Yoga's potential impact on managing metabolic syndrome conditions
In the Western world, the beloved yogis are known for raving about the mind-body benefits of their practice. But what's the lowdown from a scientific standpoint? Well, a recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports has taken a deep dive into the effect of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've been hopping on the yoga bandwagon for a while now, reporting on studies that suggest this ancient practice might boost brain health, help with thyroid issues, and even relieve depression. Some research even suggests it could help enlarge prostate or conquer erectile dysfunction and aid in diabetes management. So ya, it seems like yoga's good for just about everything, but hold your horses—most of these studies are just observational, meaning they can't conclusively determine causation.
But this new study, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu of the University of Hong Kong, decides to put yoga through its paces. This badass research examined how 1 year of regular yoga practice affects folks with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
The researchers split their subjects into two groups: a control group and a yoga group. The control group wasn't given any interventions (apart from a monthly health check-in), while the yoga group strutted their stuff with three 1-hour yoga sessions a week for an entire year.
To investigate the effects on these participants' bodies, the scientists monitored their blood for adipokines—proteins released by fat tissue that send signals to the immune system to either launch an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The study authors dropped some knowledge bombs when they revealed the results, saying, "[Our study] demonstrated that 1-year yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with [metabolic syndrome] and high-normal blood pressure."
Translation? Yoga should be considered a bloody brilliant lifestyle intervention for those struggling with metabolic syndrome, as it can help decrease inflammation and manage symptoms.
Dr. Siu chimed in on the results, 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."
Break it down: Practicing yoga for a year can help those with metabolic syndrome by modulating adipokines, which are known to reduce inflammation. Yoga also brings stress-relieving benefits, enhances insulin sensitivity, improves cardiovascular health, and provides psychological benefits that collectively contribute to a reduction in inflammatory responses and better cardiometabolic wellbeing.
- This recent study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, explores the impact of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
- The study led by Dr. Parco M. Siu of the University of Hong Kong, investigated how regular yoga practice affects individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- The researchers split their subjects into two groups: a control group and a yoga group, with the yoga group engaging in three 1-hour yoga sessions a week for a year.
- To understand the effects on participants' bodies, the scientists monitored their blood for adipokines, proteins released by fat tissue that affect immune system responses.
- The study authors found that a year of regular yoga practice decreases proinflammatory adipokines and increases anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- These findings suggest that yoga should be considered as a beneficial lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome, as it can help reduce inflammation.
- In addition to modulating adipokines, yoga brings stress-relieving benefits, enhances insulin sensitivity, improves cardiovascular health, and provides psychological benefits that contribute to better cardiometabolic wellbeing.
