A woman takes a deep breath because she has mindfully reduced her stress and this has a positive effect on her immune system

Study: Mindfulness-based stress reduction helps the immune system

Carolyn Y Fang et al.

May 2010

Anti-Stress & Burnout

Researchers from Philadelphia in the United States hypothesized that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) not only increases psychosocial well-being, but also alters markers of immune activity.

To prove this theory, a pilot study was conducted at an academic health center in which 24 subjects without autoimmune disease underwent an eight-week MBSR program. The heterogeneous sample provided blood samples at the start of the study and two weeks after completing the therapy.

Significant improvements in quality of life and a reduction in stress and anxiety were observed. The latter correlated with a reduction in C-reactive proteins. Subjects who reported an increase in general mental well-being showed an increase in the cytolytic activity of natural killer cells.

The MBSR program therefore not only triggered a sense of well-being, but also had a positive influence on immunological measures.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Stress
Institution: Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Title: Study: Mindfulness-based stress reduction helps the immune system
Brief description: Study shows that an eight-week mindfulness program increases well-being and has positive effects on the immune system.
Original title: Enhanced psychosocial well-being following participation in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program is associated with increased natural killer cell activity.
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20455784/