Impact of yoga training on hematological markers in normotensive college students: A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Yoga has gained popularity as a holistic practice that promotes physical and mental well-being. Despite its growing popularity, there is a lack of solid evidence regarding the clinical relevance of yoga for various medical conditions. This randomized controlled aimed to investigate the impact of yoga training on hematological markers in normotensive college students. The study participants consisted of twenty normotensive college students who were randomly assigned to either a yoga training group or a control group. Over a 12-week period (6 days/week), the yoga group engaged in 80-minute yoga sessions, focusing on body postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, while the control group did not receive any specific intervention. The hematological markers of both groups were measured at baseline and at the termination of the intervention period. The results of the study reported that yoga group experienced significant changes in the levels of red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, lymphocyte%, neutrophils, mean distribution width count, platelets, and mean platelet volume as compared to control group (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in the mean corpuscular hemoglobin, red cell distribution, white blood cell, lymphocyte, and platelet counts. Considering these results, it can be concluded that yoga practice may be effective in overall physiological health among normotensive college students.
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