Therapeutic effect of forest bathing on human hypertension in the elderly

Summary & key facts

In a randomized trial of 24 elderly people with essential hypertension (12 in each group), one group spent 7 days and nights in a broad‑leaved evergreen forest and the other stayed in an urban area. After the trip, the forest group had a significant drop in blood pressure compared with the city group, lower levels of several cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers, and lower scores on negative mood scales. The forest site also had more negative air ions and lower PM10 (small particle) levels than the city site.

Key facts:

• The study randomized 24 elderly patients with essential hypertension into two equal groups of 12.
• One group spent 7 days and 7 nights in a broad‑leaved evergreen forest; the control group stayed in a city area in Hangzhou.
• Baseline measurements of the indicators were not significantly different between the two groups before the trip.
• Subjects who went to the forest showed a significant reduction in blood pressure compared with the city control group; the city group showed little change.
• Cardiovascular-related biomarkers (including endothelin-1, homocysteine, renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin II, and angiotensin II type 1 and type 2 receptors) were lower in the forest group than in the urban group and lower than their own
• Inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were lower in participants after exposure to the forest environment.
• Mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States (POMS); negative-subscale scores were lower after forest exposure.
• Air measurements showed the forest environment had more negative ions and lower PM10 (particulate matter < 10 μm) than the urban area.
• The authors concluded that forest bathing produced therapeutic effects on hypertension and was associated with inhibition of the renin–angiotensin system and reduced inflammation, as reported in this 2012 randomized controlled trial.

Topics

Biofield Effects and Biophysics Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements Urban Green Space and Health

Categories

Complementary and Manual Therapy Health Professions Health Sciences

Tags

Bathing Cardiology Intensive care medicine Internal medicine Medicine Pathology