EFFICACY OF INTEGRATED YOGA AS AN EFFECTIVE NON-INVASIVE THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM IN ADULTS – A TELE-YOGA PROGRAM

Abstract

Background: Thyroid dysfunction significantly impacts quality of life, with hypothyroidism recognized as a major public health concern due to its physical and psychological effects. It results from reduced secretion of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), hormones essential for regulating metabolic and physiological functions. Conventional management with levothyroxine (LT4) effectively restores hormone levels but may not fully address quality-of-life impairments or long-term side effects. Complementary approaches such as yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation have shown promise in improving endocrine function via neuroendocrine modulation. Aim: To evaluate the effect of a Scientific Yoga Module (SYM), delivered through telehealth, as an adjunct to LT4 therapy in the management of hypothyroidism. Methods: A two-phase study was conducted. In Phase I, a tele-yoga SYM was developed from classical and modern literature targeting the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. Expert validation using Lawshe’s CVR method (cut-off 0.29) finalized 24 of 31 practices for digital delivery, which were found feasible and safe in community testing. In Phase II, a single-blind, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted over six months (April–September 2022) with 134 clinically diagnosed hypothyroid patients. Participants were randomized into a Yoga Intervention Group (YIG) and Waitlist Control Group (WCG). Primary outcome was Quality of Life (SF-36 HRQoL), and secondary outcomes included thyroid profile, BMI, blood pressure, perceived stress, fatigue, and personality measures. Data were analyzed using GLM with repeated measures ANOVA. Results: YIG showed highly significant improvements across all SF-36 domains (P<.001), especially in mental health, vitality, and emotional role functioning (ŋ² = 0.85–0.88). Secondary measures also improved significantly (P<.05). YPA scores and participant satisfaction were high (95.05%). Conclusion: Tele-yoga SYM as an adjunct to LT4 therapy significantly enhanced physiological and psychological outcomes, establishing its efficacy as a scalable, patient-centered eHealth approach for hypothyroidism management. Keywords – Hypothyroidism, Tele-yoga, digital health, Scientific Yoga Module (SYM), Health Related-Quality of Life (HRQoL), Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India (https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials) CTRI/2022/03/041047.