Effectiveness of pranayama on the levels of serum protein thiols and glutathione in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy: A randomized controlled trial

The effect of Pranayama on the levels of protein thiols and glutathione was studied among breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. 160 patients were randomised into experimental and control group using block randomisation. The experimental group received fractionated radiation for five days a week and performed Pranayama (Nadishodhana, Brahmari and Sheethali) for 30 minutes twice daily for five days a week. The control group received only radiation. Blood samples were collected from both the groups at the end of six weeks of radiation therapy and analysed for the levels of serum protein thiols and glutathione. An independent sample 't' test showed a significant difference in the level of serum protein thiols between the two groups (t = 4.43 p 0.001). A Mann Whitney U test showed a significant difference (z = -3.07 p 0.002) in the level of glutathione as well. These Pranayama techniques improve the antioxidant status of breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.