Shadiow, JamesTarumi, TakashiDhindsa, MandeepHunter, Stacy D.2019-07-312019-07-312019-01Shadiow, J., Tarumi, T., Dhindsa, M., & Hunter, S. D. (2018). A comparison of blood viscosity and hematocrit levels between yoga practitioners and sedentary adults. International Journal of Exercise Science, 11(2), pp. 425–432.1939-795Xhttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/8427Elevations in whole blood viscosity (WBV) and hematocrit (Hct), have been linked with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Endurance training has been demonstrated to lower WBV and Hct; however, evidence supporting the efficacy of yoga on these measures is sparse. A cross-sectional study was conducted examining WBV and Hct levels between yoga practitioners with a minimum of 3 years of consistent practice and sedentary, healthy adults. Blood samples were collected from a total of 42 participants: 23 sedentary adults and 19 regular yoga practitioners. Brachial arterial blood pressure (BP) was measured and the averages of 3 measures were reported. The yoga practitioner group had significantly lower WBV at 45 s-1 (p < 0.01), 90 s-1 (p < 0.01), 220 s-1 (p < 0.05), and 450 s-1 (p < 0.05) than sedentary participants. No significant group differences in Hct (p =0.38) were found. A tendency toward lower systolic BP (p=0.06) was observed in the yoga practitioner group; however, no significant group differences in BP were exhibited. A consistent yoga practice was associated with lower WBV, a health indicator related to CVD risk. These findings support a regular yoga practice as a valid form of exercise for improving rheological indicators of cardiovascular health.Text8 pages1 file (.pdf)enalternative exerciserheological factorsbiomarkerscross-sectionalcardiovascular diseaseHealth and Human PerformanceArticle