Research

Mixed

Yoga-based interventions significantly improve glycemic control (fasting and postprandial blood glucose, HbA1c) and lipid profiles (total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, HDL) in adults with Type 2 Diabetes compared to standard care or no treatment.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, incorporating a structured yoga program (at least 12 weeks, 3+ times per week) can significantly improve your blood sugar control and cholesterol levels. It works best when combined with your standard medical care, not as a replacement. The key is consistency and including both physical poses and breathing/meditation practices.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Collectively, 92% of the controlled trials reviewed, including 12/12 NRCTs and 10/12 RCTs, reported improvements in glucose control with yoga-based programs that were statistically and clinically significant, suggesting that yogic practices may improve glucose control in adults with DM2... Overall, 94% of the studies reviewed reported improvements in lipid levels following completion of yogic programs of varying intensity and duration.
Kim E. Innes et al. · Journal of Diabetes Research · 2015

Why this rating

The review includes 25 controlled trials (12 RCTs, 13 NRCTs) with 2170 participants, but notes methodological limitations and heterogeneity in protocols.

Source

Yoga for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials

Kim E. Innes et al. · Journal of Diabetes Research · 2015

DOI 10.1155/2016/6979370

systematic_review · n=2170Cited 240×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →