Meditation and Telomeres: What the Research Shows | Bayside Meditation

Telomeres are the caps at the end of chromosomes.

Researchers study telomere length as one marker related to cellular aging. A difference in this marker alone does not establish a change in a person’s overall health or lifespan.

A 2020 meta-analysis by Schutte, Malouff and Keng combined 11 studies comparing telomere length in meditation and control groups. The authors described the findings as tentative.

The analysis found longer telomeres overall in meditation groups, but the estimated effect became much smaller after an outlying result was removed. Across-study associations with hours of practice do not prove that more meditation causes longer telomeres. More recent evidence adds caution. An 18-month randomized trial in older adults found no overall improvement in telomere length with meditation compared with its control groups. Taken together, these studies do not establish that meditation reverses aging or extends life, and they do not demonstrate such effects for Bayside Meditation’s subtracting method. Research: Schutte NS, Malouff JM, Keng SL. Meditation and telomere length: a meta-analysis. Psychol Health. 2020 Aug;35(8):901-915. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2019.1707827. Epub 2020 Jan 5. PMID: 31903785. Age-Well randomized trial: telomere analysis The video below is retained for context. Any claim that meditation slows or reverses aging should be understood in light of the evidence limits above.

https://youtu.be/HRB827mfDiw?si=qYRlCJk0yRmF-dyx

To learn about Bayside Meditation’s subtracting method, please consult our guides. Bring questions about health, aging or medical treatment to a qualified health care professional.

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