tai Chi exercises as an aerobic-meditation exercise in the elderly have positive effects on reducing inflammatory serum indices and cellular damage TNF-α and Bax, which can play a beneficial role in the health of the elderly and the prevention of heart disease. They have vascular.