While the scientific study of mindfulness has exponentially increased over the past few decades, only recently has the scientific community focused on the effects of meditation training on biological aging. Scientists have begun to examine the DNA methylation (DNAm) at specific genomic sites that are known to be highly associated with chronological age. When the DNAm age is compared to actual chronological age of an individual, the epigenetic aging rate can be determined.
This becomes an important health index since faster epigenetic aging has been positively associated with chronic diseases, cognitive and physical deterioration, and even decreases in longevity. As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 78% of adults 55 years of age and older present at least one chronic disease, preventing age-related diseases is clearly a top health priority.
A new study by an international research team, led by Raphaëlle Chaix, have investigated the potential relationship between the effects of long-term mediation practices and epigenetic aging rates. This study compared two group’s epigenetic aging rates using the DNAm in blood cells.
One group consisted of long-term meditators, with at least 3 years of daily practice and at least 3 intensive meditation retreats, and a control group of individuals with no meditation experience. In both groups, the DNAm and chronological ages were highly correlated, confirming the epigenetic clock model previously proposed.
Study results revealed that compared to the long-term meditators, the control group showed an accelerated epigenetic aging trajectory, especially for those individuals in the control group who were over 52 years old. Long-term meditators were protected from this effect, showing similar epigenetic aging in both older and younger meditators.
The researchers then examined the relationship between years of regular meditation practice with epigenetic aging rates, which revealed that more experienced meditators showed a significant reduction in epigenetic aging, particularly for study participants over 52 years of age when compared to controls. The effects found in older study participants supports that daily meditation practice may have a protective effect in terms of epigenetic aging over the course of a lifetime.
“The effects found in older study participants supports that daily meditation practice may have a protective effect in terms of epigenetic aging over the course of a lifetime.”
The findings from this study advance a previous body of evidence supporting the effects of sustained meditation training on aging biomarkers, including longer telomeres at the end of chromosomes, as well as increases in telomerase activity.
While this study is promising and may present a preventive pathway to reduce the acceleration of age-related diseases, it should be noted that longitudinal and more controlled studies will be necessary to further elucidate the effects of long-term meditation practice.
Michael is pursuing his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa.
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