In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers trekked to several remote Tibetan Buddhist temples to study the gut microbiota of meditating monks. This finding suggests that long-term practice of deep meditation may have a positive impact on gut bacterial composition.
For years, researchers have studied the effects of meditation on physical and mental health. Simple daily practice has been associated with many positive results, but it is unclear how meditation can produce physiological improvements.
A 2017 review of 18 meditation studies speculated that practice may alter the expression of certain genes that affect inflammation. It was hypothesized as a mechanism, but the molecular process at work remained a mystery.
Following recent studies that uncovered the many ways our gut-brain axis can influence inflammation, metabolism, and mood, new research highlights potential interactions between meditation and the gut microbiome. To do this, researchers turned to isolated Tibetan Buddhist monks who spend hours a day meditating.
Thirty-seven monks from three remote Tibetan temples were recruited and provided fecal samples for microbiome analysis. Each participant meditated for an average of 2 hours daily for up to 30 years.
To identify microbiome differences that may be directly related to meditation, researchers collected microbiome samples from a control group consisting of residents adjacent to the temple. This study noted significant challenges in recruiting an appropriate control group due to the sparseness of regional subjects. After eliminating those taking antibiotics and probiotics and matching the diet, age, and health status of the monks, the researchers found 19 neighborhood residents as a control group.
“Several bacterial species were found to differ significantly between the meditation and control groups,” the researchers reported in a new study. It has positive effects on physical and mental health.This altered gut microbiota composition may reduce the risk of anxiety and depression and improve immune function in the body.”
Prevotella When bacteroides Bacterial species were most significantly enriched in the meditation group. These two species have previously been associated with positive mental health and lower rates of depression and anxiety.
While the findings are very tempting, they indicate that they should be interpreted with caution by researchers. However, we cannot directly conclude that the detected microbiome differences were caused by meditation alone.
Arianna Basile of the University of Cambridge also stresses that the findings cannot be used as evidence that meditation improves mental health through the microbiome. Although there may be evidence that is helpful in mild psychiatric disorders, these new findings do not provide great insight into the relevance.
“Researchers were able to examine different functions of the fecal microbiome. We speculated the impact of these functions, but the study is still questioning whether chemical processes in the body actually change and therefore affect different health outcomes.” We were unable to predict whether the state would change.”It’s also important to note that the sample size is small. While their 16S sequencing technique is fine, other techniques, such as metagenomic shotgun analysis, are not at the species level.” We would be able to analyze the gut microbiome, which would have been much more informative.”
At least, this new study is the first to attempt to investigate the long-term effects of meditation on the gut microbiota. He was also the first researcher to undertake the incredibly difficult and practical task of comparing with neighbors who did not. While the conclusions of this study certainly rely on many caveats, they also offer interesting new avenues for future researchers to follow.
“These results suggest that long-term deep meditation may have beneficial effects on the gut microbiome, helping the body maintain optimal health,” the researchers concluded. “This study provides new clues as to the role of long-term deep meditation in regulating human gut microbiota, which may play a positive role in mind-body state and well-being.” I have.”
A new study was published in a journal general psychiatry.
