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Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function.

¹Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan, qing-li@nms.ac.jp.

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine

|July 2, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Forest bathing, or Shinrinyoku, significantly boosts immune function by increasing natural killer (NK) cell activity. This effect, lasting over 30 days, highlights the benefits of regular forest visits for maintaining a healthy immune system.

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Area of Science:

Environmental Medicine
Immunology
Preventive Medicine

Background:

Forest bathing, known as Shinrinyoku in Japan, is a practice involving leisurely forest visits.
It is recognized for its potential health benefits, akin to natural aromatherapy.
This study specifically investigates its impact on human immune function.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the effects of forest bathing trips on human immune function.
To compare immune responses after forest bathing versus urban tourism.
To determine the duration of forest bathing's impact on immune markers.

Main Methods:

Adult Japanese participants undertook 3-day/2-night forest bathing trips.
Blood and urine samples were collected during and after trips, alongside control measurements.
Key immune markers measured included natural killer (NK) cell activity, specific lymphocyte counts, and urinary adrenaline levels.

Main Results:

Forest bathing significantly increased NK activity and the number of NK cells expressing key immune proteins (granulysin, perforin, granzymes A/B).
Urinary adrenaline levels were significantly lower during forest bathing compared to control conditions.
These positive immune effects persisted for over 30 days post-trip, unlike urban tourism.

Conclusions:

Forest bathing trips demonstrably enhance human immune function.
The observed increase in NK activity is linked to elevated numbers of specific immune cells and their protein expression.
Regular forest bathing may be a viable strategy for maintaining optimal immune health.