A new study from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, shows that yoga can greatly improve the health of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints and can also affect other organs like the lungs, heart, and brain. Yoga has long been known for its benefits for physical and mental well-being.

The study, conducted by the Lab for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, the Anatomy Department, and the Department of Rheumatology at AIIMS, with support from DST, examined how yoga affects RA patients at the cellular and molecular levels.

The findings suggest that yoga does more than just relieve pain.

It reduces inflammation by controlling cellular damage and oxidative stress. Yoga helps balance pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, increases endorphin levels, reduces cortisol and CRP levels, and maintains melatonin rhythms, breaking the cycle of inflammation and immune system overactivity.

On a molecular level, yoga boosts the activity of the telomerase enzyme and genes involved in DNA repair and cell cycle regulation, which slows the ageing process of cells.

It also improves mitochondrial function, enhancing energy metabolism and reducing oxidative stress, which protects against telomere attrition and DNA damage.

Dr Rima Dada and her team at AIIMS, supported by DST, documented reduced pain perception, improved joint mobility, decreased disability, and enhanced overall quality of life in RA patients who practiced yoga.

These benefits are attributed to yoga's ability to establish immunological tolerance and molecular remission.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, shows that yoga may help manage stress, a known trigger for RA symptoms.

By lowering stress hormones like cortisol, yoga may indirectly reduce inflammation, improve mitochondrial function, and alleviate comorbid depression by increasing levels of β-endorphin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin, and sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1).

Yoga promotes neuroplasticity, aiding in better-coping strategies and reducing the severity of comorbid depression.

This research highlights yoga's potential as a complementary therapy for RA patients. Yoga not only helps manage symptoms like pain and stiffness but may also contribute to disease control and improved quality of life.

According to the PIB report, unlike drugs, yoga has no side effects and offers a cost-effective, natural alternative for managing severe autoimmune conditions.

Source: indiatoday