Yoga-GABA link

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of mild exercise for the positive effect it has on mood and anxiety. In fact evidence now shows that climbing levels of GABA during prolonged and regular yoga may contribute to the increased sense of well being. The report can be found online at Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and while it seems like they may have proved the obvious, it is the first research to tie together yoga postures, GABA levels and decreased anxiety.

Low GABA levels are associated with depression and almost all types of mood disorders. The researchers compared GABA levels of those practicing various yoga positions with those who walked for equal amounts of time. The followed the two groups over a 12 week period. The researchers did magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) imaging of the participants’ brains before the experiment began. At the end of the last exercise sessions, the researchers compared the GABA levels of both groups.

Each person who participated was also asked to describe his or her psychological well being at several points during the 12 weeks. The people who practiced yoga postures reported a more significant decrease in anxiety and greater improvements in overall mood as compared to the group that walked. “Over time, positive changes in these reports were associated with climbing GABA levels,” said lead author Chris Streeter, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Boston University School of Medicine.

Further study is needed, but it seems clear that yoga should be added to the list of treatments for those suffering from depression, anxiety and other types of mood disorders.

Source: BUSM, ScienceDaily