Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hatha yoga on arterial elasticity and endothelial function. First, a cross-sectional study was performed to determine whether yoga practitioners would demonstrate greater arterial compliance and endothelium-dependent vasodilation than their sedentary peers. Second, an intervention study involving 13 sedentary middle-aged and older adults (51±7 years) was performed to determine whether 12 weeks of hatha yoga would elicit increases in arterial compliance and endothelial function. In the cross-sectional study involving a total of 34 subjects, there were no group differences in body fatness, blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, carotid artery compliance or brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Hemoglobin A1c was lower in yoga practitioners than in sedentary adults (. P<0.05). Total cholesterol and hemoglobin A1c decreased after the intervention (. P<0.05) while carotid artery compliance and brachial artery FMD did not change. The results of both cross-sectional and interventional studies indicate that regular practice of hatha yoga is not associated with improvements in vascular functions.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 322-327 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1 2013 |
Keywords
- Arterial stiffness
- Endothelial function
- Flexibility
- Flow-mediated dilation
- Stretching
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Complementary and Manual Therapy
- Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation
- Complementary and alternative medicine