Effects of short-term forest bathing on human health in a broad-leaved evergreen
forest in Zhejiang Province, China.
Author(s): Mao GX, Lan XG, Cao YB, Chen ZM, He ZH, Lv YD, Wang YZ, Hu XL, Wang GF, Yan J.
Affiliation(s): Zhejiang Hospital & Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Geriatrics, Hangzhou 310013,
China.
Publication date & source: 2012, Biomed Environ Sci. , 25(3):317-24
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of short-term forest bathing on human
health.
METHODS: Twenty healthy male university students participated as subjects and
were randomly divided into two groups of 10. One group was sent on a two-night
trip to a broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the other was sent to a city area.
Serum cytokine levels reflecting inflammatory and stress response, indicators
reflecting oxidative stress, the distribution of leukocyte subsets, and plasma
endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations were measured before and after the experiment
to evaluate the positive health effects of forest environments. A profile of mood
states (POMS) evaluation was used to assess changes in mood states.
RESULTS: No significant differences in the baseline values of the indicators were
observed between the two groups before the experiment. Subjects exposed to the
forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory level, as
evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor
a levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower
than in the urban group. Notably, the concentration of plasma ET-1 was much lower
in subjects exposed to the forest environment. The POMS evaluation showed that
after exposure to the forest environment, subjects had lower scores in the
negative subscales, and the score for vigor was increased.
CONCLUSION: Forest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through
preventive effects related to several pathological factors.
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