(HealthDay News) — Meditation “may” help lower a person’s risk of heart diseaase, the American Heart Association says.

“The key word to remember is may,” the association said in a statement released in September.

“The research is suggestive, but not definitive,” said Dr. Glenn Levine, who chaired a group of heart disease experts who reviewed 57 recent studies about meditation’s effects on heart disease.

Types of meditation evaluated were: Samatha, Vipassana, Mindful, Zen, Raja Yoga, Loving-Kindness, Transcendental and Relaxation Response. Types of meditation that incorporated physical activity — such as yoga or Tai Chi – were excluded because physical activity itself has been proven to help the heart, the AHA said.

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