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BioPsychoSocial Medicine

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Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research

Profile of mood states and stress-related biochemical indices in long-term yoga practitioners

Authors: Kazufumi Yoshihara, Tetsuya Hiramoto, Nobuyuki Sudo, Chiharu Kubo

Published in: BioPsychoSocial Medicine | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Background

Previous studies have shown the short-term or intermediate-term practice of yoga to be useful for ameliorating several mental disorders and psychosomatic disorders. However, little is known about the long-term influences of yoga on the mental state or stress-related biochemical indices. If yoga training has a stress-reduction effect and also improves an individual's mental states for a long time, long-term yoga practitioners may have a better mental state and lower stress-related biochemical indices in comparison to non-experienced participants. This study simultaneously examined the differences in mental states and urinary stress-related biochemical indices between long-term yoga practitioners and non-experienced participants.

Methods

The participants were 38 healthy females with more than 2 years of experience with yoga (long-term yoga group) and 37 age-matched healthy females who had not participated in yoga (control group). Their mental states were assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. The level of cortisol, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and biopyrrin in urine were used as stress-related biochemical indices.

Results

The average self-rated mental disturbance, tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, and fatigue scores of the long-term yoga group were lower than those of the control group. There was a trend toward a higher vigor score in the long-term yoga group than that in the control group. There were no significant differences in the scores for depression and confusion in the POMS between the two groups. The urine 8-OHdG concentration showed a trend toward to being lower in the long-term yoga group in comparison to the control group. There were no significant differences in the levels of urine biopyrrin or cortisol.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that long-term yoga training can reduce the scores related to mental health indicators such as self-rated anxiety, anger, and fatigue.

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Title: Profile of mood states and stress-related biochemical indices in long-term yoga practitioners
Authors: Kazufumi Yoshihara
Tetsuya Hiramoto
Nobuyuki Sudo
Chiharu Kubo
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BioPsychoSocial Medicine / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1751-0759
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0759-5-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Profile of mood states and stress-related biochemical indices in long-term yoga practitioners

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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