Skip to main content

Main menu

  • HOME
  • ARTICLES
    • Current Issue
    • Ahead of Print
    • Archives
    • Abstracts In Press
    • Special Issue Archive
    • Subject Collections
  • INFO FOR
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Call For Papers
    • Subscribers
    • Advertisers
  • SUBMIT
    • Manuscript
    • Peer Review
  • ABOUT
    • The JABFM
    • The Editing Fellowship
    • Editorial Board
    • Indexing
    • Editors' Blog
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • Other Publications
    • abfm

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
American Board of Family Medicine
  • Other Publications
    • abfm
American Board of Family Medicine

American Board of Family Medicine

Advanced Search

  • HOME
  • ARTICLES
    • Current Issue
    • Ahead of Print
    • Archives
    • Abstracts In Press
    • Special Issue Archive
    • Subject Collections
  • INFO FOR
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Call For Papers
    • Subscribers
    • Advertisers
  • SUBMIT
    • Manuscript
    • Peer Review
  • ABOUT
    • The JABFM
    • The Editing Fellowship
    • Editorial Board
    • Indexing
    • Editors' Blog
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • JABFM on Bluesky
  • JABFM On Facebook
  • JABFM On Twitter
  • JABFM On YouTube
Research ArticleOriginal Research

Yoga for Substance Use: A Systematic Review

Namrata Walia, Jennifer Matas, Acara Turner, Sandra Gonzalez and Roger Zoorob
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine September 2021, 34 (5) 964-973; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2021.05.210175
Namrata Walia
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (NW, JM, SG, RZ); West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV (AT).
MD, MHA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jennifer Matas
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (NW, JM, SG, RZ); West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV (AT).
MPH
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Acara Turner
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (NW, JM, SG, RZ); West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV (AT).
MD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sandra Gonzalez
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (NW, JM, SG, RZ); West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV (AT).
PhD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Roger Zoorob
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (NW, JM, SG, RZ); West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV (AT).
MD, MPH, FAAFP
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • Tables
  • Figure 1.
    • Download figure
    • Open in new tab
    Figure 1.

    Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Flow Diagram. Abbreviation: RCT, randomized control trial.

Tables

  • Figures
    • View popup
    Table 1.

    Data Extraction from the Eligible Studies

    AuthorCountrySample Size; SexType of Substance UseCo-MorbidityInterventionControl GroupFollow-up PeriodPrimary OutcomeOutcome MeasuresOverall Risk of Bias
    Lyons, Thomas et al (2019)15USn = 189; MNot specifiedPTSDYoga plus mindfulness meditationCommunication skills session45 daysAnxiety, PTSD symptoms, craving, and mindfulnessFive Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire; Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory; Beck Anxiety Inventory; Penn Alcohol/Drug Craving Scale; PTSD Symptom ChecklistLow
    Uebelacker, L. A. et al (2019)16USn = 35; M and FOpioidNoneYoga (breathing and asana) + TAU (opioid agonist therapy)Health education class + TAU (opioid agonist therapy)3 monthsPain, anxiety, moodSAFTEE, Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Mood pre- and post-test, Pain Interference ScaleLow
    Bock, Beth C. (2019)17USn = 227; M and FTobaccoNoneIyengar Yoga + smoking cessation classGroup Wellness class + smoking cessation class3 and 6 monthsMotivation, readiness, and confidence to quitFagerström Test,Low
    Wimberly, Alexandra S. et al (2018)18USn = 73; M and FAlcohol and drugsHIVYoga plus TAUTAU (see Table 2)1, 2, and 3 monthsPercentage of days of drug use and the effect of time on treatment.Perceived stress surveyLow
    Sharma, Neelam et al (2017)19Indian = 30; MNot specifiedNot specifiedGroup 1: Yoga; Group 2: Recreational ActivityNo training10 weeksCriminal propensityStandardized scale of criminal propensitySome concern
    Sarkar et al (2017)20Indian = 1213; M and FTobaccoNot specified15 minutes quit smoking talk + yogic breathing training (Kapalbhati, Anulom)1-minute quick quit smoking advice1 and 7 monthsAbstinence7-day biochemically validated point prevalence abstinenceLow
    Dhawan, Anju et al (2015)21Indian = 84; MOpioidNot specifiedSKYOpioid substitution therapy3 and 6 monthsQOLWHO QOL-BREF instrument;Urine test to assess recent drug useSome concern
    Reddy, Shivani et al (2014)22Indian = 38; FAlcohol and drugsPTSDYoga (12 Kripalu-based Hatha yoga sessions)No yoga1 monthAlcohol and substance use risky behaviorAUDIT, DUDITLow
    • AUDIT, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; DUDIT, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test; F, female; M, male; QOL, quality of life; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder; SAFTEE, systematic inquiry about emergent clinical events; SKY, Sudarshan Kriya Yoga; TAU, treatment as usual; WHO, World Health Organization; US, United States.

    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Description of the Interventions and Their Results

    StudyInterventionConclusion
    Lyons, Thomas et al (2019)156 weeks; 1 session/wk; 70 minutes each. Each session began with mindful movement/stretching/chair yoga exercises (5 minutes), a mindfulness meditation exercise and discussion (∼ 40 minutes), and an exercise applying mindfulness to everyday life and high drug relapse risk situations (∼30 minutes).
    Control: Texas Christian University's Mapping-Enhanced Counseling Manuals for Adaptive Treatment compiled into a 6-week Communication Skills curriculum.
    Anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and cravings declined, and mindfulness increased significantly in both treatment arms. After controlling for the Freiburg test, there was significant improvement (P < .05) in the scores for participants in the intervention arm.
    Uebelacker, L. A. et al (2019)16Yoga: breathing and asana (no meditation) 1 hour; 12 weeks, 1 class/week
    Control: Health education-12 classes on different topics
    Participant mood improved pre-class to post-class, with greater decreases in anxiety and pain for those in the yoga group (P < .05). ITT analysis of high-attenders only (a little over half the sample) showed moderate improvement in pain interference over 3 months in intervention arm if they attended at least half of the 12 intervention sessions.
    Bock, Beth C. (2019)17Classes included 5 minutes of pranayama,45 minutes of dynamically linked asanas, and 5 to 10 minutes of resting meditation.
    Group Wellness: videos, lectures, and demonstrations on a variety of health topics followed by a discussion guided by the study Wellness counselor or other health care professional; 8 weeks (1 hour, twice/wk)
    Yoga appears to aid some smokers during quit attempts. A significant dose effect was observed for Yoga (OR, 1.12, 95% CI, 1.09% to 1.26%), but not Wellness, such that each Yoga class attended increased quitting odds at EOT by 12%.
    Wimberly, Alexandra S. et al (2018)1812 weeks; 90 minutes session/wk; hatha yoga: breathing, postures, and meditation; TAU* - case management, recreational or GED classes, and free healthcare.At three months, yoga participants reported less stress than participants in treatment as usual (P < .05). Yoga participants reported fewer days of substance use than participants in treatment as usual at one month, two months, and three months (P < .001).
    Sharma, Neelam et al (2017)19Physical poses, breathing techniques, chanting, and concentration were selected activities in the yoga training program. (10 weeks, 5 1-hour sessions/wk)
    Recreational activity training program: cat and mice, changing seats, singing, drop the handkerchief etc.
    There exists a significant difference in the selected training program of yoga, recreational activity, and control group for managing criminal propensity of the drug addicts (P < .05). The adjusted mean value of recreational activity group was found to be least 76.67; thus recreational activity group was considered as the most effective treatment group
    Sarkar et al (2017)2015 minutes yogic breathing (2): Kapalbhati, AnulomIntention-to-treat analysis showed that participants in the intervention group were aboutfive times more likely to be abstinent at 6 months than those in the control group; absolute abstinence rates were increased by 2%, yielding a number needed to treat of 48 toproduce an additional quitter.
    Dhawan, Anju et al (2015)21SKY (sudarshan, pranayama, meditation) 60 minutes weekly in clinic for 6 months and at home for 30 minutes daily.
    Opioid substitution therapy: buprenorphine OR buprenorphine + naloxone
    Over time within the study group, all four QOL domain scores were significantly higher at 6 months. Urine screening results were negative for study group indicating no drug use at 6 months. Between-group comparison showed significant increase in physical (P < .05), psychological (P < .001), and environment domains (P < .001) for study group while control group showed significant changes in social relationship domain only. Urine screening results were negative for study group indicating no drug use at 6 months.
    Reddy, Shivani et al (2014)2212 Kripalu-based Hatha yoga sessions of 75 minutes each, including poses using guidelines for trauma-sensitive yogaLinear mixed models showed significance for null model likelihood ratio tests for AUDIT and DUDIT scores. Change in AUDIT and DUDIT scores over time did not differ significantly by group. The difference in high-risk users between intervention and control groups was not statistically significant (all P > .05). Significant improvement was noted in PTSD symptoms and coping (P < .001).
    • AUDIT, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; CI, confidence interval; DUDIT, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test; EOT, end of treatment; GED, general education development; ITT, intent-to-treat; OR, odds ratio; QOL, quality of life; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder; TAU, treatment as usual.

  • Table 3.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of the American Board of Family   Medicine: 34 (5)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 34, Issue 5
September/October 2021
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Board of Family Medicine.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Yoga for Substance Use: A Systematic Review
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Board of Family Medicine
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Board of Family Medicine web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
7 + 5 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Yoga for Substance Use: A Systematic Review
Namrata Walia, Jennifer Matas, Acara Turner, Sandra Gonzalez, Roger Zoorob
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Sep 2021, 34 (5) 964-973; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.05.210175

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Yoga for Substance Use: A Systematic Review
Namrata Walia, Jennifer Matas, Acara Turner, Sandra Gonzalez, Roger Zoorob
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Sep 2021, 34 (5) 964-973; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.05.210175
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Background
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Risk of Bias
    • Discussion
    • Limitations
    • Conclusion
    • Notes
    • References
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Practical Clinical Topics, Digging Deeper into COVID-19, Social Determinants of Health, and Equity
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Successful Implementation of Integrated Behavioral Health
  • Identifying and Addressing Social Determinants of Health with an Electronic Health Record
  • Integrating Adverse Childhood Experiences and Social Risks Screening in Adult Primary Care
Show more Original Research

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • Integrative Medicine
  • Meditation
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Yoga

Navigate

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues

Authors & Reviewers

  • Info For Authors
  • Info For Reviewers
  • Submit A Manuscript/Review

Other Services

  • Get Email Alerts
  • Classifieds
  • Reprints and Permissions

Other Resources

  • Forms
  • Contact Us
  • ABFM News

© 2025 American Board of Family Medicine

Powered by HighWire