Yoga can improve rheumatoid arthritis patients' health: AIIMS study

New Delhi: Yoga can significantly improve the health of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, showed a new study conducted by AIIMS Delhi.

RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints. It causes joint damage and pain and can affect other organ system as well like lungs, heart and brain.

Traditionally, yoga has been known for its physical and mental well-being benefits.

A collaborative study by the Lab for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, Anatomy Deptartment, and the Deptartment of Rheumatology AIIMS, explored the effects of yoga at cellular and molecular levels in RA patients and how yoga may benefit RA patients beyond just pain relief.

It has been discovered that yoga lowers inflammation by controlling cellular damage and oxidative stress (OS), Ayush ministry said.

It balances pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, raises endorphin levels, and reduces cortisol and CRP levels and maintains melatonin rhythms. This facilitates disruption of the inflammatory and hyperactive immune system cycle, it said.

At molecular level, by boosting the activity of the telomerase enzyme and genes involved in DNA repair and cell cycle regulation, it slows down the aging process of cells.

Additionally, yoga improves mitochondrial function, which guards against telomere attrition and DNA damage by enhancing energy metabolism and lowering oxidative stress, the ministry said in a statement.

A study by AIIMS professor Dr Rima Dada and her team at the Lab for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, Anatomy Department, AIIMS, supported by the DST, documented reduced pain perception, improved joint mobility, decreased disability, and enhanced overall quality of life for patients performing yoga.

These benefits were attributed to yoga's ability to establish immunological tolerance and molecular remission, the ministry stated.

The study showed that yoga may help manage stress, a known trigger for RA symptoms, it said.

By lowering stress hormones like cortisol, yoga may indirectly reduce inflammation, may improve mitochondrial function, which can impact energy production and cellular health and reduce severity of co-morbid depression.

Yoga promotes neuroplasticity and thus aids in better coping strategies and reduces severity of co-morbid depression.

This research provides evidence for the potential of yoga as a complementary therapy for RA patients.

Yoga may not only manage symptoms like pain and stiffness, but could also contribute to disease control and improved quality of life. Unlike drugs, yoga has no side effects and offers a cost-effective, natural alternative for managing severe autoimmune conditions, the ministry said.