Utilizing yoga as a means of controlling metabolic syndrome symptoms
Let's Get Flexible, Shrink That Waistline, and Calm That Inner Storm:
Yogis, swear by their practice for maintaining a healthy body and mind. But what's the science behind it? A recent study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, shines a light on the impact of yoga on individuals dealing with metabolic syndrome.
Here at Medical News Today, we've been buzzing about numerous studies suggesting that yoga could be the secret sauce for a plethora of health benefits. From boosting brain power and addressing thyroid issues to easing depression and helping conquer erectile dysfunction, it seems there's nothing yoga can't handle.
However, most of these studies are observational and fail to pinpoint the specific mechanisms at play. But Dr. Parco M. Siu, from the University of Hong Kong in China, led a study that delves deeper, focusing on the role of yoga in cardiometabolic health.
His team's earlier research revealed that a year of yoga could lead to lower blood pressure and smaller waistlines. So, they were eager to uncover the effects of a year of yoga on people battling metabolic syndrome.
To do this, they randomly assigned 97 patients with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to a control group or a yoga group. The yoga group attended three one-hour sessions weekly for a year, while the control group didn't receive any intervention, just monthly check-ups.
The researchers also kept tabs on the participants' "adipokines" - proteins released by fat tissue that signal the immune system to set off an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The study authors summed up their findings: "[The] results demonstrated that 1-year yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine in adults with [metabolic syndrome] and high-normal blood pressure."
In other words, yoga helped tame the inflammatory response in those struggling with metabolic syndrome. That's pretty freaking cool, right?
Dr. Siu explains: "These findings help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health."
The findings paint a promising picture of yoga as a valuable lifestyle intervention, helping to tame inflammation and manage symptoms in individuals with metabolic syndrome. So, time to hit the mat and get moving!
- Despite the numerous health benefits suggested by studies about yoga, the specific mechanisms at play are still not fully understood.
- The study by Dr. Parco M. Siu and his team dove deeper into the role of yoga in health, focusing on its impact on cardiometabolic health and metabolic syndrome.
- The study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, found that a year of yoga training significantly decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- Thus, yoga could potentially be a valuable lifestyle intervention for managing chronic diseases like metabolic disorders, type-2 diabetes, and other medical conditions by helping to control inflammation in the body.
