According to a new study published in It is said that there is. General psychiatry. This discovery not only adds a new layer to our understanding of the mind-gut relationship, but also suggests how mental activities such as meditation may impact physical health.
The inspiration for this study comes from a growing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of meditation for mental health, including meditation’s ability to combat depression, anxiety, and stress. Meditation, a practice rooted in ancient traditions, is known for its ability to focus the mind and promote a state of peace.
Recognizing the complex relationship between the gut and the brain, researchers have discovered how meditation affects the gut microbiome (the trillions of microorganisms that live in the gut and play a critical role in our overall health). I was keen to explore the potential for impact. This interest was sparked by the potential for meditation to influence the composition of the gut microbiome, offering a new approach to improving health.
A team of researchers led by Ying Sun of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine They embarked on an ambitious journey to a remote monastery in Tibet, where they collected fecal samples from 37 Tibetan Buddhist monks and compared them with samples from 19 non-meditating neighbors. The monks, who had been practicing meditation for nearly 19 years on average, provided a unique population to investigate the long-term effects of meditation on the gut microbiome.
To ensure the accuracy of the study, participants who had taken antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, or antifungals in the 3 months prior to sample collection were excluded, leaving 56 samples for analysis. Left behind.
The researchers used advanced technology to analyze bacterial DNA from fecal samples, focusing on the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, a common target for identifying and comparing bacteria present in a sample. This method allowed us to determine the diversity and abundance of different bacteria in the gut. Furthermore, we measured various biochemical indicators in the participants’ blood to investigate the potential health effects of differences in the gut microbiome.
The analysis revealed differences between monks and non-meditating monks. Specifically, although the monks’ gut microbiota diversity was not as high, they did have a higher prevalence of certain bacteria that have positive effects on health, such as Prevotella and Bacteroides.
The notable genera are: prevotella It made up 42.35% of the gut bacteria in monks, compared to 29.15% in non-meditating controls. Bacteroides It was also shown that there was a difference in the abundance of Monk, which accounted for 6.21% of the microbiota in Monk, compared to 4.07% in the control group. These bacteria are of particular interest because of their association with positive health outcomes.
For example, higher level prevotella While associated with reduced risk of major depressive disorder, certain types of depression Bacteroides It has been suggested that it affects the brain’s reward response, which may affect behaviors such as overeating and anxiety.
Further analysis of the functional capacity of the gut microbiota revealed significant differences in metabolic pathways between the groups. Meditation was associated with enhancement of pathways involved in glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, as well as lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. These pathways are important for maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and regulating immune responses, suggesting that meditation may enhance anti-inflammatory processes and enhance immune function.
Biochemical indicators provided further insight into the impact of these microbiome differences on health. Monks had lower levels of total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B compared to non-meditating monks. These findings suggest a potential protective effect of meditation on cardiovascular disease, a significant health benefit given the role of cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in heart disease risk.
Despite the interesting findings, the study acknowledges some limitations. One major challenge was the difficulty in recruiting a balanced number of participants from the control group, given the unique lifestyle and diet of Tibetan monks. The unique living conditions and diet at high altitudes, combined with the specialized lifestyle of Tibetan monks, mean that these results are not universally applicable.
Additionally, this study relies on 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, which provides a broad overview of the gut microbiota but lacks the depth necessary to understand the functional changes these bacterial communities undergo. It’s missing.
Looking ahead, researchers hope to delve deeper into the mind-gut connection through metagenomic sequencing, a more detailed method that can reveal the functional capabilities of the gut microbiome. This future research will provide clearer insight into how meditation and other spiritual practices can be used to promote physical health, and may make meditation an integral part of the treatment of various psychosomatic disorders. It may open up a path.
The study, “Changes in fecal microbiota balance associated with long-term deep meditation,” was authored by Ying Sun, Peijun Ju, Ting Xue, Usman Ali1, Donghong Cui1, and Jinghong Chen.
