title: Efficacy of yoga for vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine the efficacy of yoga in alleviating vasomotor symptoms (VMS) frequency and bother.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a three-by-two factorial, randomized controlled trial. Eligible women were randomized to yoga (n = 107), exercise (n = 106), or usual activity (n = 142), and were simultaneously randomized to a double-blind comparison of ω-3 fatty acid (n = 177) or placebo (n = 178) capsules. Yoga intervention consisted of 12 weekly 90-minute yoga classes with daily home practice. Primary outcomes were VMS frequency and bother assessed by daily diaries at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index) at baseline and 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 249 randomized women, 237 (95%) completed 12-week assessments. The mean baseline VMS frequency was 7.4 per day (95% CI, 6.6 to 8.1) in the yoga group and 8.0 per day (95% CI, 7.3 to 8.7) in the usual activity group. Intent-to-treat analyses included all participants with response data (n = 237). There was no difference between intervention groups in the change in VMS frequency from baseline to 6 and 12 weeks (mean difference [yoga--usual activity] from baseline at 6 wk, -0.3 [95% CI, -1.1 to 0.5]; mean difference [yoga--usual activity] from baseline at 12 wk, -0.3 [95% CI, -1.2 to 0.6]; P = 0.119 across both time points). Results were similar for VMS bother. At week 12, yoga was associated with an improvement in insomnia symptoms (mean difference [yoga - usual activity] in the change in Insomnia Severity Index, 1.3 [95% CI, -2.5 to -0.1]; P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among healthy women, 12 weeks of yoga class plus home practice, compared with usual activity, do not improve VMS frequency or bother but reduce insomnia symptoms.
authors.affiliation: From the 1Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA; 2Departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA; 3Data Coordinating Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA; 4School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; 5Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Program of Northern California, Oakland, CA; 6School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN; 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN; 8Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; 9Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; 10Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; and 11Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Guthrie
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Cathryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Booth-LaForce
authors.forename: Bette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caan
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sternfeld
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Lee A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Learman
authors.forename: Ellen W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Lee S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Hadine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joffe
authors.forename: Garnet L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Kristine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ensrud
authors.forename: Andrea Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: LaCroix
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019122:Meditation; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015013:Yoga
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