Heartfulness meditation alters neuroendocrine profiles: a randomized controlled trial on hormones of stress and well-being.
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BACKGROUND: Chronic stress disrupts the neuroendocrine system, leading to imbalances in neurotransmitters and stress hormones such as oxytocin, β endorphins and cortisol, contributing to mood disorders and poor emotional regulation. Complementary and alternative practices like meditation have shown promising results in stress regulation and mood elevation. Heartfulness (HFN) meditation, rooted in yogic traditions and incorporating yogic transmission, is an emerging technique to improve emotional resilience and hormonal homeostasis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of HFN meditation on oxytocin, β-endorphins, and cortisol. It also evaluated the changes in meditation depth using validated psychometric tools. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group practiced guided HFN meditation for 30 days. Following this, a crossover design was implemented in which, the control group participants were now given the intervention of HFN meditation. Biochemical markers (serum oxytocin, β-endorphins, cortisol) were measured at day 30, and day 60. Psychometric assessments included the Meditation Depth Questionnaire and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). RESULTS: HFN meditation significantly improved meditation depth (ΔM = -14.87, 95% CI [-23.61,-6.13], P = .001, r = 0.333) and positive affect (ΔM = -8.48, 95% CI [-12.03,-4.93], P < .001, r = 0.29), while reducing negative affect (ΔM = 7.70, 95% CI [3.81, 11.60], P < .001, r = 0.21). Oxytocin and endorphin levels increased (oxytocin ΔM = +88.18, P = .003, r = 0.355 and endorphin ΔM = +94.83, P = .003, r = 0.357), and cortisol decreased (ΔM = -133.55, P < .001, r = 0.661). After crossover, the control group exhibited similar improvements. Negative correlations were found between cortisol and both oxytocin and β-endorphins. CONCLUSION: HFN meditation significantly modulates stress-related neuroendocrine markers and enhances positive emotional states. By increasing the levels of these happy hormones and reducing cortisol, HFN presents a promising non-pharmacological intervention for improving mental health and stress resilience.
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Increased levels of BDNF have been observed with spiritual practices, suggesting potential roles in synaptic plasticity and neural repair.
“Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have also been observed, suggesting potential roles in synaptic plasticity and neural repair (Philip et al., 2025).”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Philip et al., 2025
The References section lists a meditation trial whose title reports increased BDNF in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Philip et al. do not report measuring BDNF in their own trial, and the passages do not link it to synaptic plasticity or neural repair. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPositive religious coping is associated with improved mental health outcomes, including reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms.
“Positive religious coping, characterized by beliefs in a benevolent, forgiving, and supportive higher power, is associated with improved mental health outcomes, including reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms (Xu, 2016; Philip et al., 2025).”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Philip et al., 2025
The Results (3.2, page unavailable) report improved positive and negative affect after Heartfulness meditation, not outcomes associated with positive religious coping. The Discussion (section 4, page unavailable) mentions a prior finding about meditation depth and anxiety, but our copy does not address benevolent-higher-power beliefs or reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms through religious coping (searched: positive religious coping, benevolent higher power, anxiety, depressive symptoms). (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredNegative religious coping is associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety, and even suicidality.
“Negative religious coping, as noted earlier, is associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety, and even suicidality (Xu, 2016; Philip et al., 2025).”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Philip et al., 2025
The Introduction discusses depression and anxiety generally, while the Results and Discussion address Heartfulness meditation, affect, and hormones. Searches for negative religious coping and suicidality found no passage linking religious coping to depression, anxiety, or suicidality in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredNegative religious coping is linked to increased psychological distress and maladaptive coping patterns.
“Conversely, negative religious coping, which involves beliefs in divine punishment, abandonment, or moral condemnation, has been linked to increased psychological distress and maladaptive coping patterns.”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Philip et al., 2025
The Introduction discusses stress and mental health, and the Discussion addresses meditation and emotional states; neither addresses negative religious coping. Searches for divine punishment, abandonment, psychological distress, and maladaptive coping found no passage linking religious coping to those outcomes. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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“Positive religious coping, characterized by beliefs in a benevolent, forgiving, and supportive higher power, is associated with improved mental health outcomes, including reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms (Xu, 2016; Philip et al., 2025).”
- Authors
- Philip, S. T., Thimmapuram, J., Thakur, K., Dayal, N., Patil, Y., Sabbu, K., Surve, S., Patil, P., & Thakur, M.
- Affiliations
- Mahatma Gandhi Mission Institute of Health Sciences (IN)
- WellSpan York Hospital (US)
- DY Patil Deemed to be University (IN)
- Kanha Medical and Research Centre, Kanha Medical Services, Kanha Shanti Vanam, Chegur Village, Hyderabad, India.
- Corresponding author
- Thakur, Mansee
- Venue
- Medicine
- Published
- 2025-11-21
- Volume
- 104
- Issue
- 47
- Pages
- e45559
- ISSN
- 0025-7974 (ISSN-L)
- 1536-5964
- PMC
- PMC12643779
- OpenAlex
- W4416717870
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7
- FWCI
- 8.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biofield Effects and Biophysics
- Keywords
- Heartfulness meditation, yogic meditation, neuroendocrine system, stress hormones, oxytocin, beta-endorphin, cortisol, positive affect, negative affect, well-being, chronic stress, complementary and alternative medicine, mood regulation, PANAS, crossover design
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, beta-Endorphin, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Middle Aged, Neurosecretory Systems, Oxytocin, Psychometrics, Stress, Psychological, Cross-Over Studies, Meditation
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