Study Results
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Basic Information
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ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
3000 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
2021-12-05
2025-03-25
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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One particular area of meditation research that remains largely unexplored is the gut. A bi-directional communication occurs between the gut and the brain, thus, the gut microbiota can influence behavior, resulting in psychosocial stress and negatively impacting the microbiome. One would predict, then, that meditation-based reductions in stress would have positive effects on gut microbial makeup. Importantly, diseased states are characterized by specific gut microbiome profiles, thus, one can use the microbiome to assay for meditation-induced changes in these states.
In this study, a comprehensive multi-omic analysis will be carried out to determine the effect of an immersive 7-day meditation experience in a retreat setting in a large 2000+ person cohort. Metagenomic analysis will be performed on the gut microbiome, including healthy and clinical populations, to assess disease-specific improvements (Phase 1). In addition, Garmin wearable technology will be used to collect biometric health data, including heart rate, sleep, stress, and activity, for up to 10 months after the meditation retreat (Phase 1). In Phase 2 of this study, the biological analyses will be expanded to include blood and urine. Taken together, these data will be coupled with self-report surveys of physical and emotional health and integrated into a machine-learning platform to assess microbiome shifts tied with epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, transformational language, and improvements in health.
The advanced week-long meditation retreat will include approximately 25 hours of instruction and 35 hours of meditation. The meditations will include elements of focused attention, non-dual awareness, and loving kindness compassion techniques. While these meditations are unique to this meditation teacher, they are centered around Kundalini and Vipassana techniques. The meditations will be carried out seated, standing, lying down, and walking. The retreat setting allows for controlling many variables, including sleep schedule, meditation schedule, and diet.
Conditions
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Study Design
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COHORT
PROSPECTIVE
Interventions
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Advanced multi-component meditation practice
The study intervention is a multi-component advanced guided meditation practice that incorporates elements of focused attention, non-dual, and loving kindness and compassion meditation techniques as well as breathwork components. The practice includes sitting, lying down, standing, and walking components and is carried out at 7-day advanced meditation retreats lead by Joe Dispenza, D.C. These retreats include lecture-based instruction and up to 35 hours of meditation practice.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
2. Must speak English
3. Must be a registered attendee of the advanced 7-Day meditation retreat
4. Must be willing to wear a Garmin device for the entire retreat
5. Must complete the research consent to participate in the study
6. Must be willing to complete self-report surveys for physical and emotional well-being
Exclusion Criteria
2. Non-English speaking
3. Not a registered attendee of the advanced 7-Day meditation retreat
4. Not willing to wear a Garmin device for the entire meditation retreat
5. Did not complete the research consent
6. Not willing or able to complete all self-report surveys
21 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Metamorphosis, LLC
UNKNOWN
University of California, San Diego
OTHER
Tobias Moeller-Bertram
INDUSTRY
Responsible Party
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Tobias Moeller-Bertram
President
Principal Investigators
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Tobias Moeller-Bertram, MD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
VitaMed Research LLC
Locations
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VitaMed Research, LLC
Palm Desert, California, United States
Countries
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References
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Ohnishi J, Ayuzawa S, Nakamura S, Sakamoto S, Hori M, Sasaoka T, Takimoto-Ohnishi E, Tanatsugu M, Murakami K. Distinct transcriptional and metabolic profiles associated with empathy in Buddhist priests: a pilot study. Hum Genomics. 2017 Sep 2;11(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s40246-017-0117-3.
Chiesa A, Serretti A. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress management in healthy people: a review and meta-analysis. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 May;15(5):593-600. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0495.
Buric I, Farias M, Jong J, Mee C, Brazil IA. What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind-Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices. Front Immunol. 2017 Jun 16;8:670. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00670. eCollection 2017.
Muehsam D, Lutgendorf S, Mills PJ, Rickhi B, Chevalier G, Bat N, Chopra D, Gurfein B. The embodied mind: A review on functional genomic and neurological correlates of mind-body therapies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017 Feb;73:165-181. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.027. Epub 2016 Dec 23.
Kox M, van Eijk LT, Zwaag J, van den Wildenberg J, Sweep FC, van der Hoeven JG, Pickkers P. Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 May 20;111(20):7379-84. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1322174111. Epub 2014 May 5.
Chaix R, Fagny M, Cosin-Tomas M, Alvarez-Lopez M, Lemee L, Regnault B, Davidson RJ, Lutz A, Kaliman P. Differential DNA methylation in experienced meditators after an intensive day of mindfulness-based practice: Implications for immune-related pathways. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Feb;84:36-44. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.11.003. Epub 2019 Nov 13.
Chandran V, Bermudez ML, Koka M, Chandran B, Pawale D, Vishnubhotla R, Alankar S, Maturi R, Subramaniam B, Sadhasivam S. Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Dec 21;118(51):e2110455118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2110455118.
Bhasin MK, Dusek JA, Chang BH, Joseph MG, Denninger JW, Fricchione GL, Benson H, Libermann TA. Relaxation response induces temporal transcriptome changes in energy metabolism, insulin secretion and inflammatory pathways. PLoS One. 2013 May 1;8(5):e62817. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062817. Print 2013.
Antoni MH, Lutgendorf SK, Blomberg B, Carver CS, Lechner S, Diaz A, Stagl J, Arevalo JM, Cole SW. Cognitive-behavioral stress management reverses anxiety-related leukocyte transcriptional dynamics. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Feb 15;71(4):366-72. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.10.007. Epub 2011 Nov 16.
Black DS, Cole SW, Irwin MR, Breen E, St Cyr NM, Nazarian N, Khalsa DS, Lavretsky H. Yogic meditation reverses NF-kappaB and IRF-related transcriptome dynamics in leukocytes of family dementia caregivers in a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 Mar;38(3):348-55. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.06.011. Epub 2012 Jul 15.
Venditti S, Verdone L, Reale A, Vetriani V, Caserta M, Zampieri M. Molecules of Silence: Effects of Meditation on Gene Expression and Epigenetics. Front Psychol. 2020 Aug 11;11:1767. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01767. eCollection 2020.
Alvarez-Lopez MJ, Conklin QA, Cosin-Tomas M, Shields GS, King BG, Zanesco AP, Kaliman P, Saron CD. Changes in the expression of inflammatory and epigenetic-modulatory genes after an intensive meditation retreat. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2022 Jun 23;11:100152. doi: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100152. eCollection 2022 Aug.
Househam AM, Peterson CT, Mills PJ, Chopra D. The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics. Adv Mind Body Med. 2017 Fall;31(4):10-25.
Provided Documents
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Document Type: Study Protocol
Document Type: Informed Consent Form
Other Identifiers
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20211477A
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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