Yoga as a Potential Solution for Managing Metabolic Syndrome
Yoga for Metabolic Syndrome: Is It a Game-Changer?
Yogis across the globe have been shouting praises for the exercise, claiming it benefits both their body and mind. But is there any scientific backing for these seemingly miraculous results? A recent study investigates the impact of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
MNT has been covering a full spectrum of studies demonstrating the diverse ways in which yoga may contribute to our overall health. From enhancing cognitive function and managing thyroid problems to easing symptoms of depression and preventing erectile dysfunction, it appears that yoga plays a significant role in improving health.
However, most of these studies are observational in nature, which means they cannot definitively establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Moreover, few have explored the biological mechanisms behind the observed benefits.
Enter a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu of the University of Hong Kong in China. This study investigates the impact of yoga on cardiometabolic health and provides insights into the biological mechanisms that underlie its possible benefits.
A Decrease in Inflammatory Response
Metabolic syndrome is a common condition associated with heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 47% of the adult population experiences this syndrome.
In a previous study, Dr. Siu and his team found lower blood pressure and smaller waist circumferences among individuals who had practiced yoga for a year. Inspired by these findings, they decided to examine the effects of a 1-year yoga training program on people with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
To this end, they randomly assigned 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to either a control group or a yoga group. Participants in the yoga group attended three 1-hour yoga sessions per week for a year. The scientists also monitored the patients' sera for adipokines, which are proteins released by fat tissue that trigger an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response in the immune system.
The study authors summarized their findings, stating, "The results demonstrated that 1-year 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," add the researchers.
The results of this study suggest that yoga could be a valuable lifestyle intervention that may reduce inflammation and help individuals with metabolic syndrome manage their symptoms.
Dr. Siu further commented on the study's findings, stating, "These findings help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underscores the importance of regular exercise for human health."
Take note, however, that the precise effects of yoga can vary depending on the intensity, consistency, and individual response.
Sources:
- Systematic Review: Benefits of Yoga Across the Lifespan
- Yoga for Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
- High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training: a systematic review, network meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of 308 interventions involving 22649 participants
- Review: Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Visceral Adiposity
- The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports study led by Dr. Parco M. Siu found that yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure, suggesting that regular yoga could be a valuable tool in managing metabolic disorders.
- In the context of health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and metabolic disorders, this research provides evidence that the practice of yoga may have significant benefits for individuals with metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines, potentially reducing inflammation and improving health and wellness outcomes.
