Exercise regimes like yoga have been shown to effectively assist in controlling metabolic syndrome.
Yoga enthusiasts, known as "yogis" in the Western world, are always singing the praises of the ancient practice, citing numerous health benefits. But what's the scientific lowdown on these claims? A recent study explored this, focusing on the impact of yoga on the overall health of individuals with metabolic syndrome.
Here at Medical News Today, we've been reporting on a plethora of studies that suggest yoga might just be a miracle workout, boosting brain health, easing depression, alleviating thyroid issues, and even helping men deal with erectile dysfunction and enlarging the prostate. However, most of these studies only offer observational evidence, which means we can't draw any firm conclusions about causality.
So, Dr. Parco M. Siu and his team from the University of Hong Kong decided to dig deeper, investigating the effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health and the mechanisms behind these benefits. The results were published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
The research revealed that a year of yoga training could not only benefit those with metabolic syndrome but also uncovered the mechanisms driving these benefits. One key finding was that yoga decreased the production of pro-inflammatory adipokines - proteins associated with inflammation - and boosted the production of anti-inflammatory adipokines.
Metabolic syndrome, which is closely related to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, is prevalent in approximately 40% of adults in the United States. Dr. Siu's team had previously found that individuals practicing yoga for a year experienced lower blood pressure and a smaller waist circumference. For this study, they wanted to examine the effects of a year of yoga on people with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
They randomly assigned 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to either a control group or a yoga group. While the control group received no intervention, the yoga group underwent a 1-hour yoga session three times a week for an entire year.
The study's authors summarize their findings, stating, "1-year yoga training decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure."
These findings suggest that yoga could be an effective lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome by decreasing inflammation and offering various health benefits. Dr. Siu himself comments on the study, saying, "These findings help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health."
While specific studies that look at the effects of yoga on inflammation in individuals with metabolic syndrome are limited, the available evidence points to a strong link between yoga practice and reduced inflammatory responses, which could translate to positive health outcomes for people with metabolic syndrome. So, it seems the positive buzz surrounding yoga is more than just hot air!
- The study focused on the impact of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome, revealing that a year of yoga training could decrease pro-inflammatory adipokines and increase anti-inflammatory adipokines.
- Metabolic syndrome, a condition related to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, is prevalent in approximately 40% of adults in the United States, and the findings suggest that yoga could be an effective lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome by decreasing inflammation.
- Dr. Parco M. Siu and his team conducted research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, investigating the effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health and the mechanisms behind these benefits.
- The health benefits of yoga, such as those related to chronic diseases like metabolic disorders and medical conditions, are receiving increased attention in the health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise communities, and the positive effects of yoga on inflammation in individuals with metabolic syndrome are a promising area of ongoing study.
