As more and more people look for ways to reduce stress and find peace, the popularity of mindfulness practices has soared. Meditation and breathwork have become as mainstream as yoga. Meditation and breath awareness that focus on concentration provide a grounding for the present moment.

A recent comparative study published in General Psychiatry suggests that long-term deep meditation may have a positive impact on gut flora, potentially reducing the risk of both physical and mental disease.

According to a new study, the gut microbiome of a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks differs significantly from that of their secular counterparts, and is associated with a lower risk of anxiety, depression, and heart disease. 

The research suggests that the gut microbiome can impact mood and behavior through the gut-brain axis, including the immune response, hormonal signaling, stress response, and the vagus nerve which plays a key role in regulating various bodily functions.

The relevance of the group and specimen design lies in the fact that these profoundly meditating Tibetan monks may serve as examples of deeper meditations. Even though there aren’t many samples, they are rare due to their geographic position.

Meditation is being used more and more to treat mental health problems like depression, anxiety, drug abuse, post-traumatic stress, eating disorders, and chronic pain. According to the researchers, it is unclear whether it can also change the makeup of the gut microbiota.

The researchers examined 37 Tibetan Buddhist monks from three temples and 19 secular people of the surrounding regions to determine this by analyzing feces and blood samples.

According to the experts, Tibetan Buddhist meditation is a sort of psychological training that has its roots in the traditional Indian medicinal practice known as Ayurveda. The monks in this research had been engaged in its practice for between three and thirty years, a minimum of two hours every day.

In the previous three months, none of the individuals had used any of the following medicines that may change the number and variety of gut microbes: antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, or antifungal treatments.

Age, BP, HR, and diet were all same between the two groups.

The number and types of microbes in the monks’ stools were very different from those in the stools of their neighbors.

As expected, both groups had high levels of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes species, however, the stool samples of the monks were found to have a significantly higher proportion of Bacteroidetes (29% compared to 4%) and a notable abundance of Prevotella (42% compared to 6%). Additionally, the samples also contained a large quantity of Megamonas and Faecalibacterium.

The researchers conclude “collectively, several bacteria enriched in the meditation group [have been] associated with the alleviation of mental illness, suggesting that meditation can influence certain bacteria that may have a role in mental health.”

Previous study indicates Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, Megamonas, and Faecalibacterium species.

Then, the researchers used an advanced method of analysis to try to figure out what chemical processes the microbes might be affecting. This showed that the metabolism—the process by which food is turned into energy—as well as a number of beneficial anti-inflammatory pathways were improved in the meditation practitioners.

Last but not least, functional analysis of the gut microorganisms with blood sample analysis revealed that levels of substances linked to a raised risk of cardiovascular illness, such as total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, were much lower in the monks than in their secular neighbors.

It’s important to note that this study is observational, with a small sample size of all male participants who lived at high altitude, which may limit the ability to make generalizable conclusions. Additionally, the potential health implications can only be inferred from previous research.

But based on their results, the scholars claim that further study is absolutely needed to determine how meditation might assist to prevent or cure psychosomatic disease.

“These results suggest that long-term deep meditation may have a beneficial effect on gut microbiota, enabling the body to maintain an optimal state of health,” the researchers write in their conclusion.

Source: 10.1136/gpsych-2022-100893 

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