Effects of tai chi training on antioxidant capacity in pre- and postmenopausal women

The risk of oxidative stress-related metabolic diseases increases with menopause and physical inactivity. we hypothesized that an 8-week tai chi (tc) training program (2 sessions in class; 2 sessions at home; 1-1:15/session) would improve antioxidant capacity and reduce cardiovascular risks in both pre- (n=8) and postmenopausal (n=7) sedentary women. selected measures of physical fitness and blood parameters were analyzed before and after the program. besides the well-known effects of tc on balance,flexibility,and maximum leg extensor strength,tc (1) increased erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity - an aerobic training-responsive antioxidant enzyme - and plasma total antioxidant status and (2) decreased plasma total homocysteine,a cardiovascular risk marker. in addition to being a low-velocity,low-impact,and relatively safe,tc is a suitable physical activity design for pre- and postmenopausal women to increase antioxidant defenses. investigating breathing effects during tc movements would be an interesting area for further research in diseases prevention. © 2011 attakorn palasuwan et al.