A recent study by AIIMS Delhi reveals that yoga significantly benefits individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease marked by joint inflammation, pain, and potential impacts on the heart, lungs, and brain.
The Lab for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, the Anatomy Department, and the Rheumatology Department at AIIMS collaborated to examine yoga's cellular and molecular benefits for RA patients. The Ayush ministry announced that yoga reduces inflammation by regulating cellular damage and oxidative stress (OS), balancing pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, increasing endorphins, and reducing cortisol and CRP levels. This disrupts the inflammation cycle and overactive immune responses.
Yoga slows cellular aging by enhancing telomerase enzyme activity, DNA repair genes, and cell cycle regulation, improving mitochondrial function, energy metabolism, and reducing oxidative stress.
Dr. Rima Dada and her team, supported by the DST, found that yoga improves pain sensitivity, joint flexibility, disability, and overall quality of life for RA patients. Yoga's stress-reducing effects, which lower cortisol and improve mitochondrial function, contribute to these benefits. The research supports yoga as a complementary RA therapy, managing symptoms naturally without side effects, offering a cost-effective alternative to conventional treatments.
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