Impact of yoga intervention on menopausal symptoms-specific quality of life and changes in hormonal level among menopausal women

Long-term effects of yoga-based practices on neural, cognitive, psychological, and physiological outcomes in adults: a scoping review and evidence map

BACKGROUND

Compared with short-term practices, long-term yoga might promote differential qualitative and quantitative outcomes. Following JBI's and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, this scoping review followed an apriori and systematic protocol to document the long-term effects of yoga on neural, cognitive, psychological, and physiological outcomes, provide evidence maps for each yoga component, and summarize results identifying knowledge gaps and promising directions.

METHODS

Four databases (PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, and PubPsych) were last searched in March 2023. Studies were included if they evaluated adults with > 1 year of practice, specified yoga-based practice(s) of interest, measured neural, cognitive, psychological, and/or physiological outcomes, were written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, presented original data, and mentioned search terms in the title/abstract. Evidence maps for each yoga component followed a 4-level structure of outcome category, method, study design and literature size. Qualitative summaries followed the same structure, to facilitate information retrieval.

RESULTS

Out of 2270 screened studies, 65 were included (meditative studies = 36, predominantly postural studies = 25, breathing practice studies = 8). Physiologicaland neural outcomes were the most common, followed by psychological and cognitive outcomes. Although heterogeneous, neural results reveal structural and functional changes related to sensorimotor, interoceptive, emotion regulation, and executive functions. Physiologically, most studies have associated long-term practice with parasympathetic-driven autonomic, hormonal and immune responses, but some studies revealed sympathetic-driven or mixed responses, maybe due to the specific technique or individual differences. Psychological outcomes included lower levels of negative affect, psychopathological symptoms, and emotional reactivity. Cognitive measures have shown improved memory/cognition for older adults, but mixed or null effects for other constructs. Commonly, however, long-term practitioners demonstrated improved neural or physiological efficiency while performing cognitive tasks.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should provide clear descriptions of the investigated yoga practice, employ more experimental paradigms, and refine statistical reports and models. We encourage researchers to work with specific overarching theoretical frameworks to refine research predictions, such as the neurovisceral integration model or predictive coding models; to consider motivational, cultural, and contextual factors that might influence long-term outcomes; and to develop systematic reviews and meta-analyses as next steps of evidence summary.

Yoga-A complementary and traditional medicine for human health

Yoga is a therapeutic practice renowned for its multifaceted benefits across the body's systems. Its positive impact spans the physical, mental and emotional realms, fostering harmony and well-being. Through a combination of postures, breathing techniques and meditation, yoga offers profound effects, enhancing flexibility, strength and balance while simultaneously promoting relaxation and reducing stress. This integrative approach not only cultivates physical resilience but also supports mental clarity, emotional balance and overall vitality, showcasing yoga as a comprehensive and impactful system for holistic health. The review delved into the multifaceted ways in which yoga exerts a positive influence on the body's various systems. It highlights how yoga serves as a beneficial tool in addressing and counteracting the underlying factors associated with different diseases. By examining yoga's effects on these systems and its potential in combating illness, the paper sheds light on the comprehensive therapeutic benefits that yoga offers. Please cite this article as: Pandey S, Pandey AC, Kotecha VR. Yoga-A complementary and traditional medicine for human health. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 93-105.

The effectiveness of yoga on menopausal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

The highly prevalent menopausal symptoms among women, along with their deleterious health impacts, call for increased attention to the need for effective interventions targeting this growing public health problem. While increasing evidence demonstrates that yoga interventions benefit menopausal symptoms, no systematic review or meta-analysis has yet systematically examined the effectiveness of yoga on menopausal symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically examine the effectiveness of Yoga in improving menopausal symptoms, hot flashes, depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep quality, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and quality of life among women with menopause.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Nine electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Science Direct, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, WanFang, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, were searched from their inception to March 3, 2024, and updated on August 1, 2024. Randomized controlled trials investigating Yoga interventions for women experiencing menopause were included in this study. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's 'risk of bias' tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 and Stata 18.0.

RESULTS

A total of 1302 articles were initially identified. Eventually, 24 studies (n = 2028 individuals) were included in this systematic review. The pooled analysis demonstrated that Yoga had significant beneficial effects on total menopausal symptoms (95 % CI: -1.62 to -0.73), psychological menopausal symptoms (95 % CI: -1.87 to -0.68), somatic menopausal symptoms (95 % CI: -1.37 to -0.39), urogenital menopausal symptoms (95 % CI: -0.97 to -0.59), sleep quality (95 % CI: -1.97 to -0.62), anxiety (95 % CI: -1.82 to -0.09), depressive symptoms (95 % CI: -2.36 to -0.74), body mass index (95 % CI: -1.61 to -1.08), systolic blood pressure (95 % CI: -7.71 to -5.33), and diastolic blood pressure (95 % CI: -5.96 to -4.24). However, no significant differences were observed between Yoga and usual care in terms of hot flashes (95 % CI: -1.00 to 0.37) and quality of life (95 % CI: -0.50 to 1.82).

CONCLUSIONS

Yoga significantly improved menopausal symptoms, sleep quality, anxiety, depressive symptoms, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure among women with menopause. This suggests that integrating yoga interventions into clinical practice has the potential to address the significant burden of menopause-related outcomes. Future studies should employ robust designs and utilize large-scale samples to evaluate the optimal dosage of yoga, its long-term effects and underlying mechanisms, its cost-effectiveness, and its safety in menopausal symptom management.

Curcumin and exercise prevent depression via alleviating hippocampus injury and improve depressive-like behaviors in chronically stressed depression rats

Background and purpose

Depression is a growing public health concern worldwide, characterized by cognitive impairment and structural abnormalities of the hippocampus. Current antidepressant treatment sometimes causes the late onset of results and the much faster occurrence of side effects. For this reason, the interest in new treatment strategies including exercise and natural products such as curcumin has increased to treat depression. The present study investigated the role of curcumin and exercise in improving depressive-like behavior and hippocampal damage induced by mild unpredictable chronic stress in male rats.

Experimental approach

This study analyzed the effects of curcumin (100 mg/kg/day, P.O for 14 days) and exercise (treadmill running, 45 min/day for 14 days) on immobility behavior (forced swimming test), locomotor activity (open field test), anhedonia (sucrose preference test) and cell survival (Nissl staining) of the hippocampal CA3 region in chronically stressed depression rats.

Findings/Results

In the current study, curcumin treatment combined with exercise effectively improved immobility behavior, locomotor activity, and increased hippocampal cell survival resulted in preventing the development of hippocampus dysfunction and depressive-like behaviors.

Conclusion and implications

This study demonstrated a new prospect for treating depression. The current findings give researchers the confidence to continue the investigations on the effects of curcumin accompanied with exercise as a novel therapy for the treatment of depression.

The Effect of Laughter Yoga on Vasomotor Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Menopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This experimental study aimed to determine the effects of online laughter yoga on the sleep quality and vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopausal women through a prospective, randomized controlled trial. About 36 women who attend the Menopause School were randomized into either the laughter yoga (n = 18) or the control group (n = 18). The laughter yoga group participated in eight online laughter yoga sessions, with two sessions per week for four weeks, whereas the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The laughter yoga group had significantly lower posttest VAS scores compared with the control group in all VMS (P < .05). Furthermore, the posttest PSQI score of the laughter yoga group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < .05). Although there was no significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores obtained by the control group from the VAS and PSQI (P > .05), the intervention group exhibited a statistically significant difference in their pretest and posttest VAS and PSQI scores (P < .05; P < .001, respectively). The results indicate that laughter yoga is an effective method for reducing VMS and improving sleep quality.

Does yoga improve sexual function? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Yoga practice can increase blood flow in the genital area, increase muscular strength, and improve body perception, which is related to sexual function. This study aimed to summarize the available evidence about the effects of yoga on sexual function in adults.

METHODS

Systematic searches of five databases were conducted from inception to April 28, with the last update on September 28, 2023. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared yoga with nonintervention control groups on sexual function in adults. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2, and the GRADE approach, respectively. Summary effect size measures were calculated using a random-effects model estimation and are reported as standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Reporting followed the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Ten RCTs that comprised 730 adults (range mean age, 26.64-68.2 years; 680 [93.2 %] women) were included. For the primary outcome, yoga intervention was associated with a significant small improvement in sexual function (-0.31; -0.47 to -0.15, p = 0.0002), with some concerns about risk of bias in nine RCTs (90%) and low-certainty evidence. Subgroup analyses revealed that yoga interventions performed by women (-0.36; -0.52 to -0.21, p < 0.00001), healthy individuals (-0.38; -0.59 to -0.16, p = 0.0006), or middle-aged individuals (-0.44; -0.63 to -0.25, p < 00001) significantly improved sexual function compared with control groups.

CONCLUSION

Yoga was associated with a small improvement in sexual function compared with nonintervention control groups in adults. However, high-quality, larger RCTs are required to draw more definitive conclusions.

Estimation of prakriti (body constitution) in women of Eastern Maharashtra tribal belt of central India featuring early and premature menopause

Introduction

Prakriti (body constitution) is the essential fundamental of Ayurveda. In female physiology, it plays a crucial role in determining the age of menarche and menopause. Recent research has shown that early menopause occurs in tribal women. Vagbhata states that a kapha dosha pradhan prakriti female has a longer menstrual life [i.e., reproductive period] compared to the vata and pitta prakriti females. This study was done to estimate prakriti in females who attain early and premature menopause in the tribal population to provide optimal care for tribal women through primary and whole health systems.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was carried out in four villages of Nagpur district territory of Eastern Maharashtra, the central zone of India after seeking permission from IEC. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the 80%, and above tribal people, 169 married women who attained early or premature menopause were included. Post-menopausal women were selected for the study, and females with hysterectomy, secondary amenorrhea, and other major illnesses were excluded from the study. Data were collected by survey method with the help of a pre-validated questionnaire.

Observation and Result

Out of 169 females 57.98% of females were of vata prakriti, 24.85% of females were of pitta prakriti, and 17.15% of females were of kapha prakriti. The prevalence of early or premature menopause of vata prakriti females is 57.98.

Discussion

Vata dosha characteristics such as ruksha, laghu, sheeta, and khara in vata prakriti females lead to early or premature menopause. To avoid early or premature menopause in tribal females, ghee (ghrit) and milk can be included in dietary habits, lifestyle modification, and awareness counseling may prove beneficial.

Conclusion

Early or premature menopause is observed largely in vata prakriti females of Nagpur district, Eastern Maharashtra, tribal zone of Central Inda.

Effects of different physiotherapy modalities on insomnia and depression in perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Menopause is the time that marks passing 12 months after the last menstruation cycle in women between ages 40-50. Menopausal women often experience depression and insomnia that significantly impact their overall well-being and quality of life. This systematic review aims to determine the effects of different therapeutic physiotherapy modalities on insomnia and depression in perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women.

METHODOLOGY

After identifying our inclusion/exclusion criteria, we conducted a database search in Ovid Embase, MIDRIS, PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceOpen, where 4007 papers were identified. By using EndNote software, we excluded duplicates, unrelated, and non-full text papers. Adding more studies from manual search, we finally included 31 papers including 7 physiotherapy modalities: exercise, reflexology, footbath, walking, therapeutic and aromatherapy massage, craniofacial message, and yoga.

RESULTS

Reflexology, yoga, walking and aromatherapy massage showed an overall significant impact on decreasing insomnia and depression in menopausal women. Most of exercise and stretching interventions also showed improvement in sleep quality but inconsistent findings regarding depression. However, insufficient evidence was found regarding the effect of craniofacial massage, footbath, and acupressure on improving sleep quality and depression in menopausal women.

CONCLUSION

Using non-pharmaceutical interventions such as therapeutic and manual physiotherapy have an overall positive impact on reducing insomnia and depression in menopausal women.

How do Body Practices Affect the Psychological Aspects of Survivors Women Undergoing Treatment for Breast Cancer? Systematic Literature Review

Introduction: Body practices can bring physical, psychological benefits and social rehabilitation and may be an alternative treatment for breast cancer. Objective: To analyze the evidence of the results of body practices over the psychological aspects of survivors women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Method: Systematic blind and independent review from September to December 2021 following the PRISMA guidelines, carried out in the databases: Embase Elsevier; PubMed Central; ScienceDirect; Scopus Elsevier and Web of Science – Core Collection. Results: Of 1,372 studies identified, 22 were included in this systematic review. Among the practices that stood out are meditation and Yoga, with anxiety being the most investigated variable by the studies. It is clear that body practices are options for non-pharmacological clinical treatments utilized in clinical practice by different health professionals in women who have survived breast cancer. Conclusion: Body practices proved to be beneficial in the treatment and psychological health of women who survived breast cancer. This evidence may help to implement body practices as a therapeutic resource to be used in the clinical practice of health professionals. However, more randomized clinical trials that follow study protocols more rigorously are suggested, so that the effectiveness of this approach can be evaluated in different clinical outcomes.