Good news for diabetics who love the calming and relaxing influence of yoga — a recent study suggests that yoga classes could help Type 2 diabetics lose some weight and, more importantly, help regulate their blood sugar levels. The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.
The study was conducted on 123 middle-aged and older adults, and it showed that the patients who participated in yoga classes as a type of supplemental treatment for their existing diabetes care lost a few pounds over the three-month period of the study. In addition, their average blood glucose levels held at a steadier level than the control group of Type 2 diabetics who did not add yoga sessions to their diabetes care.
The study participants who took yoga classes several times a week — 60 of them in all — showed an average decrease in body mass index, or BMI, from 25.9 to 25.4. On the BMI scale, the “overweight” range is from 25 to 30.
While the findings were encouraging in suggesting yoga as a form of supplemental treatment for diabetes, they did not suggest that yoga should replace the typical exercise regimen that is prescribed for Type 2 diabetics.
Shreelaxmi V. Hegde with the Srinivas Institute of Medical Science and Research Center in Mangalore, India was the lead researcher on the study. According to Hedge, although yoga showed some positive benefits, Type 2 diabetics would benefit even more from vigorous exercise such as running.
“In our study the effect of yoga on BMI (body mass index) and blood sugar control was marginal,” said Hegde. “But, it should be noted that yoga controlled the blood sugar levels which otherwise rose in the control group.”
The study also found signs of decreased oxidative stress in the group that participated in yoga. Oxidative stress is the condition where free radicals — dangerous leftovers from cellular energy production — increase to levels that the body cannot handle. Oxidative stress, when present over long periods of time, is known to contribute to the development of several chronic diseases.
The research team studied the participants’ bloodstreams for the presence of chemicals that are indicative of oxidative stress. These results showed that the presence of these chemicals was reduced by an average of 20 percent in the group that took yoga classes.
According to Hedge, if this reduction in oxidative stress could be maintained over a long period of time, the patient could lower his or her risk of developing diabetes complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage. However, more research is needed to determine whether yoga could actually be used to curb oxidative stress in the long term.
In the meantime, Hedge has a theory on why yoga could reduce oxidative stress: yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, or the part of the nervous system responsible for unconscious activities such as breathing and digestion.
Hedge did state that the type of yoga used in the study was a gentle form that excluded certain poses because they could exacerbate the patients’ complications. However, some yoga classes provide a more intense workout that could be dangerous to those with potential complications while being more beneficial to individuals who can handle the extra stress. Many hospitals and community centers around the U.S. are beginning to offer yoga classes tailored specifically for those with chronic illnesses such as cancer and diabetes, as well as yoga classes for older individuals who want to stay in shape.