Mozart, Gut Health and Other Musical Side Effects
A 2025 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that listening to Mozart’s K.448 in D tone for just 2 hours a night significantly strengthened gut health.
This was the headline. It immediately caught my attention. It combined my interest in gut health and love of classical music. I soon realised the study was done in mice, not in humans but the findings were striking nevertheless. Listening to Mozart helped strengthen the gut lining, making it less 'leaky', supported the immune system and even increased levels of good gut bacteria like Lactobacillus. Interestingly, the D tone was the most effective, suggesting that certain sound frequencies might be a simple, non-invasive way to support gut health and immunity. You can read more here.
Classical music's health effects also brought back memories. When I was 18 and preparing for finals I ran into research on classical music. This time it was how Baroque music could help you focus. Turns out Baroque music, especially pieces with a tempo of around 60 beats per minute (like some of Bach, Handel, or Vivaldi), had been linked to improved concentration and memory in small studies. The theory was that this tempo mimics the resting heart rate, promoting a calm but alert mental state.
Being the one to always work smarter, not harder you can bet that I had my parents' dusty Vivaldi cd’s playing in the background. I graduated with good scores. Whether it was stamina or classical music, who knows? But you can read more here.
Last week I was lucky enough to see Jon Batiste in concert. Again, another element of music influencing our health: connection. You will always feel connection in a live concert but Mr. Batiste brought it out in a unique way. First of all we were in a classical concert hall, usually with somewhat reserved audience participation. In no time, Mr. Batiste had us humming, clapping, and being part of a piece he had just composed eight minutes earlier, as he told us with his signature laugh.
The first round we just hummed the melody. Then he encouraged as to sing with the “la” sound. This is what children often do and he asked us to search for the child-like freedom in creating music. June 2025 Amsterdam
A jam-packed concert hall making music together felt so good. It felt like singing in a choir, which research has shown has multiple health benefits, from cognitive to immune-boosting. This was a great reminder that not all our lives can nor should happen online. Making music together in real life boosts dopamine, the feel good hormone. And see here.
What do you think? How are you harnessing the healthy effects of music in your life? What’s on your playlist?
Thank you for reading and being here.
Lina
Health Coach | Functional Medicine | Restorative Pilates
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