Yoga, the Integrated form of Exercise in Alleviating Symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOs)

By Kyle J. Norton (Master of Nutrients, All right reserved)
 

Yoga therapy may be considered an integrated form of exercise in reducing symptoms in women with Polycystic ovarian syndrome.

The polycystic ovarian syndrome is an endocrinologic disease among reproductive-age women caused by undeveloped follicles clumping on the ovaries that interfere with the function of the normal ovaries, associated with a high risk for the metabolic disorder.

Sadly, women with PCOs also have a higher risk of menstrual disorders, infertility, abnormal levels of hormone levels.

Certain medical conditions are also found to associate to the onset of PCOs such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Researchers do not know why women who process the same health condition and follow a similar diet pattern, some are susceptible to the onset of the syndrome, while others do not.

However, epidemiological studies suggested that family history of PCOs, fast food diet habits, body mass index and waist circumference are possible risk factors for the development of PCOS.

Some researchers also suggested that the mutated gene inherited from the parents are also a major factor that causes PCOs, including gene CYP11a.

Most common symptoms of PCOs include overexpression of acne, overweight or obesity, abdominal pain, the excessive male pattern of hair growth on the face, nipple area, chest, lower abdomen, bald spots, dark patches. In some women. The syndrome also can lead to psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Treatment of PCOs is totally depended on the presence of the symptoms including medication for treatment of overexpression of hormone androgen and insulin resistance.

Yoga, the ancient technique for harmonized external and internal body well being, through breath control, meditation, bodily movement, and gesture….. has been well known for people in the Western world and some parts in Asia.
 

In a study of Ninety (90) adolescent (15-18 years) girls from a residential college in Andhra Pradesh satisfied the Rotterdam criteria and randomly assigned into 2 groups with yoga group practiced a holistic yoga module, while the control group practiced a matching set of physical exercises (1 hour/day, for 12 weeks), researchers after adjusting to other co confounders, showed that
*Yoga group expressed a significant change in hormones Anti-müllerian hormone AMH luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH/FSH ratio and particularly in hormone testosterone, compared to control.
 

* Yoga group also showed an improvement of The Ferriman–Gallwey score in evaluating and quantifying Hirsutism.
 

* There were an insignificant change of FSH and prolactin after intervention in both groups.
 

*4. More importantly, yoga group displayed favorably in changes of menstrual frequency compared to control

Dr. Nidhi R, the led author after reviewing the efficacy in yoga group, said, “A holistic yoga program for 12 weeks is significantly better than physical exercise in reducing AMH, LH, and testosterone, mFG score for hirsutism, and improving menstrual frequency with nonsignificant changes in body weight, FSH, and prolactin in adolescent PCOS”

The efficacy of yoga practice in reducing the expression of the male pattern of hair growth and changes of menstrual frequency is attributed to meditation and slow breathing in calming the central nervous system in response to hormone production. Thus reducing overexpression of certain hormones that associate to the symptoms of PCOs.
 

Additionally, in the investigated yoga therapy in the reduced primary symptoms of glucose metabolism and blood lipid levels in adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome in same above group met the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS, researchers found that

* Yoga intervention displays a significant improvement of fasting insulin, fasting blood glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance compared to control.
 

* Yoga group also expresses a strong effect in blood lipid values except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
 

* There was no change of body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio, in both groups

Interestingly, in the study of possible use of Kapalabhati yoga technique to combat metabolic syndrome (MS) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), researchers at the Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences conducted a review of published literature from PubMed, Scopus, and found that Kapalabhati may be helpful in reducing symptoms of various features of MS, but its efficacy against PCOS had not been found.

Dr. Ansari RM after adjusting to other aspects said, “since both syndromes arise due to a common factor hyperinsulinemia primarily induced by stress in this modern world, it is hypothesized that Kapalabhati holds good against PCOS too “.

How yoga exhibited these kinds of effect are unclear, However, according to the article “Yoga for a Metabolic Makeover” written by CATHERINE GUTHRIE stress relief and feelings of well-being fostered by a regular yoga practice serve to rebalance the nervous system may be the major factor that  has a strong effect in the improvement of metabolic syndrome through reducing the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokine in facilitating the onset of type 2 diabetes and lipid peroxidation, thus reducing the risk of insulin resistance and high blood cholesterol”
 

The information collected from above differentiation suggested that yoga may be used as a secondary and integrated form of exercise combined with standard treatment in reduceing the symptoms of PCOs.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrition
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it’s news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada – Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Effects of a holistic yoga program on endocrine parameters in adolescents with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a randomized controlled trial by Nidhi R1, Padmalatha V, Nagarathna R, Amritanshu R.(PubMed)
(2) Effect of a yoga program on glucose metabolism and blood lipid levels in adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome by Nidhi R1, Padmalatha V, Nagarathna R, Ram A.(PubMed)
(2) Kapalabhati pranayama: An answer to modern day polycystic ovarian syndrome and coexisting metabolic syndrome? by Ansari RM1.(PubMed)