Yoga-asanas and pranayama: Is it helpful in management non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Background: Deficiency of insulin generally causes diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder with elevated blood glucose levels. Practicing yoga and pranayama affects the secretion of insulin and glucagon through neurohormonal modulation. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to see 16 weeks yoga-asanas and pranayamas helpful in non-insulin-dependent DM (NIDDM) (Type II DM) management. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 participants of both gender between 35 and 60 years of age with NIDDM (Type II DM) subjects of at least 12 months duration, those on antidiabetic diet and oral hypoglycemic medicine were included in the study. After recording the baseline parameters (pre-intervention values), yoga and pranayama was practiced by all the participants once in a day, daily for 16 weeks. Blood sample for fasting blood sugar (FBS), post-prandial blood sugar (PPBS), glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), and hemoglobin (Hb) was estimated at day 1 and at the end of each of the 4 months of the study period. After 16 weeks values were compared and analyzed. Results: Decreased FBS and PPBS values from 139.2 ± 16.6 and 174.1 ± 7.9 mg/dl to 96.8 ± 15.9 and 134.7 ± 8.4 mg/dl, respectively. HbA1C value decreased from 9.3 ± 1.0 to 6.9 ± 0.7. Hb value increased from 10.2 ± 1.3 to 12.6 ± 1.6. Conclusion: Our study provides yoga-asanas and pranayamas helpful in the NIDDM (Type II DM) management.