Key result
A 6-month regular yoga intervention significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, increasing VO2 max by 2.80 mL/kg/min compared to 0.15 mL/kg/min in non-performers, and markedly reduced anxiety scores.
Why the study?
Youth face distress from high demands and expectations, and the effect of yoga on anxiety levels and cardiorespiratory fitness required ascertainment.
Does a regular yogic regime improve cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) and reduce anxiety in young medical students?
Cohort (n=99)
No
Does a regular yogic regime improve cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) and reduce anxiety in young medical students?
Absolute Event Rate: 2.8% vs 0.15%
p-value: p=0.0004
A regular 6-month yogic regime significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max) and reduced anxiety levels in young medical students.
Yoga may improve fitness and anxiety in students; hypothesis-generating pending randomized trials.
Background: Globalization endangers youngsters worldwide with new standards and possibilities. Hereat of being exposed to greater demands and expectations, when it comes to performance review, their life may become more distressed. Yoga with revolutionary methods may assist youngsters in bettering their physical health regarding their maximal oxygen uptake, and also help manage their anxiety. This study ascertains the effect of yoga on youth's anxiety levels and cardio-respiratory fitness. Methods: It was a longitudinal interventional study recruiting 99 medical students wherein VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) on the treadmill/ergometer exercise and anxiety scores through Spielberger's anxiety scale was assessed at baseline and evaluated after 6 months of a regular yogic regime. The VO2 max was recorded by the metabolic module of Labchart software (Bella Vista, New South Wales, Australia). Findings: The VO2 max evaluated by incremental exercise to volitional fatigue was found to be 2.64 ± 0.49 L/min in males and 1.51 ± 0.44 L/min in females pre-yoga and 2.81 ± 0.52 L/min in males and 1.69 ± 0.47 L/min in females post yoga. The difference in the endline and baseline VO2 max values of yoga-performing males (t=6.595, p<0.001) and females (t = 2.478, p = 0.017) was found to be significantly higher than non-yoga performers. The METS value obtained in males was 11.96 and in females was 7.68 before yoga. Post-yoga values were 13.44 and 8.37, respectively. The difference in total anxiety scores post-intervention was 34.6 which was statistically significant (t= 4.959, p <0.001). Conclusion: From the viewpoint of a physiologist, higher VO2 max in young adults links to better physical fitness which is the potential outcome of regular yogic practice. As a result of regular yogic practice, initial soaring anxiety levels of subjects culminated in a drastic observable reduction in anxiety, which helped inculcate a judicious acumen in youngsters.
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Mittal et al. (2023) conducted a cohort in Anxiety and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness (n=99). Yoga vs. Irregular or no yoga practice was evaluated on Change in VO2 max (mL/kg/min) (p=0.0004). A 6-month regular yoga intervention significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, increasing VO2 max by 2.80 mL/kg/min compared to 0.15 mL/kg/min in non-performers, and markedly reduced anxiety scores.
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