Yoga Aids in the Regulation of Metabolic Syndrome
A new study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports investigates the impact of yoga on cardiometabolic health, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong in China, the study reveals both the benefits and the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Metabolic syndrome, a condition frequently linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, affects an estimated 34% of the adult population in the United States. Previous research indicates that yoga may improve brain health, cognition, thyroid problems, and relieve depression symptoms, among other benefits. However, most of these studies are observational, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about causality.
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of one year of yoga practice on people with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure. The researchers randomly assigned 97 participants into either a control group or a yoga group. While the control group received no intervention, participants in the yoga group underwent a year-long yoga training program with three one-hour sessions each week.
The scientists monitored the patients' sera for adipokines, signaling proteins released by fat tissue that trigger an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response. The results demonstrated that one year of yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine levels in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
These findings suggest that yoga could be a beneficial lifestyle intervention for individuals with metabolic syndrome. By decreasing inflammation, yoga may help these individuals manage their symptoms more effectively.
Dr. Siu notes, "These findings reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, underscoring the importance of regular exercise for human health." The study supports the role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines.
Although more research is needed to confirm these findings, the study provides exciting insights into the potential benefits of yoga for cardiometabolic health. As a complementary approach, yoga could play a significant role in managing inflammation associated with metabolic syndrome, alongside dietary changes and regular physical activity.
- Yoga, as a lifestyle intervention, may prove beneficial for individuals with metabolic syndrome, potentially aiding in the management of their symptoms by decreasing inflammation.
- The study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports has demonstrated that one year of yoga practice can significantly impact the levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- By favorably modulating adipokines, yoga, when combined with dietary changes and regular physical activity, could play a significant role in managing inflammation associated with metabolic syndrome.
- The findings of this study suggest that science can help uncover the mechanisms behind yoga's benefits for managing chronic diseases like metabolic disorders and type-2 diabetes, contributing to the health-and-wellness discourse and the fitness-and-exercise field.
