1 1102 129 EFFECTS OF YOGA TRAINING ON BODY COMPOSITION AND OXIDANT-ANTIOXIDANT STATUS AMONG HEALTHY MALE. BACKGROUND: THE STRESSFUL CONDITION MAY CAUSE OXIDATIVE STRESS, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR VARIOUS DISEASES. AIMS: THE PRESENT STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOGA HAS IMPACT ON THE REDUCTION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS. METHODS: FOR THE PRESENT STUDY, 95 (N = 95) HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE AGE GROUP OF 18-24 YEARS WERE INCLUDED, 35 (N = 35) VOLUNTEERS WERE EXCLUDED. THE REMAINING 60 (N = 60) VOLUNTEERS WERE RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: (A) YOGA GROUP (N = 30) AND (B) CONTROL GROUP (N = 30). YOGA TRAINING WAS GIVEN FOR 60 MIN PER DAY, 6 DAYS PER WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS IN THE YOGA GROUP, WITH NO YOGA TRAINING IN CONTROL GROUP. ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION AND OXIDANT-ANTIOXIDANT STATUS WERE PERFORMED IN BOTH THE GROUPS AT BASELINE, BEFORE YOGA TRAINING (0 WEEK) AND AFTER (12 WEEKS) OF THE TRAINING. RESULTS: SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION (P < 0.001) IN THE PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT AND MALONDIALDEHYDE; SIGNIFICANT ELEVATION (P < 0.001) IN SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, CATALASE, REDUCED GLUTATHIONE AND ASCORBIC ACID LEVELS WERE NOTED IN THE YOGA GROUP AFTER 12 WEEKS WHEN COMPARED TO BASELINE DATA (0 WEEK). HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN HEIGHT, WEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX, BODY SURFACE AREA AND LEAN BODY MASS AMONG THE YOGA GROUP AFTER 12 WEEKS WHEN COMPARED TO BASELINE DATA. THESE CHANGES MIGHT BE DUE TO YOGA TRAINING. CONCLUSIONS: REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE REDUCES BODY FAT AND OXIDATIVE STRESS. YOGA TRAINING MAY BE HELPFUL TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE OF VARIOUS DISEASES AND HELPS TO MAINTAIN NORMAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. 2018 2 940 39 EFFECTS OF 6 MONTHS YOGA PROGRAM ON RENAL FUNCTIONS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. AIM: TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF 6 MONTHS YOGA PROGRAM IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: FIFTY-FOUR PATIENTS WITH CKD WERE STUDIED AND DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS (YOGA GROUP AND CONTROL GROUP) TO SEE THE EFFECT OF YOGA IN CKD. PATIENTS IN THE YOGA GROUP WERE OFFERED YOGA THERAPY ALONG WITH OTHER CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT MODALITIES, WHILE THE CONTROL GROUP WAS ONLY ON CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT. SUBJECTS IN YOGA GROUP WERE TRAINED TO PERFORM SPECIFIC YOGIC ASANAS FOR AT LEAST 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR 40-60 MIN A DAY. REGULAR MONITORING OF BLOOD PRESSURE, RENAL FUNCTION, REQUIREMENT OF A NUMBER OF DIALYSIS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) INDICATORS WERE DONE. FIFTY PATIENTS (YOGA - 25; CONTROL-25) COMPLETED 6 MONTHS FOLLOW-UP. RESULTS: IN YOGA GROUP, A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BLOOD UREA AND SERUM CREATININE LEVELS, AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION QOL (AS ASSESSED BY BREF QOL SCORES) WERE SEEN AFTER 6 MONTHS. IN CONTROL GROUP, RISE OF BLOOD PRESSURE, DETERIORATION OF RENAL FUNCTION, AND QOL WERE OBSERVED. POSTSTUDY COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS SHOWED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF BLOOD PRESSURE, NONSIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BLOOD UREA AND SERUM CREATININE, AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DOMAIN OF QOL IN YOGA GROUP AS COMPARED TO CONTROL GROUP. FOR SUBJECTS IN YOGA GROUP, THE NEED FOR DIALYSIS WAS LESS WHEN COMPARED TO CONTROL GROUP ALTHOUGH THIS DIFFERENCE WAS STATISTICALLY INSIGNIFICANT. EXCEPT FOR INABILITY OF SOME PATIENTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN YOGIC ASANAS NO ADVERSE EFFECT WAS FOUND IN THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: SIX MONTHS YOGA PROGRAM IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE AS AN ADJUVANT THERAPY IN IMPROVING RENAL FUNCTIONS AND QOL OF CKD PATIENTS. 2017 3 435 40 CARDIOPULMONARY AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF YOGA IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS. BACKGROUND: YOGA THE SPIRITUAL UNION OF MIND WITH THE DIVINE INTELLIGENCE OF THE UNIVERSE AIMS TO LIBERATE A HUMAN BEING FROM CONFLICTS OF BODY-MIND DUALITY. BENEFICIAL CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE IN PAR WITH AEROBIC EXERCISE, EVEN AMOUNTING TO REPLACE THE EXERCISE MODEL. WE CONDUCTED AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS, TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA TRAINING ON CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A SAMPLE OF FIFTY NEW RECRUITS ATTENDING THE DISTRICT YOGA CENTER WAS SUBJECT TO 75 MIN YOGA PRACTICE A DAY FOR 41 DAYS. BASAL VALUES OF CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS WERE RECORDED BEFORE YOGA TRAINING AND WERE REASSESSED FOR POSTYOGA CHANGES AFTER 41 DAYS. RESULTS: AFTER YOGA PRACTICE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE RESTING HEART RATE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND MEAN BLOOD PRESSURE OF THE PARTICIPANTS. EFFECTS ON AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS WERE VARIABLE AND INCONCLUSIVE. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 S, AND PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE AFTER YOGA. A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BODY MASS INDEX WAS OBSERVED. EFFECTS ON METABOLIC PARAMETERS WERE PROMISING WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN FASTING BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, SERUM TRIGLYCERIDES SERUM LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS, AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THYROID FUNCTION TESTS AFTER YOGA. CONCLUSION: SHORT-TERM YOGA PRACTICE HAS NO EFFECT ON THYROID FUNCTIONS. YOGA PRACTICE WAS FOUND BENEFICIAL IN MAINTAINING PHYSIOLOGICAL MILIEU PERTAINING TO CARDIOVASCULAR AND OTHER METABOLIC PARAMETERS. 2017 4 692 34 EFFECT OF COMMUNITY-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS AND GLYCEMIC PARAMETERS IN PREDIABETES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVES: TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, BLOOD PRESSURE AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN PREDIABETES. DESIGN: RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY NINE PREDIABETES SUBJECTS AGED 30-75 YEARS. SETTING: YOGA WAS CONDUCTED AT 4 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY DIABETES CLINICS IN MANGALORE, INDIA. INTERVENTIONS: PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER 3-MONTH YOGA OR WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUPS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MALONDIALDEHYDE, GLUTATHIONE, VITAMIN C, VITAMIN E, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, PLASMA GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO AND BLOOD PRESSURE. RESULTS: YOGA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN MALONDIALDEHYDE (P<0.001), RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. IN COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE LEVELS AT FOLLOW-UP. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO OR ANY OF THE ANTIOXIDANTS WAS OBSERVED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE HELPFUL IN CONTROL OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN PREDIABETES SUBJECTS. YOGA CAN ALSO BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCTION IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE. EFFECT OF YOGA ON ANTIOXIDANT PARAMETERS WAS NOT EVIDENT IN THIS STUDY. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY NEED TO BE CONFIRMED IN LARGER TRIALS INVOLVING ACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. 2013 5 1104 35 EFFECTS OF YOGA VERSUS SHAM YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A SINGLE-BLINDED RANDOMIZED PILOT STUDY. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN A BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN TRE A T I N G TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. THE PRESENT STUDY PROCEEDS IN THE FIELD BY PROVIDING AN ACTIVE CONTROL. WE AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF 3 MONTHS OF YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. FORTY PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO RECEIVE EITHER YOGA (N = 20) OR SHAM YOGA (N = 20) AS A CONTROL. YOGA INCLUDED POSTURES AND BREATHING EXERCISES, AND NONAEROBIC STRETCHING EXERCISE COMPRISED THE CONTROL. SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-GROUP DIFFERENCES IN MALONDIALDEHYDE, VITAMIN C, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND BLOOD PRESSURE WERE EVIDENT IN BOTH GROUPS. YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN REDUCED GLUTATHIONE COMPARED TO CONTROLS. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE OBSERVED IN ANY OTHER OUTCOME VARIABLES. YOGA AND SHAM YOGA HAD IDENTICAL EFFECTS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. LEVELS OF REDUCED GLUTATHIONE IMPROVED ONLY IN THE YOGA GROUP. THIS RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE CONFIRMED BY LARGER AND SUFFICIENTLY POWERED STUDIES. 2020 6 810 51 EFFECT OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. INTRODUCTION: IN VIEW OF PEOPLE EMBRACING SEDENTARY LIFE STYLE, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT BECOMING LESS, THE ROLE OF REGULAR EXERCISE ESPECIALLY 'YOGA' SEEMS TO BE A BENEFICIAL AND ECONOMICAL ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). OBJECTIVES: TO ASSESS THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN NORMAL AND T2DM VOLUNTEERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE CASE-CONTROL STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND DIABETIC CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OVER PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THE STUDY SUBJECTS CONSISTED OF 30 MALE DIABETIC PATIENTS ATTENDING DIABETIC CLINIC AND 30 NON-DIABETIC MALE VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED CONTROL GROUP. THE PATIENTS IN THE AGE GROUP OF 36 TO 55 YEARS WITH T2DM OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR DURATION AND THOSE ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY GROUP. THE AGE MATCHED HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAD COME TO JOIN YOGA TRAINING AT YOGA CENTRE WERE INCLUDED IN THE CONTROL GROUP. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TRAINED BY YOGA EXPERTS AND SUBJECTED TO REGULAR PRACTICE UNDER SUPERVISION FOR SIX MONTHS. IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS FASTING (FBS) AND POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR (PPBS) WAS ESTIMATED BEFORE, DURING (AT THREE MONTHS) AND AFTER (SIX MONTHS) YOGA TRAINING. PAIRED STUDENT T-TEST WAS USED TO ESTIMATE DIFFERENCE IN MEANS CALCULATED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA TRAINING IN A SAME GROUP. A P-VALUE OF <0.05 WAS CONSIDERED AS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. RESULTS: THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGE, MEAN HEIGHT AND MEAN WEIGHT AMONG BOTH THE GROUPS WERE COMPARABLE. THE REDUCTION IN MEAN VALUES OF FBS AND PPBS AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT (P <0.001) IN BOTH THE GROUPS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE MEAN VALUES BEFORE AND DURING (THREE MONTHS) YOGA PRACTICE. THE REDUCTION IN THESE VALUES AT THREE MONTHS DURING YOGA WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT IN T2DM GROUP WHEN COMPARED WITH MEAN VALUES BEFORE YOGA (P <0.001), BUT IT WAS INSIGNIFICANT (P<0.05) IN CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF THE PRESENT STUDY DEMONSTRATED THAT THE YOGA IS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH T2DM. 2015 7 300 25 AN ASSESSMENT OF A SEQUENCE OF YOGA EXERCISES TO PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. THIS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA SEQUENCE FOLLOWING HEMODYNAMIC AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. THIRTY-THREE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY (CONTROL = 16 AND YOGA = 17) FOR FOUR MONTHS. BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS, CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY RATE WERE COLLECTED MONTHLY, WHILE THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE WAS TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROGRAM. TO ANALYZE THE DATA, STUDENT'S T TEST AND REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSES WERE PERFORMED. THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATE (P < 0.05). AS FOR THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN INITIAL VALUES AND FINAL RESPONSES GREATER THAN THE CONTROL OF FASTING GLUCOSE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL-CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES. THE ELABORATED SEQUENCE PRACTICE PROMOTED SIGNIFICANT CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC BENEFITS. THE YOGA EXERCISES PERFORMED IN THE PROPOSED SEQUENCE CONSTITUTE COMPLEMENTARY NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. 2013 8 1423 34 IMPROVEMENT IN NEUROCOGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND SERUM BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION TREATED WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND YOGA. CONTEXT AND AIMS: IMPAIRMENT IN COGNITION IS WELL-KNOWN IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER. THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS ALONE ON CERTAIN NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION. CORRELATION BETWEEN CHANGES IN NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TEST PERFORMANCE AND SERUM BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF) LEVELS WAS ALSO EXPLORED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ANTIDEPRESSANT-NAIVE/ANTIDEPRESSANT-FREE OUTPATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION RECEIVED ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION ALONE (N = 23) OR YOGA THERAPY WITH (N = 26) OR WITHOUT (N = 16) ANTIDEPRESSANTS. DEPRESSION WAS ASSESSED USING THE HAMILTON DEPRESSION RATING SCALE. NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS INCLUDED DIGIT-SPAN FORWARD AND BACKWARD, REY AUDITORY VERBAL LEARNING TEST, AND TRAIL MAKING TESTS (TMT-A AND B). THESE TESTS WERE ADMINISTERED BEFORE AND 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TREATMENT IN PATIENTS, AND ONCE IN HEALTHY COMPARISON SUBJECTS (N = 19). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: BASELINE DIFFERENCES WERE ANALYZED USING INDEPENDENT SAMPLE T-TEST, CHI-SQUARE, AND ONE-WAY ANOVA. PAIRED T-TEST WAS USED TO ANALYZE THE CHANGE FROM BASELINE TO FOLLOW-UP. PEARSON'S CORRELATION WAS USED TO EXPLORE THE ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE BETWEEN 2 VARIABLES. RESULTS: PATIENTS HAD IMPAIRED PERFORMANCE ON MOST NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS. AFTER 3 MONTHS, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT - PATIENTS' PERFORMANCE WAS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF HEALTHY CONTROLS ON MAJORITY OF THE TESTS. SIGNIFICANT INVERSE CORRELATION WAS OBSERVED BETWEEN INCREASE IN BDNF LEVELS AND IMPROVEMENT IN TMT "A" DURATION IN YOGA-ALONE GROUP (R = -0.647; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: TO CONCLUDE THAT, YOGA THERAPY, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH MEDICATIONS, IS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS AND NEUROPLASTIC EFFECTS IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION. 2018 9 881 43 EFFECT OF YOGA TRAINING ON INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN EMPLOYEES OF SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES. OBJECTIVE: THE PRESENT STUDY INTENDS TO SEE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICES ON LIPID PROFILE, INTERLEUKIN (IL)-6, TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF)-ALPHA, AND HIGH-SENSITIVITY-C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (HS-CRP) AMONG APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS EXPOSED TO OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IN THE PRESENT STUDY, 48 PARTICIPANTS AGED 30-58 YEARS (41.5 +/- 5.2) WHO WERE EXPOSED TO OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO TWO GROUPS, THAT IS, EXPERIMENTAL AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSESSED FOR LIPID PROFILE, IL-6, TNF-ALPHA, AND HS-CRP AT THE BASELINE AND AFTER COMPLETION OF 3 MONTHS OF YOGA TRAINING INTERVENTION. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP UNDERWENT YOGA TRAINING INTERVENTION FOR 1 H FOR 6 DAYS A WEEK FOR 3 MONTHS, WHEREAS CONTROL GROUP CONTINUED WITH THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES EXCEPT YOGA TRAINING. DATA ANALYSIS WAS DONE USING STATISTICAL SOFTWARE SPSS VERSION 20.0. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING PAIRED T-TESTS AND INDEPENDENT T-TEST. RESULTS: THE RESULTS OF WITHIN GROUP COMPARISON REVEALED HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CHOLESTEROL (P < 0.001), HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (P < 0.001), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL)(P < 0.01), HS-CRP (P < 0.01), IL-6 (P < 0.001), AND TNF-ALPHA (P < 0.001) IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CHOLESTEROL (P < 0.01), LDL (P < 0.05), IL-6 (P < 0.01), TNF-ALPHA (P < 0.01), AND HS-CRP (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION SEEMS TO BE A HIGHLY PROMISING ALTERNATIVE THERAPY WHICH FAVORABLY ALTERS INFLAMMATORY MARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS. 2017 10 50 39 A COMPARATIVE CONTROLLED TRIAL COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND WALKING FOR OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE ADULTS. BACKGROUND: WALKING AND YOGA HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENTLY EVALUATED FOR WEIGHT CONTROL; HOWEVER, THERE ARE VERY FEW STUDIES COMPARING THE 2 WITH RANDOMIZATION. MATERIAL AND METHODS: THE PRESENT STUDY COMPARED THE EFFECTS OF 90 MINUTES/DAY FOR 15 DAYS OF SUPERVISED YOGA OR SUPERVISED WALKING ON: (I) RELATED BIOCHEMISTRY, (II) ANTHROPOMETRIC VARIABLES, (III) BODY COMPOSITION, (IV) POSTURAL STABILITY, AND (V) BILATERAL HAND GRIP STRENGTH IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. SIXTY-EIGHT PARTICIPANTS, OF WHOM 5 WERE OVERWEIGHT (BMI >/=25 KG/M2) AND 63 WERE OBESE (BMI >/=30 KG/M2; GROUP MEAN AGE +/-S.D., 36.4+/-11.2 YEARS; 35 FEMALES), WERE RANDOMIZED AS 2 GROUPS - (I) A YOGA GROUP AND (II) A WALKING GROUP - GIVEN THE SAME DIET. RESULTS: ALL DIFFERENCES WERE PRE-POST CHANGES WITHIN EACH GROUP. BOTH GROUPS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT (P<0.05; REPEATED MEASURES ANOVA, POST-HOC ANALYSES) DECREASE IN: BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, HIP CIRCUMFERENCE, LEAN MASS, BODY WATER, AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL. THE YOGA GROUP INCREASED SERUM LEPTIN (P<0.01) AND DECREASED LDL CHOLESTEROL (P<0.05). THE WALKING GROUP DECREASED SERUM ADIPONECTIN (P<0.05) AND TRIGLYCERIDES (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BOTH YOGA AND WALKING IMPROVED ANTHROPOMETRIC VARIABLES AND SERUM LIPID PROFILE IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED. 2014 11 1533 31 IYENGAR YOGA VERSUS ENHANCED USUAL CARE ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH PREHYPERTENSION TO STAGE I HYPERTENSION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE PREVALENCE OF PREHYPERTENSION AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION CONTINUES TO INCREASE DESPITE BEING AMENABLE TO NON-PHARMACOLOGIC INTERVENTIONS. IYENGAR YOGA (IY) HAS BEEN PURPORTED TO REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) THOUGH EVIDENCE FROM RANDOMIZED TRIALS IS LACKING. WE CONDUCTED A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF 12 WEEKS OF IY VERSUS ENHANCED USUAL CARE (EUC) (BASED ON INDIVIDUAL DIETARY ADJUSTMENT) ON 24-H AMBULATORY BP IN YOGA-NAIVE ADULTS WITH UNTREATED PREHYPERTENSION OR STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. IN TOTAL, 26 AND 31 SUBJECTS IN THE IY AND EUC ARMS, RESPECTIVELY, COMPLETED THE STUDY. THERE WERE NO DIFFERENCES IN BP BETWEEN THE GROUPS AT 6 AND 12 WEEKS. IN THE EUC GROUP, 24-H SYSTOLIC BP (SBP), DIASTOLIC BP (DBP) AND MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE (MAP) SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED BY 5, 3 AND 3 MMHG, RESPECTIVELY, FROM BASELINE AT 6 WEEKS (P < .05), BUT WERE NO LONGER SIGNIFICANT AT 12 WEEKS. IN THE IY GROUP, 24 H SBP WAS REDUCED BY 6 MMHG AT 12 WEEKS COMPARED TO BASELINE (P = .05). 24 H DBP (P < .01) AND MAP (P < .05) DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY EACH BY 5 MMHG. NO DIFFERENCES WERE OBSERVED IN CATECHOLAMINE OR CORTISOL METABOLISM TO EXPLAIN THE DECREASE IN BP IN THE IY GROUP AT 12 WEEKS. TWELVE WEEKS OF IY PRODUCES CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN 24 H SBP AND DBP. LARGER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH THE LONG TERM EFFICACY, ACCEPTABILITY, UTILITY AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF IY TO CONTROL BP. 2011 12 835 35 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PAIN, BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR, AND SEROTONIN IN PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. BACKGROUND. SEROTONIN AND BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF) ARE KNOWN TO BE MODULATORS OF NOCICEPTION. HOWEVER, PAIN-RELATED CONNECTION BETWEEN YOGA AND THOSE NEUROMODULATORS HAS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED. THEREFORE, WE AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON PAIN, BDNF, AND SEROTONIN. METHODS. PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN PRACTICED YOGA THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. AT BASELINE AND AFTER 12 WEEKS, BACK PAIN INTENSITY WAS MEASURED USING VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE (VAS), AND SERUM BDNF AND SEROTONIN LEVELS WERE EVALUATED. ADDITIONALLY, BACK FLEXIBILITY AND LEVEL OF DEPRESSION WERE ASSESSED. RESULTS. AFTER 12-WEEK YOGA, VAS DECREASED IN THE YOGA GROUP (P < 0.001), WHEREAS IT INCREASED (P < 0.05) IN THE CONTROL GROUP. BACK FLEXIBILITY WAS IMPROVED IN THE YOGA GROUP (P < 0.01). SERUM BDNF INCREASED IN THE YOGA GROUP (P < 0.01), WHEREAS IT TENDED TO DECREASE IN THE CONTROL GROUP (P = 0.05). SERUM SEROTONIN MAINTAINED IN THE YOGA GROUP, WHILE IT REDUCED (P < 0.01) IN THE CONTROL GROUP. THE DEPRESSION LEVEL MAINTAINED IN THE YOGA GROUP, WHEREAS IT TENDED TO INCREASE IN THE CONTROL GROUP (P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS. WE PROPOSE THAT BDNF MAY BE ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS MEDIATING BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. 2014 13 2660 38 YOGA IN ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. BACKGROUND: YOGA SEEMS TO EXERT ITS EFFECT AGAINST ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION MAINLY THROUGH THE ASSOCIATED BREATHING AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES, AND LESS SO THROUGH YOGA POSTURES. THE GOAL OF THIS TRIAL WAS TO COMPARE THE BLOOD PRESSURE-LOWERING EFFECT OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS WITH AND WITHOUT YOGA POSTURES IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. METHODS: 75 PATIENTS TAKING MEDICATIONS FOR ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION (72% WOMEN, MEAN AGE 58.7 +/- 9.5 YEARS) WERE RANDOMIZED INTO THREE GROUPS: A YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP WITH YOGA POSTURES (25 PATIENTS, OF WHOM 5 DROPPED OUT OF THE TRIAL BEFORE ITS END), A YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP WITHOUT YOGA POSTURES (25 PATIENTS, 3 DROPOUTS), AND A WAIT LIST CONTROL GROUP (25 PATIENTS, ONE DROPOUT). THE INTERVENTIONS CONSISTED OF 90 MINUTES OF YOGA PRACTICE PER WEEK FOR TWELVE WEEKS. THE DATA COLLECTORS, WHO WERE BLINDED TO THE INTERVENTION RECEIVED, ASSESSED THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES "SYSTOLIC 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE" AND "DIASTOLIC 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE" BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. IN THIS REPORT, WE ALSO PRESENT THE FINDINGS ON SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES, INCLUDING FOLLOW-UP DATA. RESULTS: AFTER THE INTERVENTION, THE SYSTOLIC 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP WITHOUT YOGA POSTURES WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN IN THE CONTROL GROUP (GROUP DIFFERENCE [DELTA]= -3.8 MMHG; [95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL (CI): (-0.3; -7.4) P = 0.035]); IT WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN IN THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP WITH YOGA POSTURES (DELTA = -3.2 MMHG; 95% CI: [-6.3; -0.8]; P = 0.045). DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS GROUPS. NO SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS WERE ENCOUNTERED IN THE COURSE OF THE TRIAL. CONCLUSION: IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINDINGS OF EARLIER STUDIES, WE FOUND THAT ONLY YOGA WITHOUT YOGA POSTURES INDUCED A SHORT-TERM LOWERING OF AMBULATORY SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. YOGA IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN PATIENTS TAKING MEDICATIONS FOR ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND THUS CAN BE RECOMMENDED AS AN ADDITIONAL TREATMENT OPTION FOR PERSONS IN THIS CATEGORY. 2018 14 685 33 EFFECT OF AN INTEGRATED NATUROPATHY AND YOGA PROGRAM ON LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. AIM: LIFESTYLE IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR INCREASING THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. IN THIS STUDY, WE EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF NATUROPATHY TREATMENT, SALT-RESTRICTED LOW-CALORIE DIETS, AND YOGA IN LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, TWO-ARM COHORT STUDY, PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS REFERRED FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER UNDERGOING A 3-MONTH RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY TREATMENT WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE UNDERGOING ONLY CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL. BOTH FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG) LEVELS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 3 MONTHS FOLLOWING INTERVENTION, AT 6 MONTHS, AND 12 MONTHS FROM THE STUDY START. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING REPEATED-MEASURES ANOVA WITH POST HOC BONFERRONI CORRECTION. RESULTS: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PPBG LEVELS (P < 0.001), GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS (P < 0.001), AND REDUCED REQUIREMENT FOR ANTIDIABETIC MEDICATIONS (P < 0.008) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THE EFFECTS WERE MORE PROFOUND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING INTERVENTION AND LASTED UP TO 6 MONTHS FROM THE START OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SUGGEST BENEFIT WITH AN INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO FURTHER VALIDATE THE FINDINGS. 2020 15 944 35 EFFECTS OF A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION ON METABOLIC RISK AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METABOLIC SYNDROME. OBJECTIVE: TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE METABOLIC RISK PROFILES AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) IN CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS). METHODS: WE CONDUCTED A CONTROLLED TRIAL WITHIN AN UNIVERSITY-AFFILIATED HOSPITAL. 173 CHINESE MEN AND WOMEN AGED 18 OR ABOVE WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 87) OR THE CONTROL GROUP (N = 86). PRIMARY OUTCOMES INCLUDED 12-WEEK CHANGE IN METABOLIC RISK FACTORS AND METS Z SCORE. SECONDARY OUTCOME WAS HRQOL (MEDICAL OUTCOMES SHORT FORM SURVEY AT 12 WEEKS). RESULTS: THE MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS WAS 52.0 (SD 7.4, RANGE 31-71) YEARS. ANALYSIS INVOLVING THE ENTIRE STUDY POPULATION REVEALED THAT THE YOGA GROUP ACHIEVED GREATER DECLINE IN WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE (P<0.001), FASTING GLUCOSE (P<0.01), TRIGLYCERIDES (P<0.05), AND METS Z SCORE (P<0.01). YOGA TRAINING ALSO IMPROVED GENERAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS (P<0.01), PHYSICAL COMPONENT SCORE (P<0.01), AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING (P<0.01) DOMAINS SCORE OF HRQOL. HOWEVER, NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE OBSERVED IN THE MEAN CHANGE OF SYSTOLIC/DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES OR HIGH-DENSITY LIPID PROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (ALL P>0.05). THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE INTERVENTION EFFECTS ON WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND METS Z SCORE BETWEEN THE METS SUBGROUPS (BOTH P>0.05). CONCLUSION: A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION IMPROVES METABOLIC RISK PROFILES AND HRQOL IN CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: AUSTRALIAN NEW ZEALAND CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY ACTRN12613000816752. 2015 16 247 46 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK REDUCTION: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: TYPE 2 DIABETES IS A MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM IN MANY COUNTRIES INCLUDING INDIA. YOGA MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE TYPE 2 DIABETES PREVENTION STRATEGY IN INDIA, PARTICULARLY GIVEN ITS CULTURAL FAMILIARITY. METHODS: THIS WAS A PARALLEL, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY TO COLLECT FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY DATA ON YOGA FOR DIABETES RISK FACTORS AMONG PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK OF DIABETES. PRIMARY OUTCOMES INCLUDED: CHANGES IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN, INSULIN RESISTANCE, BLOOD PRESSURE, AND CHOLESTEROL. WE ALSO LOOKED AT MEASURES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING INCLUDING CHANGES IN DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT AND PERCEIVED STRESS. FORTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS WITH ELEVATED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE IN BANGALORE, INDIA WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER YOGA (N = 21) OR A WALKING CONTROL (N = 20). PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED TO EITHER ATTEND YOGA CLASSES OR COMPLETE MONITORED WALKING 3-6 DAYS PER WEEK FOR EIGHT WEEKS. RANDOMIZATION AND ALLOCATION WAS PERFORMED USING COMPUTER-GENERATED RANDOM NUMBERS AND GROUP ASSIGNMENTS DELIVERED IN SEALED, OPAQUE ENVELOPES GENERATED BY OFF-SITE STUDY STAFF. DATA WERE ANALYZED BASED ON INTENTION TO TREAT. RESULTS: THIS STUDY WAS FEASIBLE IN TERMS OF RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND ADHERENCE. IN ADDITION, YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTIONS IN WEIGHT, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND BMI VERSUS CONTROL (WEIGHT -0.8 +/- 2.1 VS. 1.4 +/- 3.6, P = 0.02; WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE -4.2 +/- 4.8 VS. 0.7 +/- 4.2, P < 0.01; BMI -0.2 +/- 0.8 VS. 0.6 +/- 1.6, P = 0.05). THERE WERE NO BETWEEN GROUP DIFFERENCES IN FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN RESISTANCE OR ANY OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO DIABETES RISK OR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, NEGATIVE AFFECT AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN BOTH THE YOGA INTERVENTION AND WALKING CONTROL OVER THE COURSE OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: AMONG INDIANS WITH ELEVATED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, WE FOUND THAT PARTICIPATION IN AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WAS FEASIBLE AND RESULTED IN GREATER WEIGHT LOSS AND REDUCTION IN WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WHEN COMPARED TO A WALKING CONTROL. YOGA OFFERS A PROMISING LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR DECREASING WEIGHT-RELATED TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK FACTORS AND POTENTIALLY INCREASING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIED NCT00090506. 2014 17 807 29 EFFECT OF YOGA ON ARRHYTHMIA BURDEN, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PAROXYSMAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: THE YOGA MY HEART STUDY. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF) BURDEN, QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL), DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY SCORES. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS KNOWN TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. THE EFFECT OF YOGA IN REDUCING AF BURDEN IS UNKNOWN. METHODS: THIS SINGLE-CENTER, PRE-POST STUDY ENROLLED PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMATIC PAROXYSMAL AF WITH AN INITIAL 3-MONTH NONINTERVENTIONAL OBSERVATION PERIOD FOLLOWED BY TWICE-WEEKLY 60-MIN YOGA TRAINING FOR NEXT 3 MONTHS. AF EPISODES DURING THE CONTROL AND STUDY PERIODS AS WELL AS SF-36, ZUNG SELF-RATED ANXIETY, AND ZUNG SELF-RATED DEPRESSION SCORES AT BASELINE, BEFORE, AND AFTER THE STUDY PHASE WERE ASSESSED. RESULTS: YOGA TRAINING REDUCED SYMPTOMATIC AF EPISODES (3.8 +/- 3 VS. 2.1 +/- 2.6, P < 0.001), SYMPTOMATIC NON-AF EPISODES (2.9 +/- 3.4 VS. 1.4 +/- 2.0; P < 0.001), ASYMPTOMATIC AF EPISODES (0.12 +/- 0.44 VS. 0.04 +/- 0.20; P < 0.001), AND DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY (P < 0.001), AND IMPROVED THE QOL PARAMETERS OF PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING, GENERAL HEALTH, VITALITY, SOCIAL FUNCTIONING, AND MENTAL HEALTH DOMAINS ON SF-36 (P = 0.017, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.019, AND P < 0.001, RESPECTIVELY). THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN HEART RATE, AND SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: IN PATIENTS WITH PAROXYSMAL AF, YOGA IMPROVES SYMPTOMS, ARRHYTHMIA BURDEN, HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SCORES, AND SEVERAL DOMAINS OF QOL. 2013 18 938 35 EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR YOGA ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS) IS A CLUSTERING OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO PEOPLE WITH METS HAS CONSIDERABLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON DISEASE PREVENTIVE OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR OF YOGA EXERCISE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH METS. METHODS: ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH METS USING NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA (N = 182; MEAN +/- SD AGE = 56 +/- 9.1) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL WERE EXAMINED AT BASELINE, MIDWAY, AND ON COMPLETION OF THE STUDY. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND CALORIC INTAKE WERE ASSESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE COVARIATE ANALYSES. RESULTS: A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC COMPONENTS FOR METS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA INTERVENTION. WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION. A TREND TOWARDS A DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METS. THESE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE COMPLEMENTARY BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGING METS. 2015 19 1904 35 RETARDATION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS WITH YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS POTENTIAL FOR BENEFIT FOR PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE THOUGH OBJECTIVE, ANGIOGRAPHIC STUDIES ARE LACKING. MATERIAL AND METHODS: WE EVALUATED POSSIBLE ROLE OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION INCORPORATING YOGA, ON RETARDATION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE. IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL, 42 MEN WITH ANGIOGRAPHICALLY PROVEN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) WERE RANDOMIZED TO CONTROL (N = 21) AND YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 21) AND WERE FOLLOWED FOR ONE YEAR. THE ACTIVE GROUP WAS TREATED WITH A USER-FRIENDLY PROGRAM CONSISTING OF YOGA, CONTROL OF RISK FACTORS, DIET CONTROL AND MODERATE AEROBIC EXERCISE. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS MANAGED BY CONVENTIONAL METHODS I.E. RISK FACTOR CONTROL AND AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION STEP I DIET. RESULTS: AT ONE YEAR, THE YOGA GROUPS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF ANGINAL EPISODES PER WEEK, IMPROVED EXERCISE CAPACITY AND DECREASE IN BODY WEIGHT. SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS ALSO SHOWED GREATER REDUCTIONS AS COMPARED WITH CONTROL GROUP. REVASCULARISATION PROCEDURES (CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY OR BYPASS SURGERY) WERE LESS FREQUENTLY REQUIRED IN THE YOGA GROUP (ONE VERSUS EIGHT PATIENTS; RELATIVE RISK = 5.45; P = 0.01). CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY REPEATED AT ONE YEAR SHOWED THAT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LESIONS REGRESSED (20% VERSUS 2%) AND LESS LESIONS PROGRESSED (5% VERSUS 37%) IN THE YOGA GROUP (CHI-SQUARE = 24.9; P < 0.0001). THE COMPLIANCE TO THE TOTAL PROGRAM WAS EXCELLENT AND NO SIDE EFFECTS WERE OBSERVED. CONCLUSION: YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION RETARDS PROGRESSION AND INCREASES REGRESSION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT ALSO IMPROVES SYMPTOMATIC STATUS, FUNCTIONAL CLASS AND RISK FACTOR PROFILE. 2000 20 662 33 EFFECT OF 3-MONTH YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES WITH OR WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS: A CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON ANTHROPOMETRY, BLOOD PRESSURE, GLYCEMIC CONTROL, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS ON STANDARD CARE IN COMPARISON WITH STANDARD CARE ALONE. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: THE STUDY INVOLVED 123 PATIENTS STRATIFIED ACCORDING TO GROUPS WITH MICROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS, MACROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS, AND PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS AND ASSIGNED TO RECEIVE EITHER STANDARD CARE OR STANDARD CARE ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL YOGA FOR 3 MONTHS. RESULTS: IN COMPARISON WITH STANDARD CARE ALONE, YOGA RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BMI, GLYCEMIC CONTROL, AND MALONDIALDEHYDE AND INCREASE IN GLUTATHIONE AND VITAMIN C. THERE WERE NO DIFFERENCES IN WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO, BLOOD PRESSURE, VITAMIN E, OR SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN THE YOGA GROUP AT FOLLOW-UP. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA CAN BE USED AS AN EFFECTIVE THERAPY IN REDUCING OXIDATIVE STRESS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES. YOGA IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE HELPS REDUCE BMI AND IMPROVE GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS. 2011