LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Older adults in the United States, who practiced Tai Chi Chih, were found to have increased immunity to the virus that causes shingles.
In the study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, a small group of healthy adults who participated in Tai Chi Chih classes over 15 weeks experienced an average increase of 50 percent immunity to the virus.
After a person has chicken pox, the virus hides in the nerves. As people grow older and their immune systems weaken, the latent virus can cause shingles -- marked by a skin rash and severe pain and in some cases severe complications and even death, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The study focused on shingles, but the boost in immunity -- measured by blood tests -- could help in other infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, according to study author, Michael R. Irwin, professor at the University of California at Los Angeles's Neuropsychiatric Institute.
Irwin said it isn't clear whether the gentle movements or the mental relaxation of the ancient art accounted for the results.
