Buddhist monks who practice deep meditation on a daily basis may have a healthier microbiome than non-meditators, according to a new small-scale study. After analyzing the gut bacteria of 37 monks from three temples in Tibet, the study authors found that the devotees had higher concentrations of several beneficial strains than their secular counterparts.
“Tibetan Buddhist meditation, known to originate from ancient Indian Ayurveda, can be defined as a form of psychological training,” explain the researchers. “This practice is known to exercise the mind and allows self-regulation of the body to cultivate well-being and provide insights into the true nature of all phenomena.”
Numerous studies have highlighted the potential of meditation and other mindfulness practices to improve psychological and physical health, yet the mechanisms underlying these benefits are not fully understood. Given the importance of the gut-brain axis in regulating mood, immune function and the nervous system, the study authors decided to investigate how the intestinal flora of Buddhist monks differed from that of non-religious individuals.
After comparing the monks’ fecal samples to those of 19 secular residents from the same region, the researchers found that “the intestinal microbiota composition in the meditation group significantly differed from that of the control group.”
For example, monks had considerably higher levels of Prevotella bacteria, which have previously been shown to be more abundant in healthy individuals than in patients with major depressive disorder. Bacteroides, meanwhile, have been linked to decreases in anxiety and addictive behaviors, and were considerably more plentiful in the samples provided by meditators than those of non-practicing individuals.
