The regular
practice of Yoga can prevent the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases,
and is useful for the maintenance of good health parameters, according to a new
study.

An open-label
single-arm clinical study by the Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education
and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, was initiated to determine the
potential of Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) as a Preventive Intervention for
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) and Associated Comorbidities.

The results
showed the CYP enhanced the key metabolic and physiological processes in the
intervention group. A month of regular Yoga practices increased good lipids
(HDL—High-Density Lipoprotein) and reduced bad ones (LDL) in the
participants, the research, published in the latest issue of the journal,
Frontiers in Public Health, concluded.

Earlier, the
374 participants practiced Yoga in consultation with experts for 30 consecutive
days with a single session in the morning between 6 am and 7 am. They had also been
provided training before the start of the yoga camp. The study participants
were instructed for overnight fasting with blood drawn at baseline and after 30
days. Serum was analysed for lipid profiles and fasting glucose.

The results
showed that a month of Yoga practice increased the HDL levels and reduced
the LDL levels in first-time yoga practitioners. Also, the researchers
concluded that one can derive maximum benefits from yogic practices at 35 when most of the metabolic alteration occurs in the body.

The “positive”
outcomes highlight the need for further research to better understand the
effects of yoga on the primary prevention of CVD, according to the study authors.
They pointed out that the length of the study was shorter and whether CYP holds
any potential effect in the treatment of hyperlipidemia can only be confirmed
by a randomized control study.

CYP is a standardized
yoga protocol developed by the Ministry of AYUSH, and includes components of
asana, pranayama, and stationary meditation.