Quick Summary
Changes in lifestyle, particularly regular exercise, are typically necessary to manage type 2 diabetes. To help control blood sugar, most doctors recommend regular physical activity such as walking, cycling, or going to the gym. However, yoga has become more popular as an alternative in recent years. A detailed review of numerous prior studies was conducted to determine whether yoga is just as beneficial as or even more beneficial than conventional exercise for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
What Was Studied
- The study type was a systematic review and meta-analysis, which is considered the “top level of evidence”. It is the most organised way, where the authors pool the research studies with similar objectives. In a systematic review the research studies are then subjectively as well as objectively analysed using statistical methods to conclude the research objectives. In this case, the authors selected good-quality research studies which compared yoga and exercise for the management of type 2 diabetes, as their objective was to conclude which is more beneficial for type 2 diabetes.
- Details of the research studies: The researchers analysed eight research studies encompassing 842 individuals with an age range of 30-78 years with type 2 diabetes, comparing participants who engaged in yoga with those who performed conventional exercise.
Key Findings
When researchers combined results from varied studies, they found that people with type 2 diabetes who practised yoga had better blood sugar control than those who only did regular exercise. On average, yoga did better to lower:
- Fasting blood sugar
- Blood sugar after meals
- HbA1c (a test that shows average sugar levels over 2–3 months)
- Body weight (BMI)
However, yoga and exercise showed similar results when it came to blood pressure, waist size, and cholesterol.
Overall, this suggests yoga may be slightly more effective than exercise for managing blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. But the researchers also noted that the studies were not flawless; several used small sample sizes or exhibited inconsistencies in their measurement of outcomes. This indicates that further research is necessary to ascertain that yoga is consistently superior. Furthermore, yoga may not yield the same results for all individuals, and it should not be considered a substitute for diabetic drugs.
What This Means for You
Yoga can be a mild yet efficient complementary activity for individuals with type 2 diabetes, especially those who find regular exercise challenging because of their age, joint issues, or certain heart conditions. It enhances quality of life and reduces stress in addition to managing diabetes. Nonetheless, both yoga and conventional exercise are beneficial, hence balancing both activities is the key.
Key yoga postures managing diabetes:
- Utthita Trikonasana
- Utthita Parsvakonasana
- Parivritta Trikonasana
- Parivritta parshvakonasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Navasana
- Bhardvajasana 1
- Bhardvajasana 2
- Marichyasana 3
- Dhanurasana
- Ardha Matsyendrasana
- Sirsasana
- Salamba Sarvangasana
- Savasana
Want to dive deeper? Check out the full study here:
Link : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871402118300900?via%3Dihub
Author Dilasha Sethi is a Phd scholar, accomplished writer, and Yoga practitioner with a profound focus on the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern wellness. Her writing aims to focus on researched facts needed to find clarity and strength in pursuing one’s own Yoga path.
