Therapeutic Yoga in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continues to rise, driven by aging populations, sedentary lifestyles, and complex metabolic and endocrine dysfunctions. Alongside pharmacological therapies, lifestyle-based interventions have gained growing attention for their potential to improve glycemic control, cardiometabolic health, psychological well-being, and long-term disease outcomes. Among these, therapeutic yoga (encompassing physical postures, breath regulation, meditation, and mindfulness-based practices) has emerged as a promising integrative approach that may address multiple dimensions of diabetes pathophysiology. Evidence suggests that yoga can positively influence insulin sensitivity, autonomic balance, stress hormone regulation, inflammation, body composition, and lipid profiles, while also improving mood, sleep quality, and self-management behaviors. Despite these encouraging findings, the mechanisms, clinical applications, and long-term effects of therapeutic yoga in T2DM remain incompletely understood, and high-quality research is needed to clarify its role within modern diabetes care.This Research Topic aims to bring together multidisciplinary perspectives that advance the understanding of therapeutic yoga as an adjunctive strategy in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes and its complications. We welcome contributions that integrate clinical, behavioral, physiological, and mechanistic insights to clarify how yoga-based interventions influence metabolic, endocrine, cardiovascular, and psychosocial aspects of T2DM. Submissions focusing on diverse populations, varied therapeutic settings, personalized approaches, and implementation challenges are also encouraged, as are studies addressing scalability and health equity in diabetes care.Potential themes include, but are not limited to:• Effects of therapeutic yoga on glycemic control, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome components in individuals with T2DM• Impact of yoga on autonomic function, stress physiology, and inflammation as contributors to metabolic dysregulation• Yoga-based interventions for weight management, obesity, and body composition changes relevant to diabetes progression• Roles of yoga in improving cardiovascular and microvascular complications associated with T2DM• Psychosocial and behavioral pathways through which yoga enhances diabetes self-management, adherence, and quality of life• Mechanistic studies exploring endocrine, metabolic, and autonomic responses to yoga practices• Implementation research on integrating therapeutic yoga into clinical diabetes care, community health programs, or digital-health platformsThis collection aims to support evidence-informed, integrative approaches to diabetes management and to stimulate new research directions in clinical endocrinology. Topic editors: Vinod Srivastava, Amit Singh Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77395/therapeutic-yoga-in-the-management-of-type-2-diabetes-mellitus