Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026
Resting-State Connectivity and Neuroimaging of Prefrontal Cortex Activity During a Block-Design Yoga Asana Practice Using fNIRS
Published on: June 24, 2025
Regular Yoga Practice Improves Antioxidant Status, Immune Function, and Stress Hormone Releases in Young Healthy
Sung-Ah Lim1, Kwang-Jo Cheong1
1Department of Beauty and Healthcare, College of Public Health Care, Daejeon University , Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
The aim of the present study is to highlight the beneficial effects of yoga practice on bio-parameters, such as oxidative stress, antioxidant components, immune functions, and secretion of stress hormones, in healthy young people.
Study Design:
This study was conducted on healthy volunteers recruited from among university students, who were divided into two groups: a control (no yoga intervention, n=13) group and a yoga (n=12) group. Yoga practice was with an instructor for 90 minutes once a week spread over 12 weeks, with recommendations to practice daily at home for 40 minutes with the help of a DVD. The yoga program consisted of yoga body poses (asanas), exercises involving awareness, voluntary regulation of breath (pranayama), and meditational practices. Whole blood samples were collected when the volunteers had fasted for 8 hours at 0 and 12 weeks. The oxidative stress/antioxidant components, immune-related cytokines, and stress hormones were evaluated in serum or plasma.
Results:
Serum levels of nitric oxide, F2-isoprostane, and lipid peroxide were significantly decreased by yoga practice (p<0.05 or p=0.01), whereas serum total glutathione (GSH) contents, activities of GSH-peroxidase, and GSH-s-transferase were remarkably increased after yoga practice compared with the control group (p<0.05 or p=0.01). Yoga practice also significantly increased immune-related cytokines, such as interleukin-12, and interferon-γ, in serum (p<0.05 or p=0.01). Yoga practice significantly reduced the plasma levels of adrenalin (p<0.05) and increased plasma levels of serotonin compared with the control group (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Regular yoga practice remarkably attenuated oxidative stress and improved antioxidant levels of the body. Moreover, yoga beneficially affected stress hormone releases as well as partially improved immune function.
More Related Videos
10:45A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings
Published on: January 22, 2018
08:16Method for the Assessment of Effects of a Range of Wavelengths and Intensities of Red/near-infrared Light Therapy on Oxidative Stress In Vitro
Published on: March 21, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:25Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the...
01:24Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
01:26Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
01:28Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...