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Elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs

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Abstract

Serum dehydroepiandosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were measured in 270 men and 153 women who were experienced practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs, mental techniques practiced twice daily, sitting quietly with the eyes closed. These were compared according to sex and 5-year age grouping to 799 male and 453 female nonmeditators. The mean DHEA-S levels in the TM group were higher in all 11 of the age groups measured in women and in 6 of 7 5-year age groups over 40 in men. There were no systematic differences in younger men. Simple regression using TM-group data revealed that this effect was independent of diet, body mass index, and exercise. The mean TM-group levels measured in all women and in the older men were generally comparable to those of nonmeditator groups 5 to 10 years younger. These findings suggest that some characteristics of TM practitioners are modifying the age-related deterioration in DHEA-S secretion by the adrenal cortex.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Physiological and Biological Sciences, Maharishi International University, 52556, Fairfield, Iowa

    Jay L. Glaser, Michael J. Eisner, Michael C. Dillbeck, R. Keith Wallace & Deepak Chopra

  2. The Orentreich Foundation for the Advancement of Science, Inc., 10516, Cold Spring-on-Hudson, New York

    Joel L. Brind, Joseph H. Vogelman & Norman Orentreich

  3. Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, CUNY, 10010, New York, New York

    Joel L. Brind

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  1. Jay L. Glaser
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Glaser, J.L., Brind, J.L., Vogelman, J.H. et al. Elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs. J Behav Med 15, 327–341 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844726

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