Effect of a Web-Based Heartfulness Program on the Mental Well-Being, Biomarkers, and Gene Expression Profile of Health Care Students: Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jayaram Thimmapuram, Kamlesh D Patel, Deepti Bhatt, Ajay Chauhan, Divya K Madhusudhan, Kashyap K Bhatt, Snehal Deshpande, Urvi Budhbhatti, Chaitanya Joshi
JMIR bioinformatics and biotechnology December 16, 2024 DOI: 10.2196/65506 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 78 |
| Population | Health care students |
| Intervention | Heartfulness meditation |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Dhea Bioinformatics Biomarker Dehydroepiandrosterone Gene expression Health care students Heartfulness Interleukins Mrna Mental health Mental well-being Messenger ribonucleic acid Nursing Pharmacy Physiotherapy Randomized study Statistical analysis Stress Web-based program Young adults Youth |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Heartfulness meditation significantly reduced perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and stress scores, increased DHEA-S levels, and altered gene expression profiles compared to a control group. |
Abstract
Health care students often experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues, making it crucial to address these challenges. Variations in stress levels may be associated with changes in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and gene expression. Meditative practices have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing stress and improving mental well-being. This study aims to assess the effects of Heartfulness meditation on mental well-being, DHEA-S, IL-6, and gene expression profile. The 78 enrolled participants were randomly assigned to the Heartfulness meditation (n=42, 54%) and control (n=36, 46%) groups. The participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) at baseline and after week 12. Gene expression with messenger RNA sequencing and DHEA-S and IL-6 levels were also measured at baseline and the completion of the 12 weeks. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t test, and 1-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. The Heartfulness group exhibited a significant 17.35% reduction in PSS score (from mean 19.71, SD 5.09 to mean 16.29, SD 4.83; P<.001) compared to a nonsignificant 6% reduction in the control group (P=.31). DASS-21 scores decreased significantly by 27.14% in the Heartfulness group (from mean 21.15, SD 9.56 to mean 15.41, SD 7.87; P<.001) while it increased nonsignificantly by 17% in the control group (P=.04). For the DASS-21 subcomponents-the Heartfulness group showed a statistically significant 28.53% reduction in anxiety (P=.006) and 27.38% reduction in stress (P=.002) versus an insignificant 22% increase in anxiety (P=.02) and 6% increase in stress (P=.47) in the control group. Further, DHEA-S levels showed a significant 20.27% increase in the Heartfulness group (from mean 251.71, SD 80.98 to mean 302.74, SD 123.56; P=.002) compared to an insignificant 9% increase in the control group (from mean 285.33, SD 112.14 to mean 309.90, SD 136.90; P=.10). IL-6 levels showed a statistically significant difference in both the groups (from mean 4.93, SD 1.35 to mean 3.67, SD 1.0; 28.6%; P<.001 [Heartfulness group] and from mean 4.52, SD 1.40 to mean 2.72, SD 1.74; 40%; P<.001 [control group]). Notably, group comparison at 12 weeks revealed a significant difference in perceived stress, DASS-21 and its subcomponents, and IL-6 (all P<.05/4). The gene expression profile with messenger RNA sequencing identified 875 upregulated genes and 1539 downregulated genes in the Heartfulness group compared to baseline, and there were 292 upregulated genes and 1180 downregulated genes in the Heartfulness group compared to the control group after the intervention. Heartfulness practice was associated with decreased depression, anxiety, and stress scores and improved health measures in DHEA-S and IL-6 levels. The gene expression data point toward possible mechanisms of alleviation of symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN82860715; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN82860715.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Mindfulness training in DNP education: Enhancing leadership and well-being Journal of Professional Nursing July 1, 2026
- A randomized controlled trial comparing Mindfulness and Heartfulness meditation programmes on stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and wellbeing among distance-learning postgraduates Frontiers in Psychology September 17, 2026
- Heartfulness meditation alters neuroendocrine profiles: A randomized controlled trial on hormones of stress and well-being. Medicine November 21, 2025
Cites 7
- Impact of Heartfulness meditation practice on anxiety, perceived stress, well-being, and telomere length. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- Enhanced dehydroepiandrosterone levels are positively correlated with N3 sleep stage in long-term mindfulness meditation practitioners. Sleep Science 2022
- Epigenetic, psychological, and EEG changes after a 1-week retreat based on mindfulness and compassion for stress reduction in healthy adults: Study protocol of a cross-over randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 2023
- Changes in the expression of inflammatory and epigenetic-modulatory genes after an intensive meditation retreat. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology August 1, 2022
- Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes With Regular Yoga and Heartfulness Meditation Practice: Results From a Multinational, Cross-sectional Study JMIR Formative Research March 10, 2022
and 2 more in the library