The heated environment in Bikram yoga does not play a role in causing improvements in vascular health.

‘It is not necessary for yoga to be performed at a hot temperature since the beneficial effects are also being seen at room temperature.’

The research showed that Bikram yoga can reduce changes in the lining of blood vessels that are involved in the development and progression of heart disease. It also found that it can possibly delay the progression of atherosclerosis, which is a disease in which plaque builds up inside arteries and can cause heart attack or stroke. However, crucially, it found that it is not necessary for the yoga to be performed at a hot temperature with the effects also being seen at room temperature. 




80 participants were enrolled and randomised to one of three study groups after preliminary screening. In addition to the heated and room temperature yoga groups, a control group was also included to account for the effect of time on our primary results. The intervention lasted for 12 weeks and participants were asked to attend 3 Bikram yoga classes per week.
Stacy D Hunter, corresponding author said, 'The new finding from this investigation was that the heated practice environment did not seem to play a role in eliciting improvements in vascular health with Bikram yoga. This is the first publication to date to show a beneficial effect of the practice in the absence of the heat.'
Source-Eurekalert