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Five-week yin yoga-based interventions decreased plasma adrenomedullin and increased psychological health in stressed adults : A randomized controlled trial

Daukantaitė, Daiva LU ; Tellhed, Una LU orcid ; Maddux, Rachel E LU ; Svensson, Thomas LU and Melander, Olle LU orcid (2018) In PLoS ONE 13(7).
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs, e.g. cardiovascular disease) are responsible for high rates of morbidity and the majority of premature deaths worldwide. It is necessary to develop preventative interventions that can reduce the associated risk factors of NCDs. Researchers have found that the biomarker adrenomedullin (ADM) becomes elevated years before the onset of NCDs and might play an important role in their development. ADM has also been linked to psychological problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression, which are known risk factors of NCDs. In this randomized controlled trial, we examined whether participating in a five-week yoga intervention reduces ADM and increases psychological health in middle-aged adults who... (More)

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs, e.g. cardiovascular disease) are responsible for high rates of morbidity and the majority of premature deaths worldwide. It is necessary to develop preventative interventions that can reduce the associated risk factors of NCDs. Researchers have found that the biomarker adrenomedullin (ADM) becomes elevated years before the onset of NCDs and might play an important role in their development. ADM has also been linked to psychological problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression, which are known risk factors of NCDs. In this randomized controlled trial, we examined whether participating in a five-week yoga intervention reduces ADM and increases psychological health in middle-aged adults who self-report as moderately to highly stressed, but who otherwise exhibit no physical complaints.

METHODS: One hundred and five adults (78% women; mean age = 53.5, SD = 6.7) were randomly assigned to (1) a five-week Yin yoga intervention, (2) a five-week intervention combining Yin yoga with psychoeducation and mindfulness practice (called the YOMI program), or (3) a control group who did not practice yoga or mindfulness for five weeks.

RESULTS: Compared to the control group, we observed significantly greater pre-post reductions in plasma ADM levels (p < .001), anxiety (p ≤ .002), and sleep problems (p ≤ .003) in both intervention groups. Furthermore, the YOMI group exclusively showed significantly greater pre-post reductions in stress (p = .012) and depression (p = .021) compared to the control group. Significant correlations (p < .05) were found between pre-post reductions in ADM and anxiety symptoms (p = .02) and depression (p = .04) in the entire sample.

CONCLUSION: The five-week Yin yoga-based interventions appeared to reduce both the physiological and psychological risk factors known to be associated with NCDs. The study suggests that incorporating Yin yoga could be an easy and low-cost method of limiting the negative health effects associated with high stress.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03428542.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
13
issue
7
article number
e0200518
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85050122212
  • pmid:30020987
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0200518
project
The effects of yoga on psychological and physiological health
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ee5ce4ba-2c84-4003-bf59-f85b8a026866
date added to LUP
2018-07-25 06:30:09
date last changed
2024-06-24 17:20:25
@article{ee5ce4ba-2c84-4003-bf59-f85b8a026866,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs, e.g. cardiovascular disease) are responsible for high rates of morbidity and the majority of premature deaths worldwide. It is necessary to develop preventative interventions that can reduce the associated risk factors of NCDs. Researchers have found that the biomarker adrenomedullin (ADM) becomes elevated years before the onset of NCDs and might play an important role in their development. ADM has also been linked to psychological problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression, which are known risk factors of NCDs. In this randomized controlled trial, we examined whether participating in a five-week yoga intervention reduces ADM and increases psychological health in middle-aged adults who self-report as moderately to highly stressed, but who otherwise exhibit no physical complaints.</p><p>METHODS: One hundred and five adults (78% women; mean age = 53.5, SD = 6.7) were randomly assigned to (1) a five-week Yin yoga intervention, (2) a five-week intervention combining Yin yoga with psychoeducation and mindfulness practice (called the YOMI program), or (3) a control group who did not practice yoga or mindfulness for five weeks.</p><p>RESULTS: Compared to the control group, we observed significantly greater pre-post reductions in plasma ADM levels (p &lt; .001), anxiety (p ≤ .002), and sleep problems (p ≤ .003) in both intervention groups. Furthermore, the YOMI group exclusively showed significantly greater pre-post reductions in stress (p = .012) and depression (p = .021) compared to the control group. Significant correlations (p &lt; .05) were found between pre-post reductions in ADM and anxiety symptoms (p = .02) and depression (p = .04) in the entire sample.</p><p>CONCLUSION: The five-week Yin yoga-based interventions appeared to reduce both the physiological and psychological risk factors known to be associated with NCDs. The study suggests that incorporating Yin yoga could be an easy and low-cost method of limiting the negative health effects associated with high stress.</p><p>TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03428542.</p>}},
  author       = {{Daukantaitė, Daiva and Tellhed, Una and Maddux, Rachel E and Svensson, Thomas and Melander, Olle}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Five-week yin yoga-based interventions decreased plasma adrenomedullin and increased psychological health in stressed adults : A randomized controlled trial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200518}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0200518}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}