Yoga as a Method for Controlling Metabolic Syndrome
From the yoga-loving crowds, it's no secret that yoga supposedly offers a plethora of health benefits. But what does the science truly say? A recent study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, sheds light on this topic, focusing on the impact of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've been sharing plenty of studies indicating that yoga might boost brain health, offer relief from depression, and even help combat diabetes symptoms. However, many of these studies are observational and can't prove causality. This study, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, investigates the influence of yoga on cardiometabolic health.
The study discovered that not only does yoga benefit those with metabolic syndrome, but it also shed light on the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga reduces inflammation
Metabolic syndrome is a common condition often associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, about half of the adult population is thought to have the condition.
Dr. Siu and his team had previously conducted research showing that individuals who practice yoga for a year saw a decrease in blood pressure and smaller waist circumference. For the new study, the researchers aimed to examine the effect of a year of yoga on people with metabolic syndrome.
They randomly split 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure into a control group and a yoga group. Participants in the control group received no intervention, while those in the yoga group participated in a three-hour yoga session per week for a year.
The researchers also monitored the patients' blood for adipokines – proteins released by fat tissue, signaling the immune system to either launch an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The study authors summarize their findings by saying, "The results demonstrated that a year of yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure."
"These findings support the beneficial role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines," the researchers add.
The study suggests that yoga may be a worthwhile lifestyle intervention that can decrease inflammation and help individuals with metabolic syndrome manage their symptoms.
Dr. Siu himself commented on the study results, stating, "These findings help reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health."
The intriguing findings of this study provide further evidence for the adoption of yoga as a natural approach to combat metabolic syndrome, highlighting its potential as a powerful tool in the battle against inflammation and chronic diseases.
- The study conducted by Dr. Siu and his team has demonstrated that a year of yoga reduces proinflammatory adipokines and increases anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- Yoga, as a potential lifestyle intervention, may help individuals with metabolic syndrome manage their symptoms by decreasing inflammation.
- This study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, supports the beneficial role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines.
- The intriguing findings of this research provide further evidence for the adoption of yoga as a natural approach to combat metabolic disorders, especially chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, and contribute to the health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and nutrition discourse.
