The acute effects of vinyasa flow yoga on vascular function, lipid and glucose concentrations, and mood Author: Alexander A PiƱa1, James Shadiow1, A Tobi Fadeyi1, Anabel Chavez1, Stacy D Hunter2 Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory, Texas State University, Department of Health and Human Performance, San Marcos, TX, United States. <sup>2</sup> Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory, Texas State University, Department of Health and Human Performance, San Marcos, TX, United States. Electronic address: stacy.d.hunter@gmail.com. Conference/Journal: Complement Ther Med Date published: 2020 Oct 7 Other: Volume ID: 56 , Pages: 102585 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102585. , Word Count: 189 While the chronic effects of certain styles of yoga on cardiometabolic factors have been investigated, little is known about the acute effects of a single yoga session on these outcomes. Moreover, vinyasa yoga's potential to modulate cardiometabolic outcomes has not been established. The purpose of this study is to determine the acute effects of a vinyasa yoga session on arterial stiffness, wave reflection, lipid and glucose concentrations, and mood in adults with prior yoga experience. Thirty yoga practitioners with a minimum of 3 months of practice experience were enrolled into the study. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), augmentation index (AIx), lipid profile, glucose concentrations, and mood (Positive and Negative Affect Scale) were assessed at baseline and immediately following a 1 -h vinyasa yoga session. After the yoga session, participants had significantly lower AIx (p < 0.001), non-HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05), and negative affect (p < 0.01) compared to baseline. These results highlight the efficacy of a single bout of yoga in altering wave reflection while improving mood and lipid concentrations in healthy adults with a history of yoga practice. Keywords: Acute exercise; Alternative exercise; Augmentation index; Cardiovascular disease; Yoga. PMID: 33197660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102585