瑜珈改變基因表達
Yoga Changes the Gene Expression (English Below)
許多研究發現瑜珈對於身體及心理的幫助是有益的，但實際生化機制上是一個謎。挪威的奧斯陸大學最新研究顯示瑜珈練習對於基因表達(特別是免疫細胞)有快速及衝擊性的影響；這些數據顯示瑜珈練習的療癒效應會立即且全面性的影響身體的分子結構。
首先，瑜珈練習並不會改變你的基因，也就是下犬式做久了你不會變成一條狗，但瑜珈練習會影響你的基因表達(genetic expression)。何謂基因表達? DNA像是一部電影的膠卷，RNA像是電影的投射機，那麼製造出來的蛋白質變像是一部聲色俱佳的電影，這部電影就是基因的表達。換句話說，基因會像燈一樣被打開和關閉。
瑜珈的練習會造成一些基因的啟動，特別是免疫系統。
奧斯陸大學的研究了十名測試者，前兩天他們參與了兩小時的瑜珈練習，練習前後的抽血報告顯示，有111種的基因表達因此而改變 (Peripheral blood mononuclear cell 外週血單核細胞)。幾天後，他們讓這些測試者連續兩天在森林散步二小時，聽音樂放鬆，測試前後的抽血報告發現只有38樣基因表達被改變*。此項研究顯示瑜 珈是有效及快速地在基因層面提供對健康有益的因子。研究者說: 比起一般傳統的放鬆方式，瑜珈的練習在分子結構上影響較為廣泛。
Researchers first reported five years ago that practices such as yoga which elicit the “relaxation response” may have a long-term effect on gene expression. That’s the scientific term for whether a specific gene is “turned on,” meaning its protein or RNA product is being made. This latest study confirms those findings, links them to the body’s immune system, and suggests this effect may be instantaneous.
First of all, yoga doesn’t change your Gene (you won’t turn into a dog doing downward facing dog) but it will affect your gene expression. What is Gene expression ? DNA is like a film of a movie, RNA is like the movie projector and the protein it created is like a movie. The movie is the expression of the gene. In other words, the gene can be turned on and off like a light switch.
The University of Oslo experiment featured 10 participants who attended a week-long yoga retreat in Germany. For the first two days, participants spent two hours practicing a comprehensive yoga program including yogic postures (asanas), yogic breathing exercises (in particular Sudarshan Kriya), and meditation. For the next two days, they spent that same time period going on an hour-long nature walk and then listening to either jazz or classical music.
Immediately before and after each of the four sessions, the researchers drew blood from each participant. They then isolated and analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which play a key role in the body’s immune system. The researchers found that the nature walk and music-driven relaxation changed the expression of 38 genes in these circulating immune cells. In comparison, the yoga produced changes in 111. *
The two regimens, to some degree, affect similar biological processes,” the researchers write. That said, they note that yoga's impact was far more widespread, which indicates the practice “may have additional effects over exercise plus simple relaxation in inducing health benefits through differential changes at the molecular level.”
* http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0061910
peripheral protein 在 Integral and Peripheral Membrane Proteins - YouTube 的八卦
... <看更多>