Alteration of faecal microbiota balance related to long-term deep meditationOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared faecal microbiota between 56 Tibetan Buddhist monks practicing long-term deep meditation and neighbouring non-meditating residents. The goal was to test whether years of meditation reshapes gut microbiome structure.
How was it studied?
Faecal samples underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with LEfSe used to identify bacterial genera that differed between monks and controls. PICRUSt functional prediction and plasma biochemical indices were also analyzed.
What did they find?
Alpha-diversity differed significantly between groups. Prevotella and Bacteroides were enriched at the genus level in monks, and LEfSe identified Megamonas and Faecalibacterium as significantly enriched beneficial genera. Predicted pathways for glycan biosynthesis, metabolism and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis were enriched, while plasma total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were significantly lower in the meditation group.
Why it matters
The authors suggest this microbiota shift may relate to reduced anxiety, depression and cardiovascular risk, and enhanced immune function, supporting a role for meditation in psychosomatic health via the gut-brain axis.