Managing metabolic syndrome through yoga practices: Insights and benefits
Yoga enthusiasts love touting the benefits of their practice, and it's not just anecdotal – science backs it up. A recent study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, offers some captivating insights into how yoga may help individuals grappling with metabolic syndrome.
We, at Medical News Today, have been keeping abreast of numerous studies pointing toward yoga's positive effects on various health aspects, ranging from cognitive enhancement to alleviating symptoms of depression. But what about metabolic syndrome? Let's delve deeper.
This study, the brainchild of Dr. Parco M. Siu from the University of Hong Kong, China, sheds light on the role of yoga in modulating cardiometabolic health, particularly in people with metabolic syndrome.
Yoga: A Powerful Inflammation Regulator
Metabolic syndrome is a recurrent companion of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, some 47% of the adult population live with the condition [Enrichment Data].
Previous research conducted by Dr. Siu's team showed lower blood pressure and reduced waist circumference in individuals who practiced yoga over a prolonged period. Therefore, the researchers wanted to investigate the impact of a year of yoga on people with metabolic syndrome.
The study involved 97 participants, divided into a control group and a yoga group. The yoga group participated in a training program, comprising three 1-hour sessions per week, over the course of a year.
The researchers monitored the participants' sera for adipokines, signaling proteins released by fat tissue that trigger the immune system to release either an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
Interestingly, the study revealed that yoga practice led to a decrease in proinflammatory adipokines and an increase in anti-inflammatory adipokines in individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure [Enrichment Data].
"These findings support the beneficial role of yoga in managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines," the researchers stated.
The Proposed Benefits: Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Health
The findings of this study suggest that consistent yoga practice may help reduce inflammation, aiding individuals with metabolic syndrome in managing their symptoms [Enrichment Data].
Dr. Siu commented on the study's findings, stating, "These findings help reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health."
In essence, the study provides compelling evidence that yoga may serve as a valuable lifestyle intervention, contributing to a decrease in inflammation and improved cardiometabolic health in people with metabolic syndrome.
- Science has provided evidence supporting the beneficial effects of yoga on various health aspects, including its potential role in regulating inflammation in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
- A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports has revealed that consistent yoga practice over a year may help reduce inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome, as indicated by changes in proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory adipokines.
- The findings suggest that yoga may be a valuable lifestyle intervention for managing metabolic syndrome by favorably modulating adipokines, which could, in turn, improve cardiometabolic health.
- Metabolic syndrome, a precursor to conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, affects more than 47% of the adult population in the United States. Recent research on yoga and metabolic syndrome has uncovered potential mechanisms that could help individuals better manage these chronic diseases and improve their overall health and wellness.
