Detection of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol high levels in monks practicing Samatha and Vipassana meditation
Widuranga Kumbukgolla, J. Jayaweera, P. Perera, Sigi Hale
European Journal of Integrative Medicine June 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2019.05.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 115 |
| Population | Buddhist monks practicing Samatha and Vipassana meditation living in forest hermitages, compared with non-meditating controls |
| Intervention | Samatha and Vipassana meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Monks who had meditated for more than six months showed higher HDL cholesterol (53.8 ± 5.3 mg/dL) and a lower total cholesterol to HDL ratio than less experienced meditators, with other parameters closer to the lower limit of normal. The authors suggest this pattern may indicate a protective effect of meditation against cardiovascular disease and stroke, possibly related to practice duration, but state that confirmation requires clinical trial methodology. |
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Associations between psychological stress and the development of cardiovascular events and stroke have been established. Meditation is recognized as a method to reduce the stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the anthropometry, serum glucose and serum cholesterol status in monks practicing Samatha and Vipassana meditation living in forest hermitages. Methods This cross-sectional study compared 115 meditating Buddhist monks (71 meditating >6 months, 45 meditating Results From parameters tested, the HDL cholesterol level was higher (53.8 ± 5.3 mg/dL) (P 6 months compared with naive ( Conclusion Meditating monks had a higher HDL cholesterol, lowest total cholesterol: HDL ratio and the other parameters tested had mean levels closer to the lower limit of the normal range, indicating a possible protective effect of meditation on cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These results may be related to the duration of practicing Samatha and Vipassana meditation but require confirmation using appropriate clinical trial methodology.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 3
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease in Adolescents and Adults through the Transcendental Meditation® Program: A Research Review Update Current Hypertension Reviews October 1, 2012
- Purpose and method of Vipassana meditation. The Humanistic Psychologist 1994