AIIA Study Reports Better Well-Being in Faridabad Ayurveda Program

An Ayurveda-based public health effort led by the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in Faridabad has shown encouraging results, with improvements reported in quality of life, agni bala and bone mineral density, the Ministry of Ayush said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the programme also produced positive changes in cognitive health evaluations. Levels of serotonin, acetylcholine, DHEA and vitamin D were among the biomarkers that improved.

The project, part of AIIA's Public Health Initiative, involved 5,594 residents aged 60 to 80 in Faridabad district, who were given Ayurvedic medicines. A distinct dementia component enrolled 200 patients and provided Ayurveda-based treatment for four months.

The outcomes were discussed at a workshop held at AIIA. The project report has been forwarded to a specialist committee for evaluation.

In the initial 60-day phase, participants showed better quality of life. The WHOQOL total score, measured by the World Health Organization's quality of life tool, climbed from 292.0 to 326.3. Improvements were also seen across all six scales used to assess agni bala, a concept in Ayurveda that relates to digestion and metabolism.

The early screening identified widespread health concerns among older participants. About 67.73 per cent had vision-related problems, 43.05 per cent were physically inactive and 6.85 per cent showed reduced cognitive functioning. Other conditions included high blood pressure, raised blood glucose, lower bone density, constipation and sleep-related issues.

The ministry stressed that the findings must be confirmed through detailed scientific evaluation, continuous safety monitoring and additional studies before the effectiveness and safety of these measures can be firmly established.

AIIA is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Ayush and is based in New Delhi. It promotes Ayurveda through education, research, clinical services and public health initiatives.