Loving-Kindness Meditation practice associated with longer telomeres in women.
Brain, behavior, and immunity August 1, 2013 Elizabeth A Hoge, Maxine M Chen, Esther Orr et al.
People who practice Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM), a Buddhist-derived technique focusing on unselfish kindness toward all, tended to have longer telomeres—a cellular marker linked to slower aging—than non-meditators. In women, the difference was statistically significant even after accounting for body mass index and past depression. The study compared 15 LKM practitioners with 22 controls and found no significant differences in age, gender, race, education, or trauma exposure, though controls had higher BMI and lower rates of past depression. The results suggest LKM practice might influence telomere length, particularly in women, though the small sample size limits certainty.