Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2025

Assessment of Murine Exercise Endurance Without the Use of a Shock Grid: An Alternative to Forced Exercise
Published on: August 14, 2014
Yoga improves immunosuppression after a prolonged intense exercise
Nobuhiko Eda1,2, Hiroki Tabata2,3, Ryota Sone4
11Department of Fundamental Education, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
Purpose:
This study aimed to determine the effects of yoga on the recovery of the cardiac autonomic nervous system and immunosuppression after intense exercise.
Methods:
Seven healthy adult men were enrolled in two trials: rest for 30 min in a seated position (CON) and yoga for 30 min (YOG) after a treadmill running for 60 min at 75% V˙ O2max in a randomized crossover design. Natural killer (NK) cell activity, salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), cortisol, testosterone, and indicators related to heart rate variability, mood states, and muscle soreness were measured before exercise (Pre), immediately (P0) and 60 min (P1) after rest or yoga, and the following morning (P2).
Results:
NK cell activity was significantly decreased in the CON trial (P < 0.05) but not in the YOG trial. The decrease in NK cell activity from Pre at P0, P1, and P2 in the CON trial was significantly larger than that in the YOG trial (P < 0.05). Testosterone secretion rate tended to be higher after yoga than at rest (P = 0.052). The square root of the mean squared difference of successive normal-to-normal intervals (RMSSD) at P0 in the YOG trial was significantly higher than that in the CON trial (P < 0.05). Changes in NK cell activity correlated with changes in RMSSD (r = 0.445, P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
This study showed that yoga can alleviate the decline of NK cell activity after intense exercise by enhancing parasympathetic nerve activity, thus suggesting that yoga may be an effective recovery method for athlete conditioning.
More Related Videos
07:26Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
04:37Finger-stick Blood Sampling Methodology for the Determination of Exercise-induced Lymphocyte Apoptosis
Published on: February 24, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Exercise 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...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Tumor Immunotherapy
Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...