Effects of mindfulness yoga intervention on physical function, anxiety, inflammatory response, and relapse intention in methamphetamine addicts: a 24-week randomized controlled trial

Background: Methamphetamine (MA) addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder that impairs physical health, induces mental distress (e.g., anxiety), and triggers abnormal inflammatory and neurotransmitter responses, all contributing to high relapse rates. Mindfulness and yoga interventions may alleviate psychological distress and improve physical well-being in substance users; however, few studies have systematically investigated their comprehensive effects on physical function, inflammatory markers, neurotransmitter balance, and relapse intention in MA addicts, leaving a gap in non-pharmacological interventions for this population. Objective: [TNF-α], interleukin-6 [IL-6], and interleukin-10 [IL-10]), heart rate variability (HRV), relapse-related neurotransmitters (dopamine [DA], serotonin [5-HT], and norepinephrine [NE]), and relapse intention. Methods: = 39; no additional intervention). Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-intervention for all outcomes, with additional measurements at 4 and 12 weeks for fatigue, CK, and inflammatory markers. Results: < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with a traditional relaxation and stretching control condition, mindfulness yoga intervention demonstrated superior efficacy in improving physical function, sleep quality, and reaction ability of MA addicts. These findings support mindfulness yoga as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for MA addiction rehabilitation. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=40393, Unique Identifier is ChiCTR1900024439.