Published on September 24th, 2014 | by Natural Awakenings Staff
0Yoga Practices Pump Up Detoxifying Antioxidants
Indian researchers recruited 64 physically fit males from the Indian Air Force Academy for a three-month study of yoga’s effect on detoxification. For three months, 34 of the volunteers practiced hatha yoga with pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. The other 30 volunteers underwent physical training exercises.
At the end of the study, blood tests found significantly higher levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C and vitamin E, among subjects in the yoga group. These participants also showed lower levels of oxidized glutathione and increased levels of two important antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase, all indicating better detoxification. Meanwhile, the exercise-only group showed no changes in these parameters.