Meditation: a modulator of the immune response to physical stress? A brief report.
Erik E Solberg, R Halvorsen, J Sundgot-Borgen, Frank Ingjer, Are Holen
British journal of sports medicine December 1995 DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.29.4.255 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Concurrent, controlled design (non-randomized controlled comparison) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Male runners, six meditators and six non-meditators |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Duration | Six months of meditation, with blood samples taken immediately before and after a VO2max test |
| Measures | CD8+ T cells, CD2+ cells |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | After six months of meditation, the increase in CD8+ T cells following a VO2max test was significantly smaller in meditators than in non-meditating controls, while CD2+ cells roughly doubled after exercise in both groups, mainly from a rise in the CD8+ fraction. The authors suggest meditation may modify the suppressive influence of strenuous physical stress on the immune system. |
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that stress reducing techniques such as meditation alter immune responses after strenous physical stress. The hypothesis was tested by studying six meditating and six non-meditating male runners in a concurrent, controlled design. After a period of six months with meditation for the experimental group, blood samples were taken immediately before and after a maximum oxygen uptake test (VO2max). The increase in CD8+ T cells after VO2max was significantly less in the meditation group than in the control group (P = 0.04). The amount of CD2+ cells doubled after VO2max, mainly because of a rise in the CD8+ fraction. Meditation may modify the suppressive influence of strenous physical stress on the immune system.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Exploring the Effects of a Mindfulness Program for Students of Secondary School International Journal of Knowledge Society Research 2011
- The effect of meditation on shooting performance. British journal of sports medicine December 1, 1996
and 11 more in the library