Three case reports of the metabolic and electroencephalographic changes during advanced Buddhist meditation techniques.
H Benson, M S Malhotra, R F Goldman, G D Jacobs, P J Hopkins
Behavioral Medicine 1990 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.1990.9934596 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Tibetan Buddhist monks living in the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim, India |
| Measures | VO2, electroencephalogram (EEG) |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Key findings | During advanced meditative practices, resting metabolism (VO2) in three monks could be raised by up to 61% or lowered by up to 64%, the latter described as the largest reduction from rest ever reported. EEG showed marked hemispheric asymmetry in alpha and beta activity and increased beta activity. The authors conclude that advanced meditation may yield differing metabolic alterations and that metabolic decreases can be striking. |
Abstract
To examine the extent to which advanced meditative practices might alter body metabolism and the electroencephalogram (EEG), we investigated three Tibetan Buddhist monks living in the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim, India. In a study carried out in February 1988, we found that during the practice of several different meditative practices, resting metabolism (VO2) could be both raised (up to 61%) and lowered (down to 64%). The reduction from rest is the largest ever reported. On the EEG, marked asymmetry in alpha and beta activity between the hemispheres and increased beta activity were present. From these three case reports, we conclude that advanced meditative practices may yield different alterations in metabolism (there are also forms of meditation that increase metabolism) and that the decreases in metabolism can be striking.
Comparable studies
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| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The use of Buddhist mindfulness meditation in psychotherapy: A case report from Sri Lanka A client with depressive disorder in Sri Lanka | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |
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| SELF-REPORT OF ATTAINMENT IN EXPERIENCED ZEN MEDITATORS: A CAUTIONARY NOTE ON OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT Experienced meditators | 1991 | Case study | |
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| Model Implementasi Spiritual Mindfulness untuk Penguatan Mental Health Remaja di Sekolah Islam Adolescents in two Islamic high schools in Gresik, Indonesia | 2026 | Qualitative multiple case study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 43
- Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis Consciousness and Cognition May 19, 2003
- Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation Contemporary Hypnosis October 30, 2009
- EEG dynamics of experienced Zen meditation practitioners probed by complexity index and spectral measure Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology 2009
- The Influence of Buddhist Meditation Traditions on the Autonomic System and Attention BioMed Research International 2015
- A Methodological Review of Meditation Research Frontiers in Psychiatry July 1, 2014
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