Yoga as a tool for controlling metabolic syndrome symptoms
Yo! You've heard folks singing the praises of yoga, right? So-called "yogis" claim it's a game-changer for bodily and mental health. But what's the lowdown from the scientists? A new study takes a closer look at how yoga impacts people with metabolic syndrome.
At Medical News Today, we've reported on numerous studies hinting that yoga sprinkles some magic on our health. From boosting brain power and thwarting thyroid troubles, to easing depression symptoms and managing diabetes… it seems yoga's good for almost everything!
Most of these studies, though, are observational – meaning they can't prove it's actually the yoga causing the improvements. Few studies have delved into the inner workings of how yoga’s benefits might manifest.
But a fresh study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and led by Dr. Parco M. Siu, from the University of Hong Kong in China, has taken a closer look at how yoga influences cardiometabolic health.
The fascinating findings? Not only does it help folks with metabolic syndrome, but the study also uncovers the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome often turns up alongside type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the States, about 35% of the adult population is estimated to have it.
Dr. Siu and his team previously found lower blood pressure and reduced waistlines among those who practiced yoga for a year. This new study aimed to investigate the effect of year-long yoga on people with metabolic syndrome.
The researchers assigned 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure to either a control group or a yoga group. While the control group stayed put, the yoga group hopped on their mats for three 1-hour sessions a week.
The scientists tracked the participants' blood for adipokines – proteins that tell the immune system whether to launch an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response.
The results? 1-year of yoga training decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
In plain English? It looks like yoga might help decrease inflammation and make it easier for people with metabolic syndrome to manage their symptoms.
Dr. Siu concludes, "Our findings help shed light on the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, emphasizing the importance of regular exercise for human health."
Incorporating yoga into your routine could be a fantastic lifestyle change that helps you deal with chronic inflammation and keep metabolic syndrome in check.
- The study led by Dr. Parco M. Siu, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, reveals that a year of yoga training decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines in individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- This finding suggests that yoga may help decrease inflammation and make it easier for people with metabolic syndrome to manage their symptoms.
- As chronic inflammation and metabolic syndrome are often linked to various health-and-wellness issues such as type-2-diabetes and heart disease, incorporating yoga into your routine could be a beneficial fitness-and-exercise choice for managing these medical-conditions and chronic-diseases.
- Nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining overall health, and yoga, as a holistic practice, can serve as a helpful complement to a balanced diet in promoting well-being and disease prevention.
