Research has shown that deep meditation can significantly improve gut health. The study, conducted by Ying Sun and colleagues from the Shanghai Mental Health Center, compared the gut microbiome of 56 Tibetan Buddhist monks who practiced deep meditation with that of local residents who did not meditate.
The results showed a significant difference in the composition of gut microbes between the two groups. The monks’ gut microbiota was enriched with certain species associated with reduced risk of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease, and improved immune function.
The researchers believe that these benefits could also apply to those who regularly practice meditation, although not to the same extent as the monks. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in the general population.
Key Takeaways:
- Long-term deep meditation, as practiced by Tibetan Buddhist monks, has been found to positively influence the gut microbiome, potentially impacting the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
- Comparison of gut microbiome structures between meditating monks and non-meditating individuals revealed significant differences, suggesting that meditation could influence gut health.
- The enriched microbiota in monks was associated with a reduced risk of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease, and could enhance immune function, implying that regular meditation could potentially have similar benefits for mental and physical health.
“New research on how spending many years practicing deep meditation enriches the gut microbiome gives us fresh insights into specific ways meditative practices may influence the microbiota–gut–brain axis. These findings (Sun et al., 2023) were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal General Psychiatry.”
More details: here
Leave a Reply