How singing popular Christian hymn Amazing Grace for ten minutes can reverse the effects of heart disease

It’s one of the most popular hymns in the Christian hymnal, but apparently the benefits of Amazing Grace aren’t purely spiritual.

Scientists have discovered that singing this beloved song for ten minutes can reverse the effects of heart disease.

If you’re more into pop, the Beatles classic Hey Jude is also a good choice, but to a lesser extent.

American researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin investigated the impact of singing different songs on the blood vessels of elderly people with heart disease.

The results showed that those who regularly played Amazing Grace, written by preacher and poet John Newton in 1772, saw the greatest improvements in endothelial function — a measure of how healthy the blood vessels around the heart are.

Amazing Grace was written in 1772 by clergyman and poet John Newton (pictured)

Hey Jude, released in 1968, provided minor improvements, as did Dolly Parton’s 1976 hit Jolene.

But the American folk classic This Land Is Your Land, recorded in 1940 by Woody Guthrie, made little difference.

Numerous studies have shown that singing is good for both physical and mental health.

However, the Wisconsin team wanted to know whether it had a measurable effect on people with heart disease.

They recruited 65 men and women – mostly in their 60s – who were being treated for heart problems or had previously had a heart attack.

They had them sing each of the four songs, guided by a vocal coach, and measured the changes in their blood flow.

The speed at which blood flows through the body can provide important information about the health of the large blood vessels that supply the heart with oxygen-rich blood.

The results, published in the online medical journal medRxiv, showed that 22 percent of the volunteers experienced an improvement in blood flow when they sang Amazing Grace.

But only 10 percent improved when they performed This Land is Your Land.

The results, published in the online medical journal medRxiv, showed that 22 percent of volunteers saw an improvement in blood flow when they sang Amazing Grace. Singing the hymn could reverse the effects of heart disease

Dolly Parton’s 1976 hit Jolene produced small improvements in endothelial function – a measure of how healthy the blood vessels around the heart are

But the American folk favorite This Land Is Your Land – recorded in 1940 by Woody Guthrie (pictured) – made little difference

In a report on their findings, the scientists suggested that the physical and emotional exertion involved in singing the beloved song may explain its benefits, compared with other, less stirring songs.

“The physiological demands of singing are similar to walking at a moderately brisk pace. We found that Amazing Grace had the greatest effect,” they added.