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Meditation, the Immune System and Inflammation: What Studies Measured
What trials and reviews measured about mindfulness, inflammation markers and immune cells, why blood-test changes are not proof of fewer infections, and no immune-boosting claims.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Meditation and MindfulnessQuick answer
Researchers have measured blood markers of inflammation (such as C-reactive protein, or CRP, and signaling proteins called cytokines, for example IL-6 and TNF-alpha) before and after meditation programs. Some reviews find modest average decreases. What is missing is evidence that these changes mean fewer infections, less disease or a stronger immune system. This page does not claim that meditation "boosts" immunity. Evidence labels: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence.
Marker versus outcome
A biomarker is something measured in blood or saliva. A health outcome is something a person feels or experiences, such as catching fewer colds or having fewer flares of a disease. Most studies here report biomarkers. A lower CRP is not the same as better health, and a marker that moves in a trial may not move enough to matter.What the reviews found
| Review (year) | What was pooled | What the source found | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mind-body therapies, 34 trials, 2,219 people (2014) | Tai chi, qigong, meditation or yoga for at least four weeks | A moderate effect on CRP; small, non-significant effects on IL-6; negligible effects on TNF-alpha, CD4 and natural killer cell counts [1] | Mixed |
| Mindfulness meditation only, randomized trials (2016) | Inflammatory proteins, gene expression, cell counts, antibody response | Possible effects on some markers, but results tentative and varied widely by population, design and lab method [2] | Promising but limited |
| Psychological interventions, network meta-analysis, 104 trials, 7,820 people (2023) | Many therapy types | Mindfulness-based programs were linked with lower pro-inflammatory markers (d -0.38) and higher anti-inflammatory ones; evidence graded moderate for mindfulness, with substantial heterogeneity [3] | Promising but limited |
| Mindfulness and "inflammaging", 89 studies (2025) | RCTs and uncontrolled pre-post studies | Lower TNF-alpha, IL-6 and CRP in RCTs; the authors graded certainty moderate [4] | Promising but limited |
| Mind-body interventions, 89 trials (2025) | Mixed practices including gentle exercise | Generally lower CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, higher some anti-inflammatory markers [5] | Mixed (practices combined) |
People with illness
A 2025 review in breast cancer patients (9 studies, 991 people) found a small effect on immune function in randomized post-test data (g = 0.100), but a non-significant effect when single-group studies were added (g = 0.067). [7] For cancer care generally see meditation in cancer care. Anyone with an immune condition, on immune-suppressing medicine, or having cancer treatment should check with their care team before starting a program.What this does not mean
Meditation is not a substitute for vaccines, medicines or infection care. The question of whether it helps with colds, autoimmune flares or recovery has not been answered by the reviews we read. For habits with better-studied immune links, see habits for immune health and how the immune system works.Frequently asked questions
Does meditation boost the immune system?
That has not been shown. Reviews report changes in some blood markers, mostly modest and variable, but not fewer infections. [2]
Can meditation reduce inflammation?
Some reviews found lower CRP, IL-6 or TNF-alpha after mindfulness programs, with moderate or lower certainty and large differences between studies. [4][3]
Does mindfulness make vaccines work better?
Some evidence suggested stronger vaccine responses after mind-body therapies, but this was limited. [1]
Is it useful for autoimmune disease or cancer?
Proper evidence not found for disease outcomes in the reviews we checked; breast-cancer studies show only a small marker effect. [7]
How long before blood markers change?
In one review, effects on CRP were measured after 7 to 16 weeks of mind-body practice. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Cautions about these findings
- Mixed practices. Several reviews group meditation with yoga, tai chi or qigong, so effects cannot be assigned to meditation alone. See yoga evidence by outcome for those practices.
- Heterogeneity. Studies differ in who took part, program length, comparison group and lab assays, which makes pooled averages hard to interpret. [2]
- Mixed results elsewhere. A 2019 meta-analysis of 10 studies (607 people) of standardized mindfulness programs, looking at inflammatory markers and heart rate variability, called its results mixed and inconclusive and asked for larger, better RCTs. [6]
- Cell counts and resting immune measures. Little effect has been seen on resting antiviral or cell-count measures, with some evidence of stronger responses to vaccination. [1] That is a lab finding, not proof of protection.
Safety
NCCIH notes meditation and mindfulness usually carry few risks, but few studies have looked at harms. [8] See difficulties and distressing experiences if practice brings up distress. NCCIH also advises not to use these practices as a reason to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem. [8]
References
- The effects of mind-body therapies on the immune system: meta-analysis. PLoS One 2014. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Comparative efficacy of psychological interventions on immune biomarkers: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Brain Behav Immun 2023. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on inflammaging: systematic review and meta-analysis. Biogerontology 2025. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Effects of mind-body interventions on immune and neuroendocrine functions: systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Healthcare 2025. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Mindfulness-based interventions on heart rate variability and inflammatory markers: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Med 2019. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- Mindfulness-based meditation and immune function of breast cancer patients: systematic review and three-level meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2025. PubMed abstract. Abstract read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH. Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know (page last updated June 2022). Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.