ReviewCureus2026
Effects of Isha Yoga Practices on Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Controlled Studies.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The global burden of chronic diseases and mental health disorders has intensified the need for holistic interventions such as yoga. Isha Yoga, a comprehensive system integrating physical postures, breathwork, and meditation, has demonstrated preliminary benefits in stress reduction and physiological regulation. This systematic review evaluates the effects of Isha Yoga practices on mental and physical health outcomes in controlled studies. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to July 2025. Eligible studies employed controlled designs, including randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised controlled studies, and cross-sectional comparative studies that evaluated the effects of Isha Yoga practices on health-related outcomes with comparators. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool for RCTs and the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool for non-randomised studies. Due to heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was performed, grouped by outcomes with subgroups for expertise and dosage. Nine studies were included: three RCTs, four non-RCTs, and two cross-sectional studies. Mental health benefits were consistent, with moderate-to-large reductions in stress (four studies; d=0.27-0.94), anxiety and depression (three studies; d=0.48-1.88), and improvements in well-being and resilience (four studies; d=0.32-0.78). Physiological outcomes demonstrated enhanced heart rate variability (one study; p=0.01-0.02), reduced inflammation and metabolic markers (two studies; p<0.02), and microbiome shifts (one study; p
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