Can tai chi lift mood and quality of life in older adults losing muscle?
NCT ID NCT07831356
First seen Sep 21, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026
Summary
Researchers are testing whether an eight-week Tai Chi program can improve quality of life and reduce depressive symptoms in people aged 60 and older who have sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Forty participants in Makassar will be split into two groups: one does Tai Chi three times a week for eight weeks, and the other does standard elderly exercise. The study measures changes using a sarcopenia-specific quality-of-life questionnaire and a 15-item depression scale.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a Tai Chi exercise program
- What this could lead to
- If it works, Tai Chi could become a low-cost, gentle way to help older adults with muscle loss feel better and lift their mood.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small study of 40 people in one city, so the results may not hold for everyone. Exercise programs can be hard to stick with, and any mood or quality-of-life gains may fade once sessions stop.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
40 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jan 2026
- Finished
-
Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
60 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 60 years or older * Meets the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS). * Willing to participate in the study, capable of understanding the informed consent, and physically able to perform Tai Chi movements. * Must be a resident of Makassar. * Has either never participated in Tai Chi, or has previous experience with Tai Chi but stopped practicing for more than 4 weeks (ensuring they are not currently active practitioners). Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment, indicated by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 23 or lower. * Hearing and/or speech impairments that make communication difficult. Presence of severe chronic diseases, such as heart failure, end-stage chronic kidney disease, malignancy, or the use of a pacemaker. * Presence of edema (fluid retention/swelling). * Experiencing lower extremity (leg) pain with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of 5 or greater.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Sarcopenia in elderly are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
GPIB Mount of Olives (Bukit Zaitun Church) Makassar
Makassar, South Sulawesi, 90126, Indonesia
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a bone drug also build muscle? trial tests denosumab for sarcopenia
- Can tai chi rebuild strength and balance in aging muscles?
- Can a bone drug rebuild muscle? trial tests denosumab for sarcopenia
- Scientists probe a muscle protein that may hold clues to Age-Related weakness
- A simple pudding might help fight muscle loss in seniors
- Could Pre-Exercise training boost strength in aging muscles?