[Compression of body by clothing--increase in urinary norepinephrine excretion caused by foundation garments]

The urinary excretions of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EP) were measured to investigate the physiological effects of girdles worn by women to look attractive. 1) The urinary excretion of NE was remarkably increased by the wearing of a girdle in all the subjects examined, whether living conditions and stimulations were changed or remained unchanged. 2) The urinary excretion of NE was increased by wearing a girdle, regardless of the type of girdle or its intensity of compression. 3) The urinary excretion of NE tended to increase more by the wearing of a bodysuit having a large area of body compression than by the wearing of a girdle having a narrow area of compression. 4) The urinary excretion of NE showed no specific pattern of change, even when the subjects were accustomed to the use of a girdle. These findings may indicate that a girdle of even the best-fitting size exerts a kind of stress on the human body.