I have been spreading the word about the benefits of negative ions and it is quite natural if you were to ask if there was any “real science behind this invisible phenomenon?” If you ask me, “Is There Real Science Behind the Effects of Negative Ions on the Human Body?” Probably better than the science that most of us do have access to, but the answer is, “yes.” There is plenty of science that verifies the efficacy of negative ions and negative ion therapy.
Beyond mother nature, this invisible energy can be measured by a variety of testing equipment, and thanks to studies being done by institutions such as the Columbia University in New York, where Michael Terman, PhD, says, “The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods,” and also reports, “The best part is that there are relatively no side effects.”
Terman also warns us about buying ion generators because the ion emissions that are reported in advertising can be highly overrated and may not be sufficient to yield an effective antidepressant dose.
For those who are looking for solid science and reputable research studies on the positive effects of human exposure to negative ions, they have been studied since the 1930s but the technology dates back to oceans, beaches, waterfalls, lightning, and storms. Dr. Svante August Arrhenius, a Swedish chemist, is credited with the discovery of negative ions. He formulated a theory regarding ionization (i.e., electrolytic dissociation). Dr. Phillip Eduard Anton Lennard, a Nobel Prize winner, confirmed that negative ions (i.e., anions) can be found in high concentrations at sea sides and in the basins of waterfalls.
Over at the Center for Applied Cognitive in Charlotte NC, Pierce J Howard, PhD, author of The Owners’ Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research, says, “Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy.” And according to Howard, “They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation.”
Dr. Howard reports that some of us are more receptive to and are therefore more positively impacted by the exposure to negative ions, about one-third of us, and you can tell if you are noticeably positively affected by opening a window and taking in a breath of fresh, humid air, roll down the car window, or step outside.
A study conducted by the Department of Human Health Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan concluded that “Exposure to negative air ions significantly reduces blood pressure and heart rate.”
British researchers at the Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences in Liverpool exposed male subjects to negative ions and measured physiological responses, including body temperature, heart rate and respiration, while at rest and during exercise. Negative ions were found to significantly improve all physiological states, particularly during rest.
According to JM. Olivereau based on research conducted at the University Paris VI, a multitude of studies indicates that research works conducted on various forms of headaches indicate measurable reduction results with negative air ions.
A study conducted at the University of Surrey, England, by Dr. Hawkins reports headache complaints decreased by 50% with negative air ions.
A.P. Krueger at the University of California Berkeley concludes that no harm can come from exposing oneself to high levels of negative ions, specifically that no one as yet has found that the negative air ion concentrations may be harmful.