Meditation and telomere length: a meta-analysis
N. Schutte, J. Malouff, S. Keng
Psychology and Health January 5, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2019.1707827 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA meta-analysis of 11 studies (12 comparisons) found that individuals who meditate have longer telomeres than control participants, with an overall weighted effect size of g = .40. After removing an outlier, the effect shrank to g = .16. More hours of meditation were associated with larger effects. The authors conclude that these findings provide tentative support for the hypothesis that meditation is linked to longer telomeres and that greater practice time may strengthen the association, suggesting meditation-based interventions could prevent telomere shortening or lengthen telomeres.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Key finding | Meditating individuals had longer telomeres than control participants, with a small-to-moderate overall effect size that was partly driven by an outlier. |
Abstract
Abstract Objective: Telomeres are the caps at the end of chromosomes. Short telomeres are a biomarker for worsening health and early death. Design: The present study consolidated research on meditation and telomere length through a meta-analysis of results of studies examining the effect of meditation on telomere length by comparing the telomere length of meditating participants with participants in control conditions. Results: A search of the literature identified 11 studies reporting 12 comparisons of meditating individuals with individuals in control conditions. An overall significant weighted effect size of g =.40 indicated that the individuals in meditation conditions had longer telomeres. When an outlier effect size was trimmed from the analysis, the effect size was smaller, g =.16. Across studies, a greater number of hours of meditation among participants in meditation conditions was associated with larger effect sizes. Conclusion: These findings provide tentative support for the hypothesis that participants in meditation conditions have longer telomeres than participants in comparison conditions, and that a greater number of hours of meditation is associated with a greater impact on telomere biology. The results of the meta-analysis have potential clinical significance in that they suggest that meditation-based interventions may prevent telomere attrition or increase telomere length.