"Integrative Meditative Chanting And Herbal Therapy Improve Stress, Sleep, And Metabolic Health In Diabetic Hypertensive Men: A Clinical Trial"

Sleep problems, low serotonin, high stress, and metabolic issues are common in men with diabetic hypertension (DH) and non-diabetic hypertension (NDH), leading to cellular damage and poor health. This study tests a six-month program combining ohm chanting, pomegranate juice, giloy, mangiferin, and jackfruit decoction to improve sleep, stress, and metabolic health in male vegetarian subjects. Methods: A randomized controlled trial included 180 vegetarian men (60 DH, 60 NDH, 60 non-hypertensive [NH]) aged 30–65 years. The intervention involved daily ohm chanting (30 minutes), pomegranate juice (200 mL twice daily), giloy extract (500 mg/day), mangiferin (100 mg/day), and jackfruit decoction (150 mL/day). Outcomes included sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), serotonin, cortisol, HbA1c, fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), and lipid peroxidation (marker of cellular damage). Measurements were taken at baseline, three months, and six months. Results: After six months, DH men showed significant improvements in PSQI (−3.2, p < 0.001), serotonin (+15.4 ng/mL, p = 0.002), cortisol (−2.1 µg/dL, p = 0.004), HbA1c (−0.9%, p < 0.001), FBS (−18 mg/dL, p < 0.001), systolic BP (−7.8 mmHg, p < 0.001), and lipid peroxidation (−1.2 nmol/mL, p = 0.003). NDH and NH groups improved less but significantly. DH men reduced anti-diabetic and antihypertensive drug doses by 15–20% (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The integrative program significantly enhanced sleep, stress, and metabolic health in male DH and NDH subjects, reducing medication needs and cellular damage, offering a promising complementary approach for managing diabetes and hypertension.