In 2013, Gordon, et. al., conducted study about Chronic renal disease which is often associated with oxidative stress, which can lead to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. To explore the potential benefits of yoga exercise as a therapeutic intervention, a recent study investigated its impact on oxidative stress indicators and oxidant status in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis.

This prospective randomized study involved 33 ESRD patients in the Hatha yoga exercise group, who were compared to 35 ESRD patients in a control group. The study measured various oxidative stress indicators and oxidative status in blood samples collected at the start of hemodialysis treatment (baseline, 0 months) and after four months.

1. Lipid peroxidation, as indicated by malondialdehyde (MDA), decreased by 4.0% after four months in the Hatha yoga exercise group (P = 0.096).
2. The activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) decreased significantly from 2.68 ± 0.02 IU / L to 2.34 IU / L (-12.7%; P = 0.010), while protein oxidation (POX) decreased from 2.28 ± 0.02 nmol / mg to 2.22 ± 0.01 nmol / mg (-22.6%; P = 0.0001) in the same group.
3. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly increased from 12.91 ± 0.17 U / L to 13.54 ± 0.15 U / L (4.65%; P = 0.0001), and catalase from 79.83 ± 0.63 U / L to 80.54 ± 0.80 U / L (0.90%; P = 0.0001).
4. There was a significant correlation between oxidative stress parameters before hemodialysis treatment at the beginning of the study and after four months for the activities of PLA2 (r = 0.440), catalase (r = 0.872), and SOD (r = 0.775).

The study’s findings indicate that Hatha yoga exercise has therapeutic, preventive, and protective effects on individuals with ESRD by reducing oxidative stress. These results offer valuable insights into the potential role of yoga as an adjunct therapy for ESRD patients, demonstrating its ability to mitigate oxidative stress, which can be a significant factor in the progression of renal disease. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term benefits and mechanisms underlying these positive outcomes.

Reference: Gordon, L., McGrowder, D. A., Pena, Y. T., Cabrera, E., & Lawrence-Wright, M. B. (2013). Effect of yoga exercise therapy on oxidative stress indicators with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis. International journal of yoga, 6(1), 31.