Yoga as a tool for metabolic syndrome management
Yoga for Health Buffs: Uncovering the Impact on Metabolic Syndrome
Yoga enthusiasts, colloquially known as 'yogis' in the Western world, tend to spout endless benefits of yoga for body and mind. But, what does the science really say? A recent study delves into this, focusing on how yoga affects people with metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've been broadcasting a slew of studies highlighting the multifarious ways yoga could potentially boost our health. From improved brain health and cognition to easing thyroid issues and alleviating depression symptoms, it appears yoga might be the magic potion we've all been seeking!
However, most of these studies are observational—meaning they don't specify cause and effect—and few have delved into the underlying mechanisms. But that's precisely where a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, China, stands out.
Yoga and Inflammation: A Deep Dive
Metabolic syndrome is a distressingly common condition, often linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the U.S., an estimated 34% of the adult population live with this condition.
Dr. Siu and his team have previously discovered lower blood pressure and smaller waistlines among those who practiced yoga for a year. Intrigued, they decided to investigate the impact of a year-long yoga practice on people with metabolic syndrome.
The researchers randomly divided 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure into either a control group or a yoga group. Participants in the control group received no intervention, while those in the yoga group attended three 1-hour yoga sessions weekly for a year.
The scientists closely monitored the participants' sera for adipokines, signaling proteins released by fat tissue that trigger either an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The study’s authors succinctly summarize the findings: "Our results demonstrated that a year of yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines 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 regular yoga practice could potentially decrease inflammation, aiding people with metabolic syndrome to manage their symptoms better. Dr. Siu further comments, "[These findings] help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which emphasizes the importance of regular exercise to human health."
While the specifics of this study are yet to be gleaned, it's clear that yoga, along with other forms of exercise, has some anti-inflammatory properties. Exercise-induced myokines, such as those produced during strength training, can counteract chronic inflammation[5]. Although yoga isn't typically associated with significant myokine production compared to strength training, it can still help reduce inflammation by promoting stress reduction and encouraging physical activity[3][5]. However, for a comprehensive understanding of how yoga impacts inflammatory responses in specific conditions like metabolic syndrome, consulting the specific study or similar research would be essential.
- The study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu, delves into the impact of yoga on metabolic syndrome, a condition often linked to chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
- The study, which spanned a year, revealed that regular yoga practice could potentially decrease inflammation in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure, thus aiding in better management of their symptoms.
- The findings of the study suggest that yoga, along with other forms of exercise, has some anti-inflammatory properties, although yoga may not produce as much myokine as strength training.
- For a holistic understanding of how yoga impacts inflammatory responses in specific conditions like metabolic syndrome, it's essential to consult the specific study or similar research.
