A recent study by researchers at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China concluded that people who practice meditation have better gut and mental health, in addition to having a healthier heart. The data were published in the magazine General Psychiatry in October last year.
To carry out the study, the researchers evaluated the intestinal microbiome of Tibetan Buddhist monks and non-religious residents in areas surrounding the temples through feces and blood samples.
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All participants were male, and the monks meditated for at least two hours a day, while the control group did nothing. Meditators followed either the Samantha method, which concentrates the mind by focusing attention on a single mantra or object, or the Vipassana method, which makes them think about the true nature of all phenomena.
Participants were separated by age, blood pressure, heart rate and diet. Both groups consumed staple foods such as rice, bread, pasta, vegetables and meat. Furthermore, none of them had ingested medications capable of altering the volume and diversity of the intestinal microbiome.
good bacteria
Scientists concluded that monks had more bacteria linked to a lower risk of heart disease, depression and anxiety, as well as having a stronger immune system and a healthier heart. Research has shown that the gut microbiome is linked to health and mood via the gut-brain axis.
According to the researchers, two types of bacteria were found in greater quantities in the monks’ feces. These are bacteroidetes and firmicutes — the former has been associated with a lower risk of anxiety in previous studies.
In addition, the monks had a higher level of prevotella, megamonas and faecalibacterium bacteria, all of which are associated with better mental health.
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Finally, the researchers noted that the study was small and observational and therefore cannot reach definitive conclusions. However, the findings are strong enough to warrant further research into the link between meditation and health, they said.
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