Yoga benefits patients with metabolic syndrome

In a recent Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports study, one year of yoga training decreased pro-inflammatory adipokines and increased an anti-inflammatory adipokine in adults with metabolic syndrome and high-normal blood pressure.

Adipokines are signaling proteins released by fat tissue.

The findings support the notion that yoga exercise might serve as an effective lifestyle intervention to reduce chronic inflammation and manage aspects of metabolic syndrome.

"These findings help to reveal the response of adipokines to long-term yoga exercise, which underpins the importance of regular exercise to human health," said senior author Dr. Parco Siu, of The University of Hong Kong.