Yoga and Sudarshan Kriya may benefit type 2 diabetes patients, claims Indian study

According to the study, the "Living Well" program by Art of Living (AOL), comprising a seven-day course of yoga and SKY in diabetic patients, significantly lowered blood sugar level (BSL) and pulse rate (PR). However, no difference in blood pressure was noted in diabetes patients versus non-diabetics.

Type 2 diabetes, a significant health problem in India, is a lifestyle disorder caused by insulin resistance with an absolute or relative insulin deficiency. Yoga is being investigated as an alternative therapy for diabetes management.

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, developed by AOL, India, is a unique breathing technique that balances the autonomic nervous system and improves stress-related and psychological disorders. The yoga technique, despite being practiced widely, does not have much-supporting data from India showing the effect of yoga on random blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Against the above background, Meenakshi R Verma, Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, India, and colleagues based their study on observations made from participants who underwent a comprehensive yogic breathing program to investigate the efficacy of SKY and yoga for its blood glucose lowering effects in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Of 137 participants who completed the 'Living Well' workshop by the AOL, 84 types two diabetes patients were investigated for changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels (SBP/DBP), random blood sugar levels, and pulse rate over seven days.

In the workshop, the participants performed a comprehensive Yogic Breathing Program that consisted of yogic movements and postures (Asana), three-stage Pranayama, relaxation practice, breathing techniques, discussion of stress relieving principles, and Sudarshan Kriya Yoga over seven days. At enrollment time and after the seven-day completion of the workshop, the parameters were recorded.

The study's main findings are as follows:

· There was a greater percent reduction in the mean blood sugar level in people with diabetes compared to non-diabetic individuals.

· SBP and DBP reductions were similar in diabetics and non-diabetics.

· The percent reduction in the pulse rate was greater in people with diabetes than non-diabetics.

"The seven-day course of yoga and SKY in "Living Well" program by AOL in type 2 diabetes patients significantly lowered BSL and PR," the researchers wrote. "SKY did not show any difference in BP in diabetics."

"Further large-scale multicenter studies for prolonged duration are, however, needed to substantiate the beneficial effects of SKY in patients with diabetes," they conclude.

Reference:

Verma MR, Langade DG, Rao RD, Shivangi S, Khedkar S, Kanchibhotla D. An Observational Study on the Effect of Yoga and Sudarshan Kriya in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients. Cureus. 2022 Aug 12;14(8):e27951. doi: 10.7759/cureus.27951. PMID: 36120271; PMCID: PMC9464970.