Background: Meditation-based practices have been suggested to result in many biological benefits which include reduction of attrition of telomeres, the protective nucleotide-protein complexes at termini of eukaryotic chromosomes. This systematic review evaluated the effects of meditation on telomere length (TL) in healthy adults. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies conducted to determine the effects of meditation on TL in healthy individuals, published up to July 2020 were retrieved by searching seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Google Scholar). The methodological quality of RCTs and observational studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist, respectively. The data was synthesized narratively and the effect estimates of TL in the RCTs were synthesized using alternative methods as a meta-analysis was not conducted. The certainty of evidence was classified according to the GRADE system. Results: A total of 1740 articles were screened. Five studies comprising two RCTs and three case-control studies (CCS) were included in the final review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The combined sample consisted of 615 participants with 41.7% males. Average age of participants was 47.7 years. One CCS and one RCT reported significant beneficial effects of meditation on TL while the two remaining CCS and the RCT showed positive effects of meditation on TL which were not significant. For all CCS and one RCT, the methodological quality was high while the remaining RCT was of moderate quality. The quality of evidence for the primary outcome was moderate in RCTs. Conclusion: The effect of meditation on TL per se is still unclear. Strictly designed and well-reported RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to provide evidence of higher quality. Systematic review registration: The protocol of this review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (registration number: CRD42020153977).

Meditation involves psychophysical training which can result in a range of benefits including creating a calm mind and increasing self-awareness, relaxation, and tranquility. Increasing evidence, mostly based on short-term focused interventions, suggests that meditation-based activities may also have favorable effects on physical wellbeing including cellular aging. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate if continued practice of meditation benefited quality of life, state of mindfulness, and plasma telomerase level in healthy adults. 30 long-term and skilled meditators were recruited from meditation centers in different parts of the island following a two-tier screening process of 70 eligible participants and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy non-meditators were recruited from the community. Mindfulness level and the quality of life were measured using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and Quality of Life Questionnaire, respectively, while the levels of plasma telomerase enzyme were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Skilled meditators had a better mindfulness level (p < 0.001) and quality of life (QOL; p < 0.001) than those in the comparison group. Similarly, higher plasma telomerase levels were observed in skilled meditators compared to non-meditators (p = 0.002). Trait mindfulness level and plasma telomerase level showed a significant relationship with the duration of meditation practice (p = 0.046 and p = 0.011, respectively). Regression analysis indicated that trait mindfulness level (p < 0.001) significantly predicts the plasma telomerase level. The findings of this comparative study add to the evidence on sustained benefits of meditation on wellbeing and healthy aging and supports incorporating meditation-based activities into lifestyle practices.

Introduction: Buddhist-derived meditation is a well-known phenomenological practice that enhances overall wellbeing of individuals. However, broad- and less-rigorous criteria in recruiting suitable meditation practitioners affect the reliability of results obtained through meditation research. Objectives: To develop an instrument to identify skilled meditators among meditation practitioners, in order to use it in scientific research including medical research conducted to understand the physiological, psychological, social, and environmental effects of meditation Methods: Extensive literature reviews, interviews and focus group discussions with experts in a number of related fields were utilized in developing the instrument. Judgmental validation of the generated items was ensured through establishing their face, content and consensual validity. Internal consistency reliability and factor structure of the scale were explored to analyse its psychometric properties. Cut-off marks were determined to develop a scoring system for the instrument. Results: Twenty-five items were categorized under five sections (A, B, C1, C2, D) that addressed six factors: duration of the meditation practice, details of the meditation practice, peripheral awareness, stable attention, and alertness and emotional stability. Three further qualitative items were added under section E. An exploratory factor analysis process resulted in a two-factor structure between the Likert-scale items as theoretically expected. Scores to identify ‘skilled meditators’ were determined as: Section C1>7 (fall-back score; 7-9, ideal score; 10-12), Section C2>14 (fall-back score; 14-16, ideal score; 17-20) and Section D>25 (fall-back score; 25-29, ideal score; 30-35). Conclusions & Recommendations: The overall findings reveal the UoC-IISM to be a valid and reliable tool to be used in identifying skilled meditators, among meditation practitioners, for scientific research in the Sri Lankan context. The instrument explores six factors through its 28 items and the importance of using a combination of these factors is discussed.

Introduction: Telomeres are protective end caps of chromosomes which naturally shorten with each cell division and thus with age. Short telomeres have been associated with many age-related diseases. Meditation has come to the fore as a mind–body practice which could influence the telomere dynamics underlying these phenomena. We previously reported meditation to be associated with higher telomerase levels, mindfulness and quality of life. Here, reporting on the same study population, we describe associations between long-term meditation and telomere length (TL), expression of hTERT and hTR genes and methylation of the promoter region of hTERT gene.Methods: Thirty healthy meditators and matched non-meditators were recruited. TL was measured using quantitative PCR, gene expression was assessed using reverse transcriptase PCR, and methylation level was quantified by bisulfite-specific PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Comparisons between meditators and controls were carried out using t-tests, while Pearson correlation was used to identify correlations, and regression was used to identify predictors.Results: Males comprised 63.4% of each group with an average age of 43 years. On average, they had meditated daily for 5.82 h (±3.45) for 6.8 years (±3.27). Meditators had longer relative TLs (p = 0.020), and TL decreased with age (p < 0.001) but was not associated with other socio-demographic variables. Regression analysis showed that age (p < 0.001) and duration of meditation (p = 0.003) significantly predicted TL. The meditators showed higher relative expression of hTERT (p = 0.020) and hTR (p = 0.029) genes while the methylation level of the promoter region of hTERT gene was significantly lower when compared to non-meditators (p < 0.001). Negative correlations were identified between the methylation level of the promoter region of hTERT gene and the expression of the hTERT gene (p = 0.001) and duration of meditation (p = 0.001).Conclusion: The findings suggest that meditation as a lifestyle practice has multi-level beneficial effects on telomere dynamics with potential to promote healthy aging.

Atherosclerosis is a progressive cardiovascular disease characterized by lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation within the arterial walls. Environmental pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), and heavy metals, contribute directly to the initiation and progression of arterial plaques by promoting LDL oxidation, endothelial dysfunction, foam cell formation, and vascular inflammation, whilst high-density lipoprotein (HDL) provides protective effects. This review examines the mechanistic links between environmental exposures, lipid dysregulation, and plaque formation, highlighting how both gaseous and particulate pollutants and toxic and essential metals, as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals, influence atherosclerotic risk. Potential antioxidant and lifestyle interventions to mitigate these pollutant-driven effects are also discussed.

Many people suffer from stress and anxiety due to complex lifestyles. Stress is one of the main causes of various diseases. In addition, it causes a lower level of consciousness, quality of life, and a higher rate of cellular aging. Meditation becomes a trending topic to overcome these problems. Key terms including “Meditation,” “Mindfulness,” “Quality of life,” “Telomere,” and “Telomerase” were used to search literature in PubMed, Medline, and Google scholar databases. Meditation is cheap, viable, and simple mental training. Several studies have been conducted on the effects of meditation on well-being, including mindfulness level, quality of life, and cellular aging. Accordingly, many of these studies suggest that meditation practice can improve well-being and may help control cellular aging. Though meditation showed various physiological and psychological benefits, the mechanism behind the meditation and these benefits still remains unclear. However, by reducing a person’s stress level, meditation can improve mindfulness, develop quality of life, and reduce cellular aging.