Managing Metabolic Syndrome through Yoga Practice
Yoga enthusiasts, often referred to as "yogis," boast about the numerous health benefits of the practice, but does the science back it up? A new study investigates the impact of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've reported on numerous studies indicating the potential benefits of yoga for overall health. For instance, some studies have shown that yoga could improve brain health and cognition, alleviate thyroid issues, and relieve symptoms of depression.
It has also been suggested that yoga can aid men in enlarging their prostate or overcoming erectile dysfunction and help diabetes patients manage their symptoms. However, many of these studies are observational, and their conclusions about causality are limited.
One such study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and led by Dr. Parco M. Siu of the University of Hong Kong in China, delved into the effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health.
The study revealed that yoga positively affects people with metabolic syndrome, and it discovered the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga reduces inflammatory response
Metabolic syndrome is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, nearly half of the adult population is estimated to live with the condition.
Previous research conducted by Dr. Siu demonstrated lower blood pressure and a reduced waist circumference among those who practiced yoga for a year. In the new study, he and his team aimed to examine the impact of a year of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
The researchers split 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure into a control group and a yoga group. Those in the control group received no intervention, while 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 – proteins released by fat tissue that signal the immune system to either release an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The study authors summarize their findings, stating, "[The] results demonstrated that 1-year yoga training decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine 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," added the researchers.
The results of the study suggest that yoga could be a worthwhile lifestyle intervention that could decrease inflammation and help people with metabolic syndrome manage their symptoms.
Dr. Siu commented on the study's results, 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 I couldn't find specific information on Dr. Parco M. Siu's study related to the inflammatory response in people with metabolic syndrome, yoga's potential to reduce inflammation can be attributed to several factors. These include stress reduction, improved physical health, and modulation of the immune system.
- The new study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, showed that yoga can positively impact individuals with metabolic syndrome by decreasing proinflammatory adipokines and increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines.
- The study, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu of the University of Hong Kong, supports the idea that yoga could be a useful lifestyle intervention for managing symptoms of metabolic syndrome due to its potential to reduce inflammation.
- The results of the study indicate that long-term yoga exercise could have a beneficial impact on human health by modulating the immune system and reducing inflammation.
- Yoga's potential to reduce inflammation can be attributed to factors such as stress reduction, improved physical health, and modulation of the immune system.
