Abstract
AIMS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease increase cardiometabolic risk. This randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of cyclic yoga, a structured asana sequence, on anthropometric, glycemic, lipid, and hepatic parameters in overweight women with both conditions. METHODS: Forty overweight women (mean age 50.5 ± 5.5 years) with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were randomized to either an eight-week cyclic yoga intervention (three sessions/week) or a control group maintaining usual activities. Pre- and post-intervention, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance, lipid profile, liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase), anthropometric parameters were measured and analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The cyclic yoga group showed significant reductions in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, weight, body mass index, hip circumference, waist circumference, with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to control group. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclic yoga appears to improve glycemic control, lipid profiles, liver enzymes, and anthropometric indices in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These findings suggest that cyclic yoga may be a safe, practical, and cost-effective complementary therapy to improve metabolic and hepatic health in this high-risk population, although larger and longer term studies are warranted.