The heart-brain axis: A proteomics study of meditation on the cardiovascular system of Tibetan Monks
EBioMedicine May 13, 2022 Ting Xue, Benjamin Chiao, Tianjiao Xu et al.
Long-term meditation offsets obesity, hypertension, and reduced heart rate variability in Tibetan monks with a body mass index over 30 who had practiced meditation for an average of 19 years. Compared with matched non-meditative Tibetan controls, the monks showed a protective plasma proteome linked to decreased atherosclerosis, enhanced glycolysis, and oxygen release, along with lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a). Blood pressure and heart rate variability were comparable between groups. The findings suggest meditation may improve cardiovascular health even in individuals with a sedentary lifestyle.