Researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi assessed the efficacy of a brief yoga-based intervention on lowering stress and reducing inflammation in patients with chronic inflammatory disease in a preliminary study with a pre-post design.

Subjects were patients with chronic inflammatory diseases and others who suffered from being overweight or obese.
   
The program consisted of asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), stress management, group discussions, lectures, and individualized coaching.

Outcomes were changes from day 0 to day 10 in plasma cortisol and β-endorphin to measure reductions in stress: and interleukin [IL]-6 and tumor necrosis factor [TNF] - to measure reductions in inflammation.

Eighty-six patients (44 female, 42 male, average age 40.07) attended this program. Overall, the mean level of cortisol decreased from baseline to day 10 (149.95 ± 46.07, 129.07 ± 33.30 ng/mL; p=0.001), while β-endorphins increased from baseline to day 10 (3.53 ± 0.88, 4.06 ± 0.79 ng/mL; p=0.024).
 
Additionally, there was a reduction from baseline to day 10 in mean levels of IL-6 (2.16 ± 0.42, 1.94 ± 0.10 pg/mL, p=0.036) and TNF-α (2.85 ± 0.59, 1.95 ± 0.32 pg/mL, p=0.002).
The investigators conclude that this brief yoga-based lifestyle intervention reduced markers of stress and inflammation as early as after 10 days in patients with chronic diseases;  however, completed results are pending to finalize this.
 
Citation:  Yadav RK, Magan D, Mehta N, Sharma R, Mahapatra SC. Efficacy of a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention in reducing stress and inflammation: preliminary results. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2012 Jul;18 (7): pages 662-7. [email protected]