Practicing yoga could offer benefits in managing metabolic syndrome.
Yoga, often referred to as "yogis" in the Western world, is frequently praised for its health benefits. However, the scientific community has been examining these claims, with a recent study focusing on the effects of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
Medical News Today has previously reported on numerous studies suggesting that yoga can boost brain health, improve thyroid issues, and alleviate depression symptoms. It has also been suggested that it could aid in managing diabetes symptoms, enhancing prostate health, and overcoming erectile dysfunction in men.
Despite these promising results, most of these studies are observational and cannot establish causality. Few have delved into the mechanisms underlying these findings. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports aimed to address this gap by investigating the impact of yoga on cardiometabolic health.
The study, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, China, found that yoga benefits people with metabolic syndrome. Additionally, the research revealed the underlying mechanisms for these benefits.
The study demonstrated that a year of yoga practice decreased the levels of proinflammatory adipokines while increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines in individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure. This suggests that yoga could be a valuable lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome by reducing inflammation.
Metabolic syndrome is a common condition associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, affecting an estimated 34.2% of the adult population in the United States. The researchers previously found lower blood pressure and smaller waist circumferences among those who practiced yoga for a year.
In the current study, they randomly assigned 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to either a control group or a yoga group. Participants in the yoga group attended three 1-hour yoga sessions per week for a year, while those in the control group received no intervention and were merely monitored monthly.
The researchers also monitored the patients' sera for adipokines, signaling proteins released by fat tissue that dictate whether the immune system should release an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
Dr. Siu commented on the study's findings, stating, "These findings help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health."
However, it is important to note that while this study provides insight into the potential benefits of yoga for managing metabolic syndrome, there is no direct evidence or specific findings reported regarding the effect of yoga on inflammatory response and metabolic syndrome management in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. For more in-depth information on this topic, further research may be necessary.
- The study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports investigated the impact of yoga on cardiometabolic health, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
- The research discovered that a year of yoga practice decreased the levels of proinflammatory adipokines while increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines in individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- This suggests that yoga could be a valuable lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome by reducing inflammation, which is a common medical condition associated with chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
- Further research may be necessary to provide direct evidence and specific findings on the effect of yoga on inflammatory response and metabolic syndrome management.
