A few days ago, I was practicing a Tai Chi with a group of people. The leader of this group mentioned that the form we were practicing was beneficial for people with Diabetes. One person in the group then asked “how” it was so helpful. The answer was less than satisfactory but it did get me thinking about that question. We are given to believe that Tai Chi is helpful in many ways but where is the evidence for these statements.
I decided to take a deep dive into some of the more current scientific papers on Tai Chi and its many claims.
But first let me begin this journey by examining how much research has been done, who is doing the research and what is the research studying. We can begin by looking at a study that came out just this year (2026).
The title of this paper is Global Trends in Tai Chi Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. The link to the full article is given at the end of the post.
Now about those questions I put forward above –
- The authors analyzed 2253 publications from 1978 – 2025.
- Most of the Tai Chi research has appeared only in the last decade.
- Most studies are done by the Chinese and are published often in Chinese.
- The US reaches more people internationally than the Chinese because so many other researchers cite the US studies.
- Little appears in the studies about the type of Tai Chi that works best, how often and how much practice one needs to do to gain the benefits.
Now for more detailed information
Pertinent findings:
- As can be seen by the chart below there was little published in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s.
- There was a growth spurt around 2013 and continued upward from there.
- More than 70% of all Tai Chi publications were published from 2013-2024.
- By October 2025, the cumulative number of publications reached 2253.
- From 2013 onward, the field entered a high-volume phase in which annual output consistently exceeded 100 publications.
Who is doing the Research on Tai Chi
From the chart below
- Globally, Tai Chi research is led by China and the United States (Purple areas on the chart).
- The research is largely driven by a small number of clusters concentrated in specific regions.
- The research centered on five core themes:
- Motor Function
- Musculoskeletal conditions
- Psychological health
- Chronic diseases
- Cognitive Aging
Recommendations for Future Research
- Tai Chi studies need to be published in medical journals. Most of the studies involving Tai Chi do not appear in the major medical journals right now.
- Stronger International collaboration is needed to include a wide range of people.
- There is a need for more studies that address the mechanisms of outcomes (i.e. how does a particular tai chi exercise actually work in the body to produce the benefit).
- The studies need to have a longer follow-up
- The types of Tai Chi (Yang 24, Chen 36, SUN 73 etc.) that are studied need to be clearly identified.
- There is a need to Increase emphasis on implementation to communities to address global heath.
For an even deeper dive into the facts read the entire research paper.
Yoga & Tai Chi 
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