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A preliminary report on the role of yoga asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

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Abstract

Nineteen subjects of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) between the age group of 30–60 yrs were studied to see the effect of specific yoga asanas on fasting and postprandial blood glucose (FBG, PPG), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) in addition to drug treatment and diet control. The duration of diabetes ranged from 1–10 years. Patients with renal, cardiac and proliferative retinal diseases were excluded from the study. The same patients served as their own control. Subjects were called in the morning to the cardio-respiratory laboratory and were given training by a yoga expert. Yoga asanas included Suryanamskar, Tadasan, TriKonasan, Padmasan, Pranayam, Paschimottanasan, Ardhmatsyendrasan, Pavanmukthasan, Sarpasan and Shavasan. The asanas were done every day for 40 days for 30–40 min. FBG, PPG, serum MDA and HbA1 were estimated before and after 40 days of yoga asanas regimen. Significant reduction was seen in FBG from 220 mg/dl to 162 mg/dl, PPG from 311 mg/dl to 255 mg/dl, MDA from 6 nmol/l to 3 nmol/l and HbA1, from 8.8% to 6.4%. Subjects felt better and were relieved of their stresses and had an improvement in their day to day performance. The decrease was statistically significant (p<0.0001 for FBG and PPG, p<0.001 for MDA and for HbA1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, 110 095, Delhi

    Savita Singh (Professor of Physiology), Varun Malhotra, K. P. Singh, S. V. Madhu & O. P. Tandon

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, 110 095, Delhi

    S. B. Sharma

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  1. Savita Singh
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  2. Varun Malhotra
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  3. K. P. Singh
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  6. O. P. Tandon
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Singh, S., Malhotra, V., Singh, K.P. et al. A preliminary report on the role of yoga asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Indian J Clin Biochem 16, 216–220 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02864866

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