Peripheral Cellular Aging Biomarker, Depression and Quality of Life Changes After Yoga and Meditation Among Indians with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) has a significant emotional impact on couples, especially the woman, which can cause depression, accelerated cellular aging and decreased quality of life. Effects of yoga and meditation on these parameters are not studied previously.

Methods: Indian women (n = 80) with a history of RPL were randomized to YMLI (n = 39), a program for integrated management of lifestyle diseases or a control group (n = 41) receiving routine medical care (RMC) (for 12 weeks). Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS), World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) scale, and measures of peripheral biomarkers of cellular aging were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. Biomarkers include DNA damage, oxidative stress (OS), and telomere attrition assessed respectively by 8-hydroxy 2`- deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG); reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC); telomere length and telomerase activity. We report changes between groups at 12 weeks in depression, QOL and cellular aging biomarkers using 2-sample Wilcoxon t tests and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models.

Results: At 12 weeks, the intervention group compared with the control group reported significant decreases in depression symptoms, significant increases in all domains of WHOQOL-BREF, significant decreases in ROS and 8-OHdG, and significant increases in TAC and telomerase activity (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The short-term YMLI program was effective at decreasing depression and increasing QOL in Indians having RPL and changed biomarkers of cellular aging associated with RPL risk. Results can inform future study designs.

KEY WORDS: Yoga; Meditation; Aging; Depression; RPL; Biomarker; Oxidative stress; DNA damage