The Uniqueness Lie: Exposing the Lies of TM research, one at a time. The uniqueness lie and the hypometabolic lie.
Question: Does TM, as is still touted in TM tracts, produce a "hypometabolic" state, i.e a 16% drop in oxygen consumption? Answer: No. 3 groups of 9 TM meditators were studied to see if the claim of 16% decrease in oxygen consumption could be replicated. The sample included both males and females and novice as well as long-term TMers. Researchers found TM did not produce Wallace's claims of -16% O2 consumption. Researchers Pagano and Warrenburg instead found the following: "As one reviews the data...the outstanding features are the similarity of and relatively small changes in VO2 which occurred during practice of TM...The 4% decrease in VO2 found during treatment for the TM group is considerably less than Wallace's reported 16% decrease and calls into question his claim that the state produced by TM is "hypometabolic". Meditation: In Search of a Unique Effect. Robert R. Pagano and Stephen Warrenburg.
