The heart-brain axis: A proteomics study of meditation on the cardiovascular system of Tibetan Monks
Ting Xue, Benjamin Chiao, Tianjiao Xu, Han Li, Kai Shi, Ying Cheng, Yuan Shi, Xiaoli Guo, Shanbao Tong, Menglin Guo, S. Chew, R. Ebstein, D. Cui
EBioMedicine May 13, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104026 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Tibetan monks (BMI > 30) with long-term meditation practice and matched non-meditative Tibetan controls |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Long-term meditation is associated with a protective plasma proteome and reduced cardiovascular risk factors, offsetting obesity, hypertension, and reduced heart rate variability. |
Abstract
Summary Background There have been mixed reports on the beneficial effects of meditation in cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is widely considered the leading cause of death worldwide.
Methods: To clarify the role of meditation in modulating the heart-brain axis, we implemented an extreme phenotype strategy, i.e., Tibetan monks (BMI > 30) who practised 19.20 ± 7.82 years of meditation on average and their strictly matched non-meditative Tibetan controls. Hypothesis-free advanced proteomics strategies (Data Independent Acquisition and Targeted Parallel Reaction Monitoring) were jointly applied to systematically investigate and target the plasma proteome underlying meditation. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (Apo B) and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] as the potential cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. Heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed by electrocardiogram.
Findings: Obesity, hypertension, and reduced HRV is offset by long-term meditation. Notably, meditative monks have blood pressure and HRV comparable to their matched Tibetan controls. Meditative monks have a protective plasma proteome, related to decreased atherosclerosis, enhanced glycolysis, and oxygen release, that confers resilience to the development of CVD. In addition, clinical risk factors in plasma were significantly decreased in monks compared with controls, including total cholesterol, LDL-C, Apo B, and Lp(a).
Interpretation: To our knowledge, this work is the first well-controlled proteomics investigation of long-term meditation, which opens up a window for individuals characterized by a sedentary lifestyle to improve their cardiovascular health with an accessible method practised for more than two millennia.
Funding: See the Acknowledgements section.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Neural and molecular changes during a mind-body reconceptualization, meditation, and open label placebo healing intervention Communications Biology November 6, 2025
- Multidimensional Analysis of Twin Sets During an Intensive Week-Long Meditation Retreat: A Pilot Study. Mindfulness 2025
- Effects of Static Meditation Practice on Blood Lipid Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare March 14, 2024
- Alteration of faecal microbiota balance related to long-term deep meditation. General Psychiatry January 3, 2023
Cites 11
- Expert Opinion: Meditation and Cardiovascular Health: What is the Link? European cardiology December 18, 2019
- Detection of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol high levels in monks practicing Samatha and Vipassana meditation European Journal of Integrative Medicine June 1, 2019
- Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators. Behavioural Brain Research January 1, 2019
- Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association September 28, 2017
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Women with Overweight or Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Obesity August 2017
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