Strategies for Utilizing Yoga to Control Metabolic Syndrome
Loose Leaf Lore:
Yogis are known to sing the praises of yoga's effects on the body and mind, but what does the science truly say? A new study delves into this, focusing on how yoga impacts individuals battling metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've been keeping our eyes peeled on numerous studies revealing the multiple ways in which yoga might just tilt the scales in favor of our health.
For example, some studies have hinted at improved brain health and cognition, alleviation of thyroid issues, and a remedy for depression symptoms. Additionally, yoga seems to have some tricks up its sleeve for men dealing with issues like enlarged prostates or erectile dysfunction, and for diabetes sufferers trying to control their symptoms.
However, most of these studies were observational, and therefore, they can't definitively prove causality. The majority of studies have also been light on exploring the underlying mechanisms.
But a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong in China, sought to shed some light on this subject.
The study unveiled that yoga offers tangible benefits to people living with metabolic syndrome, and it also unraveled the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga Tames the Inflammatory Beast
Metabolic syndrome is often associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, it's estimated that around half of the adult population grapples with this condition.
Dr. Siu and his team previously found that a year of yoga resulted in lower blood pressure and a smaller waist circumference[4]. In their new study, they wanted to explore the impact of a year of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome.
In the study, 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure were randomly assigned to either a control group or a yoga group.
Participants in the control group went on their merry way, while those in the yoga group were subjected to a year-long training program that included three 1-hour yoga sessions per week.
The researchers also monitored the patients' sera for proteins known as adipokines - these guys communicate with the immune system, either sparking an inflammatory response or quelling it.
The study authors sum up their findings by 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 study's results suggest that yoga could be an attractive lifestyle choice for people with metabolic syndrome, as it might help curb inflammation and aid in symptom management.
Dr. Siu further comments on the study's findings, saying, "These findings help reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underscores the importance of regular exercise to human health."
[1] Storkson, M. L., & Leeming, K. S. (2013). Exercise-induced alterations in the immune system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2(2), 75–93.
[2] Khosla, S., Fernstrom, M. H., & Schneider, J. A. (2012). Regulation of the innate immune system by stress and aging. The Journal of Immunology, 188(10), 5064–5072.
[3] Kronenberg, F. (2003). Mastering the immune response to insulin. Current Opinion in Endocrinology and Diabetes, 10(2), 124–129.
[4] Siu, P. M., et al. (2010). 1-year yoga intervention improves blood pressure and waist circumference and alters inflammatory markers in overweight and obese adults. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(10), 1151–1159.
- Yoga, as revealed in a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, offers tangible benefits to people living with metabolic syndrome by decreasing proinflammatory adipokines and increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines.
- The findings of this study, led by Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, support the beneficial role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines, suggesting it could help curb inflammation and aid in symptom management.
- In terms of health and wellness, yoga could be an attractive lifestyle choice for people with metabolic syndrome, as it might help address the chronic inflammation often associated with this condition.
- Exploring the intersection of fitness and exercise, nutrition, and medical-conditions such as metabolic disorders and chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, yoga appears to offer promising prospects for enhancing overall health.
