Utilizing yoga for controlling metabolic syndrome: Insights and benefits.
Yoga: Busting the Metabolic Syndrome Blues
Who doesn't love a good yogi yarn? Folks who practice yoga (often labeled as yogis, at least in the Western world) swear by its health benefits for the mind and body. But does science back these claims? A recent study delves into the subject, focusing on how yoga impacts individuals suffering from metabolic syndrome.
We've been keeping tabs on research here at Medical News Today, and it seems the health perks of yoga are numerous. From boosting brain health and cognitive abilities to easing depression and managing thyroid problems, there's little it doesn't touch.
But let's not get carried away. Most of the aforementioned studies are observational, meaning they don't prove causality, and few probe the underlying mechanisms at play.
Enter a new study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and helmed by Dr. Parco M. Siu, University of Hong Kong scholar. This research investigates the effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health. More specifically, it shines a light on the mechanisms that contribute to these benefits.
Yoga's Anti-Inflammatory Punch
Metabolic syndrome, a condition closely linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, is a prevalent problem in the U.S., with around one-third of adults estimated to be affected.
Dr. Siu and his team have previously found that practicing yoga for a year results in lower blood pressure and a smaller waistline amongst participants. In this latest study, they wanted to explore the impact of a year of yoga on individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
To do this, they split their participants into two groups: one that received no intervention (control group) and another that partook in a year-long yoga training program, consisting of three 1-hour sessions per week.
By monitoring the patients' sera for adipokines, or signaling proteins released by fat tissue, the researchers found that a year of yoga decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines while increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
Simply put, these findings suggest that yoga's anti-inflammatory effects could help manage the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Siu comments on the results, emphasizing the potential of regular exercise, such as yoga, to promote human health.
In conclusion, the study reveals that regular yoga practice may help decrease inflammation and serve as a valuable lifestyle intervention for individuals with metabolic syndrome.
More studies are needed to uncover the full extent of yoga's impact on our health, but preliminary evidence points to a promising future for this ancient practice.
Sources:
- HackingPsi.com
- PubMed.gov
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- This study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports investigates the effect of yoga on cardiometabolic health, focusing on its mechanisms that contribute to benefits for individuals with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.
- The study found that a year of yoga decreases pro-inflammatory adipokines while increasing anti-inflammatory adipokines in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure, suggesting that yoga's anti-inflammatory effects could help manage the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.
- Dr. Siu, the University of Hong Kong scholar who led the study, comments on the results, emphasizing the potential of regular exercise, such as yoga, to promote human health.
- In conclusion, the study reveals that regular yoga practice may help decrease inflammation and serve as a valuable lifestyle intervention for individuals with metabolic syndrome, underscoring the need for more studies to uncover the full extent of yoga's impact on our health and its potential for managing chronic diseases like metabolic disorders, type-2 diabetes, and other medical-conditions.
