Yoga as a Means to Control Metabolic Syndrome
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Are you sick of hearing yogis drone on about the wonders of their practice? Well, science is starting to catch up, and a new study is testing the impact of yoga on people with metabolic syndrome.
Here at Medical News Today, we've been keeping tabs on the health benefits of yoga. Some studies suggest it positively affects brain health, alleviates depression, and even tackles erectile dysfunction. But these studies are mostly observational, leaving us wondering if yoga is the real deal or just a feel-good fad.
Enter 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. This badass research delves into the effects of yoga on cardiometabolic health and presents some intriguing findings.
Yogi's Secret Weapon: Inflammation Buster
Metabolic syndrome is a condition that puts you at higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In the US, it's estimated that about one-third of the adult population suffers from it.
Siu and his team discovered that people who practiced yoga for a year had lower blood pressure and a smaller waistline. Intrigued, they wondered if a year of yoga could benefit people with metabolic syndrome.
To test their theory, they divided 97 participants with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure into a control group and a yoga group. Participants in the yoga group attended three 1-hour sessions per week for an entire year, while the control group received no intervention except monthly health checks.
Testing the patients' blood, the researchers found that a year of yoga decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines. In plain English, yoga helped reduce inflammation and promote an anti-inflammatory response—two crucial factors for managing metabolic syndrome.
So, what does this mean for you? Yoga could be a valuable lifestyle intervention to help those with metabolic syndrome manage their symptoms and decrease inflammation.
Dr. Siu commented on the study's findings, stating, "These results help illustrate the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, emphasizing the importance of regular exercise for overall health."
Now you know that yoga isn't just about flexible arms and pretzel legs; it's potentially a powerful instrument in the fight against inflammation—and who wouldn't want that?
- Metabolic disorders, such as metabolic syndrome, are known to increase the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Yoga, a fitness and exercise practice, has shown to help reduce inflammation in the body, which is crucial for managing metabolic disorders like metabolic syndrome.
- A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that a year of regular yoga practice decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased anti-inflammatory adipokines.
- For individuals suffering from metabolic syndrome, the regular practice of yoga may be a beneficial lifestyle intervention to help manage symptoms and decrease inflammation.
