Introduction: Postmenopause is an estrogen deficient state associated with increased incidence of deranged lipid profile, an important marker for cardiovascular diseases. CVD in projected to be the cause of 45% of deaths in Indian postmenopausal women by 2020.  Yoga has been described as having beneficial effect on lipid profile in many studies and populations.

Aims: The aim of our research was to study the effect of 3‑month long Yoga practice on lipid profile in early postmenopausal women within five years of their menopause.

Methods and Material : A prospective interventional study of 67 women within five years of menopause between 45 and 60 years of age attending the menopause clinic of a tertiary care hospital fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria and consenting were enrolled for study. Institutional Ethical Clearance (IEC- Lady Hardinge Medical College & SKH, New Delhi) was sought and obtained before conducting the study. The  group was divided into two groups on the basis of their willingness to join the Yoga intervention – Group 1(n=37)- Postmenopausal patients receiving routine management along with Yogic intervention and Group 2(n=30)- Postmenopausal patients receiving routine gynaecological management.Yoga group participants received intervention of Integrated Yoga module comprising asanas, pranayama, savasana, and OM chanting for a period of 12 weeks under a trained Yoga teacher from Department of Yoga, Naturopathy and Lifestyle Intervention, Department  of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India in addition to routine gynaecological management. Lipid profile of 37 cases (Yoga group) and 30 controls (non‑Yoga group) was measured pre and postintervention.  Statistical Analysis was done by GraphPad Prism Version 5 software. Values are a mean and standard error of mean. Mean and standard error of mean (Mean± SEM) of all the variables for both groups were calculated according to accepted statistical methods. Intergroup comparison was for parametric data was done using Unpaired ‘t’ test to compare the different parameters in Group 1and Group 2.  Intergroup comparison for non-parametric data was done using Mann-Whitney U test.  Intragroup comparison within Group 1and Group 2 for normally distributed data was done using Paired ‘t’ test. Intragroup comparison within Group 1 and Group 2 for non-parametric data was done using Wilcoxon matched pair  test. Statistical significance was set up at P < 0.05.

Result: A definite decrease was observed in S. Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) [189.3±6.03(post) vs 188.5±5.72 (pre)], S.Triglycerides (mg/dl) [(129.0±7.51(post) vs 122.3±8.77(pre)], T.VLDL (mg/dl) [(25.8±1.50 (post) vs 24.46±1.75(pre)] in the Yoga Group post intervention but it failed to achieve statistical significance. In the Non-Yoga Group, S. Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) [(187.6±6.36 (post) vs 196.4±5.58 (pre)], T.LDL(mg/dl) [(113.8±4.82 (post)  vs 121.2±4.69 (pre)] worsened after 3 months while S.Triglycerides (mg/dl) [(153.2±14.93 (post)  vs 152.8±10.66 (pre)] and T.VLDL (mg/dl) (30.65±2.98 (post)  vs 30.56±2.13 (pre)] remained relatively unchanged. S.HDL(mg/dl) remained predominantly unchanged in both groups.

Conclusion: Three‑month long Yoga practice attenuated worsening of lipid profile in early postmenopausal women and has the potential to prevent early onset of atherosclerosis and consequent cardiovascular diseases in our population if instated early in menopause.