Yoga as a method for addressing metabolic syndrome symptoms
Yoga, often referred to as 'yogis' in the Western world, is celebrated for its potential health benefits. A recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, has found evidence that supports the positive effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
Yoga has been on our radar for its potential health benefits, with previous studies suggesting improvements in brain health, cognitive function, thyroid health, depression symptoms, prostate health, and diabetes management. While these studies provide promising results, it's essential to note that most are observational and do not provide definitive conclusions on causality.
Dr. Siu and his team's latest study focused on the impact of a year of yoga practice on people with metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Their earlier research found that a year of yoga resulted in lower blood pressure and smaller waist circumferences.
For the current study, the researchers randomly assigned 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to either a control group or a yoga group. Participants in the control group did not receive any intervention, while those in the yoga group attended weekly one-hour yoga sessions for a year.
The researchers also monitored the participants' adipokines, signaling proteins released from fat tissue, to assess the immune system's inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response. The findings showed that a year of yoga training significantly decreased proinflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
The study authors concluded that these findings support the beneficial role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines. Dr. Siu added that these findings reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, emphasizing the importance of regular exercise to human health.
The study provides promising evidence that yoga can be a valuable lifestyle intervention for reducing inflammation and managing symptoms in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms through which yoga exerts these effects.
- This study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, suggests that yoga might be beneficial for individuals with metabolic disorders, particularly those with metabolic syndrome, as it could potentially manage their chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
- The health-and-wellness community has been exploring the impact of yoga on various medical-conditions, with previous studies indicating improvements in brain health, cognitive function, thyroid health, depression symptoms, prostate health, and diabetes management.
- In the latest study led by Dr. Siu, participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure who practiced yoga for a year showed significant decreases in proinflammatory adipokines and increases in anti-inflammatory adipokines, implying that yoga can favorably modulate these signaling proteins released from fat tissue.
- As a part of the fitness-and-exercise and nutrition landscape, continued research into the specific mechanisms through which yoga exerts these effects on metabolic disorders like metabolic syndrome is crucial, with promising evidence pointing toward yoga as a valuable lifestyle intervention for inflammation management and chronic disease symptom management.
