The impact of transcendental meditation on depressive symptoms and blood pressure in adults with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Emily C Gathright, Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, Julie DeCosta, Brittany L Balletto, Marissa L Donahue, Melissa M Feulner, Dean G Cruess, Rena R Wing, Michael P Carey, Lori A J Scott-Sheldon
Complementary Therapies in Medicine August 16, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 851 |
| Population | Adults with hypertension or cardiovascular disease (mean age 60 ± 8 years; 47% women) |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Cardiovascular diseases Psychophysiology Stress, psychological Blood pressure Meta-analysis Depressive symptoms Transcendental meditation |
| Key findings | Across nine studies, Transcendental Meditation showed no between-group differences from control conditions, but within-group pre-to-post reductions in systolic (d+ = 0.31) and diastolic (d+ = 0.53) blood pressure. No changes in depressive symptoms appeared for either meditators or controls. The authors recommend larger randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up. |
Abstract
Background: Transcendental Meditation (TM) as a stress management technique may offer an adjunctive strategy to improve health and well-being in adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Objectives: To examine the efficacy of TM to improve aspects of cardiovascular health and psychological functioning in adults with CVD.
Method: Studies (a) evaluating TM in adults with hypertension or CVD and (b) assessing a physiological or psychological outcome were retrieved and meta-analyzed. Weighted mean effect sizes were computed to assess between- and within-group changes.
Results: Nine studies met inclusion criteria (N = 851; mean age = 60 ± 8 years; 47% women). Between-group analyses revealed no differences between TM and control groups. However, within-group (i.e., pre- to post-intervention) analyses revealed reductions in systolic (d+ = 0.31) and diastolic (d+ = 0.53) blood pressure (BP) for the TM group. There were no changes in depressive symptoms for TM or control participants.
Conclusions: TM was associated with within-group (but not between-groups) improvements in BP. Continued research using randomized controlled trials with larger samples, and measuring psychophysiological outcomes at longer follow-up intervals is recommended.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Dhyana yoga, the path of meditative being: Psychotherapeutic insights from the east. Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 1, 2025
- Why mindfulness matters in musculoskeletal therapies: a narrative review Frontiers in Psychology October 17, 2025
- The promising role of Transcendental Meditation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases: A systematic review Obesity Reviews July 28, 2024
- Effectiveness of Mantra-Based Meditation on Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 13, 2022
- The Utility of Meditation and Mindfulness-Based Interventions in the Time of COVID-19: A Theoretical Proposition and Systematic Review of the Relevant Prison, Quarantine and Lockdown Literature. Psychological Reports December 10, 2021
and 3 more in the library
Cites 12
- Effects of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcendental Meditation on Components of the Metabolic Syndrome in Subjects With Coronary Heart Disease Archives of Internal Medicine June 12, 2006
- Blood Pressure Response to Transcendental Meditation: A Meta-analysis American Journal of Hypertension February 29, 2008
- Effectiveness of transcendental meditation on functional capacity and quality of life of African Americans with congestive heart failure: a randomized control study. 2007
- Stress Reduction in the Prevention of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcendental Meditation and Health Education in Hypertensive African Americans. Ethnicity & disease 2019
- Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association September 28, 2017
and 7 more in the library