EFFECTS OF YOGA ON INSULIN SENSITIVITY AND INDICES OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 心血管疾病（CVD）是女性死亡的主要原因，随着更年期的到来，CVD的风险急剧上升。 越来越多的证据表明，瑜伽练习可以提供一种安全且具有成本效益的策略，以减少CVD的风险因素。然而，在西方人群中进行的严格研究很少，瑜伽对健康绝经后妇女心血管疾病风险状况的影响尚未研究。 本研究将探讨为期8周的温和瑜伽课程对50-70岁健康绝经后妇女胰岛素抵抗和心血管风险相关指标的影响。 60名符合条件的久坐不动的志愿者将被随机分为瑜伽组或对照组（常规护理）。在8周治疗期之前和之后，将采集空腹血液样本，并测量CVD风险的特定标志物。 这些将包括胰岛素抵抗和葡萄糖耐量的测量，以及血脂谱;心率，血压，心率变异性;身体大小和组成，以及CVD风险的其他相关生理和心理标志物。 这项探索性的初步研究可能会产生关于瑜伽在预防绝经后妇女CVD中的潜在效用的重要信息，绝经后妇女是这种和其他相关严重慢性疾病风险增加的人群。 这项研究的结果还将提供初步数据，以支持一项更大规模的临床试验，调查瑜伽练习对绝经后妇女心血管疾病风险指数的影响。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in women, rises sharply with menopause. There is growing evidence that the practice of yoga may offer a safe and cost-effective strategy for reducing risk factors for CVD. However, rigorous studies in Western populations are few and the effects of yoga on CVD risk profiles in healthy postmenopausal women have not been studied. This study will investigate the effects of a gentle 8-week yoga program on insulin resistance and related indices of cardiovascular risk in healthy postmenopausal women aged 50-70. Sixty eligible, sedentary volunteers will be randomized into yoga or control (usual care) groups. Before and after the 8-week treatment period, fasting blood samples will be collected, and specific markers of CVD risk will be measured. These will include measures of insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, as well as lipid profiles; heart rate, blood pressure, heart rate variability; body size and composition, and other related physiological and psychological markers of CVD risk. This exploratory pilot study may yield important information on the potential utility of yoga in preventing CVD in postmenopausal women, a population at increased risk for this and other related serious chronic disorders. Findings of this study will also provide preliminary data to support a larger clinical trial investigating the influence of yoga practice on indices of CVD risk in women post-menopause.