The objective of the study was to investigate the short-term impact of a brief lifestyle intervention of yoga and traditional Physical Training (PT) exercise regimens on: serum insulin, percentage insulin binding receptor, internalization of insulin-receptor complex, T3, T4, TSH and cortisol at baseline, 3 months and 6 months in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 231 patients completed this prospective randomized study with 77 type 2 diabetic patients in the yoga group (62 females and 15 males) that were matched with the same number of patients in the traditional Physical Training (PT) exercise and control groups. Biochemical parameters such as fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), serum insulin, percentage insulin binding receptor and internalization of insulin-receptor complex were determined at the beginning (baseline) and two consecutive three monthly intervals. The effect of the lifestyle interventions on hormones such as cortisol, TSH, T4 and T3 were also investigated. The FBG concentration in the yoga and the traditional PT exercise groups were markedly decreased compared with control (p < 0.05). The percentage of insulin binding receptor increased in the yoga and traditional PT exercise groups at the sixth month when compared to baseline and this parameter in the traditional PT exercise group differs significantly from that of the control group at the six month (p = 0.024). There was no significant difference in the percentage of internalization of the insulin receptor complex amongst the three groups (p = 0.465). There was no significant change in T3, T4, TSH or cortisol in any of the three groups over the six month period (p > 0.05). The findings indicates the beneficial effects of yoga and traditional PT exercise regimens in improving glycaemic control by increasing percentage insulin binding receptor in type 2 diabetic patients with no significant change in cortisol and thyroid hormones.

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