Yoga Lowers Fatigue, Inflammation in Breast Cancer Patients

Yoga can reduce fatigue and lower inflammation in breast cancer patients, a new study has found.

According to researchers at The Ohio State University and colleagues, breast cancer patients who practiced yoga for just three months were able to cope better with the side-effects of treatment than other patients.

Yoga is among the top ten complementary health practices used by Americans. In a survey, nearly 6 percent of the U.S population reported that they practiced yoga the previous year, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. There are many types of yoga of which the "hatha yoga"- one that involves poses and breathing exercises- is most popular.

The study was based on data from 200 women between ages 26 and 76. Half of the participants were put on twice-a-week 90-minute "hatha yoga sessions," according to Livescience. All the women in the study had undergone treatment for breast cancer sometime in the past.

Researchers used questionnaires to gauge the mood of the participants and blood samples to look for changes in levels of inflammation biomarkers.

Study analysis showed that women in the yoga group had a 41 percent reduction in fatigue and a 12 percent higher score on vitality scale when compared to other women.

Researchers checked for inflammation by looking at three biomarkers- interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a).

 The team found that levels of the three biomarkers dropped for the yoga group, but not for other participants. Chronic inflammation can cause several health complications and is a major risk factor for diabetes type-2.

"We were really surprised by the data because some more recent studies on exercise have suggested that exercise interventions may not necessarily lower inflammation unless people are substantially overweight or have metabolic problems," said lead author Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry and psychology at The Ohio State University, according to a news release. "In this group, the women didn't lose weight, but we saw really marked reductions in inflammation. So this was a particularly striking finding biologically."

Researchers also found that women who practiced yoga for more than three months had additional health benefits. These women reported greater reduction in depression and had better sleep quality than others.

The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Complementary Medicine

Yoga is one of the several complementary treatments that can be used to ease side-effects of cancer treatment.  Tai chi, meditation, aroma therapy and even art therapy are considered effective in managing cancer-associated weakness and depression. A recent study had found that breast cancer patients can benefit from acupuncture.