Qi gong, health and western medicine

June 15, 2007 8:40 AM

I’ve been reading a bit about qi gong and its applications to healthy living, but am finding it hard to find information that goes beyond anecdotes. I’d like to know if the claims of qi gong (and similar internal practices) have been tested, and if the claimed mechanisms have any common ground with western medicine.

I’d like to be clear that I’m not asking if qi exists, but if the benefits of qi practices have been tested, and what (if anything) western medicine makes of it all, and of the explanations from traditional Chinese medicine.

Some specific questions:

- Is there evidence that diaphragmatic breathing is inherently healthier?
- Are the notions of massaging/strengthening the organs supported by western science? Similarly, for claims of improving fluid flow, energising the lymph system, strengthening nerves (etc)
- Is there evidence that internal practises may substitute for ‘normal’ exercise (running around and so on)?

I don't necessarily expect all the answers, but any leads (books, essays, papers..) would be welcomed. Perhaps this is something that demands a fuller appreciation of the relation between TCM and western medicine?

posted by MetaMonkey to health & fitness (6 comments total)

I practised qi gong quite intensively for six months - dozen-strong group sessions twice a week, with one-to-ones about once a month. I found it gave me considerable benefits; it's quite testing as posture-based exercise goes, you do get quite a workout, and it does aid a general sense of improving wellbeing.

Once you master the basic stuff and start to get a strong physical response (it's dramatic, your limbs and sometimes your whole body starts to shake almost uncontrollably (you're not meant to control it)) it can be curiously mind-expanding. You do feel as if you are moving to a different mental state. Higher consciousness? No. But different, and positive.

I consider myself an arch-sceptic about alternative medicine, and would not choose to do something like qi gong at all. How I ended up doing it is a long story. There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo that attends it, and a lot of wild claims. But I really felt myself being healthier and happier as a result of the course. This could be a false association, as I was participating in a whole load of different therapies at the time. The very least that can be said of it is that it is unlike anything else one does in a normal day, and taking that time out twice a week is valuable, with the added bonus of some exercise.

I'm afraid I haven't read any books about it, so can't recommend any. If you do try it, the first couple of sessions can be taxing to the point of almost unpleasant; it's really worth sticking with it (as I had to) in order to give it a fair shot.

Follow-up questions welcome.
posted by WPW at 8:57 AM on June 15, 2007

Re-reading this all has made me realise that what information I've given you does not go beyond anecdotes. I'm sorry.
posted by WPW at 9:02 AM on June 15, 2007

The articles "Is Yoga Enough To Keep You Fit" and "Yoga Under the Microscope" might have some leads or ideas for you. (I know it's yoga rather than qi gong, but I think enough similarities exist to get at what you're asking, and since yoga's more popular in the US, you're likely to find a bit more info on it in Western publications.)

One interesting point they make is that our idea of "fitness" is really a cultural construct -- the idea that in order to obtain cardiovascular health, we have to push the heart muscle AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE because we are not DOING GOOD THINGS unless we are PUSHING AND STRAINING AND OMG IT HURTS!!!! is, well, a bit Protestant work ethic of us. One of those articles (or possibly both) talks about yoga leading to cardiovascular health because the breath work (gently) increases lung capacity and the mindful, slow body work (gently) slows down the heart rate -- so you've achieved the goals of cardiovascular exercise (increased lung capacity and lower heart rate) without doing what we've been told is the only way to accomplish that (stressing the muscle).

I think it's really, really interesting. They also mention a study in which yoga showed college athletes gaining more lung capacity through yoga than through varsity sports.

I know you don't want anecdotes, but I will say that all of this seems very evident in my own life. On days when I do yoga and then go to the gym, my heart rate stays much lower and my breathing much easier when I do the same cardio workout I always do. I see a very measurable difference.
posted by occhiblu at 9:30 AM on June 15, 2007 [2 favorites]

I know that there was some research at Emory University about tai chi chuan and senior citizens. Not quite the same as qi gong, but it might be worth a look. Here's an article about the study.
posted by jquinby at 9:32 AM on June 15, 2007

Is there evidence that diaphragmatic breathing is inherently healthier?

Oddly the diaphragm is the gateway to the autonomic nervous system. By controlling your breathing you can, to an extent, shift between parasympathetic and sympathetic control which alters the function of organ systems fairly dramatically. The most obvious example is blood pressure but every organ system in you body is effected by the autonomic nervous system. Shifting control of you organ systems from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system could decrease the adverse effects of stress on your health.

Are the notions of massaging/strengthening the organs supported by western science?

I'm not really sure what you're shooting at here but if by this you mean that there would be some sort of movement or massage that could specifically increase the function of your kidney the short version of the answer would be no, the long version of the answer would be kind of but not really.

Similarly, for claims of improving fluid flow, energizing the lymph system, strengthening nerves

Both massage and physical activity will increase the rate of lymph returning to the veins. Massage may help clear out lymph in a slightly different way than physical activity in that the pressure applied to the vessels would be modulated differently but I don't think it would make a very big difference. As for strengthening nerves, regular physical activity will change the way motor neurons innervate muscles but that's any kind of physical activity.

Is there evidence that internal practices may substitute for ‘normal’ exercise

Now here comes the interesting part, yes. Unfortunately the evidence comes from a presentation made at the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting so it wasn't peer reviewed, as far as I know, and I have to link to information on the study through something like this (No. 7) but it is still evidence.

Basically you could get the same or greater benefits from a weekly routine of running, weightlifting and meditation but if you like this better why not do it.
posted by 517 at 1:19 PM on June 15, 2007

Many thanks for the answers all, some interesting readings!
posted by MetaMonkey at 5:11 PM on June 19, 2007