Diaphragmatic breathing exercise as a therapeutic intervention for control of oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus

• Published in: Complementary therapies in clinical practice Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 151 - 153
• Main Authors: Hegde, Shreelaxmi V, Adhikari, Prabha, Subbalakshmi, N.K, Nandini, M, Rao, Gayathri M, D'Souza, Vivian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Breathing Exercises; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - therapy; Diaphragm; Diaphragmatic breathing; Glutathione - blood; Glycated hemoglobin; Glycated Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Humans; Internal Medicine; Malondialdehyde - blood; Medical Education; Middle Aged; Nursing; Oxidative Stress; Standard of Care; Superoxide Dismutase - blood; Type 2 diabetes; Waist-Hip Ratio; India; Type 2 diabetes; Antioxidants; Oxidative stress; Glycated hemoglobin; Diaphragmatic breathing
• ISSN: 1744-3881; 1873-6947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.04.002

Abstract Present study aims to evaluate the effect of diaphragmatic breathing on anthropometry, blood pressure, glycemic control and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes on standard care in comparison with standard care alone. Study involved 123 patients who were assigned to receive either standard care or with additional diaphragmatic breathing for 3 months. In comparison with the control group, diaphragmatic breathing resulted in significant reduction in body mass index, waist-hip ratio, fasting and post prandial plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and improvement in glutathione and vitamin C. There was no difference in waist circumference, blood pressure and vitamin E in intervention group at follow-up. It can be concluded that diaphragmatic breathing can be employed as an effective therapy in reducing the oxidative stress while it can be incorporated as an add-on therapy to standard care in improving the anthropometry and glycemic parameters in type 2 diabetes.