Meditation Slows HIV

Meditation is used to improve a number of health problems including anxiety, depression and pain. Now, new research shows it may even aid in the battle against the progression of HIV.

Researchers tracked CD4+ T lymphocytes, immune cells attacked by HIV, in a set of 48 HIV-positive adults who practiced mindful meditation for eight weeks. This group showed no decline in these cells in this time. In comparison, a control group of HIV-positive adults who did not practice the meditation showed a significant decline in the cells during the same eight weeks.

These findings held true regardless of whether the subjects were taking retroviral medications to slow the progression of the virus. Furthermore, the more a person took part in the meditation, the better their cell counts.

Researchers suggest the stress-reducing effects of meditation may boost the health of HIV-negative people as well.

"Given the stress-reduction benefits of mindfulness meditation training, these findings indicate there can be health protective effects not just in people with HIV but in folks who suffer from daily stress," said lead study author David Creswell a researcher at the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA.

Read more: Practice of mindfulness meditation slows the progression of HIV, study shows