Immediate Effect of Bhastrika Pranayama on Glycemic Levels in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the widely prevalent chronic condition. Bhastrika , an intense and dynamic pranayama technique, is commonly practiced in yoga. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate impact of Bhastrika pranayama on random blood glucose levels (RBG) in individuals with T2DM. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 individuals with T2DM were randomly assigned to either the pranayama group (PG) or the control group (CG). Participants in the PG underwent Bhastrika for 10 min, while the CG underwent normal breathing for 10 min. The RBG levels were obtained pre- and post-intervention. Results: The findings demonstrated a significant decrease in RBG levels (from 189.10 mg/dl to 182.74; P = 0.004) immediately after Bhastrika pranayama in T2DM. However, RBG did not show significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Although between-group difference was not statistically significant, RBG significantly reduced immediately after Bhastrika pranayama, unlike normal breathing. This suggests that Bhastrika may have a potential glucose-lowering effect in T2DM, but additional research is needed to confirm these findings.