A new study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, shows that yoga can significantly improve the health of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

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

The study, conducted by the Molecular Reproduction and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Department of Rheumatology at AIIMS in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, examined how yoga affects RA patients at the cellular and molecular level.

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

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

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

It also improves mitochondrial function, enhances energy metabolism and reduces oxidative stress, which protects against telomere abrasion and DNA damage.

Dr. Reema Dada and her team at AIIMS, in collaboration with DST, observed reduced pain perception, improved joint mobility, reduced disability, and improved overall quality of life in RA patients who practiced yoga.

These benefits are due to the yoga’s ability to establish immunological tolerance and molecular remission.

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

Yoga may indirectly reduce inflammation by reducing stress hormones such as cortisol, improving mitochondrial function, and reducing co-occurring depression by increasing levels of beta-endorphin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin, and sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1).

Yoga promotes neuroplasticity, aids in better coping strategies and reduces the severity of co-occurring depression.

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

Unlike medicines, yoga has no side effects and offers a cost-effective, natural option for managing serious autoimmune conditions, reports PIB.