Impact Of Transcendental Meditation On Left Ventricular Mass In African American Adolescents
Authors: Barnes, V.A., Kapuku, G.K., Treiber, F.A.
Published: Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012: 923153. Epub 2012 May 22.
Methods: Background. An early sign of ventricular remodeling is increased left ventricular mass (LVM) which over time may lead to left ventricular hypertrophy, the strongest predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, other than advancing age. Methods. 62 (30 TM; 32 CTL) African American adolescents (age 16.2 ± 1.3 years) with high normal systolic BP were randomly assigned to either 4-month Transcendental Meditation (TM) or health education control groups. The echocardiographic-derived measure of left ventricular mass index (LVMI = LVM/ht(2.7)) was measured before and after the 4-month Transcendental Meditation study and at 4-month followup. 2D-guided M-mode echocardiography using a Hewlett Packard 5500 echosonograph was used to determine left ventricular mass index. 
Results: The Transcendental Meditation group exhibited a greater decrease in left ventricular mass index at 4-month followup compared to the CTL group (-2.6 versus +0.3 gm/ht(2.7), P < 0.04). The Transcendental Meditation group exhibited a lesser increase in BMI at 4-month follow-up compared to the CTL group (0.2 ± 1.6 versus 1.1 ± 1.4, P < 0.03). Conclusion. These findings indicate that among a group of prehypertensive African American adolescents, 4 months of Transcendental Meditation compared to heath education resulted in a significant decrease in left ventricular mass index, and these changes were maintained at 4-month follow-up.
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