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In 1984, the "Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology" published a study entitled
"Negative Air Ionization Improves Memory and Attention in Learning-Disabled and Mentally
Retarded Children."
The effectiveness of
negative ions on mental performance was tested by researching the
power of negative ions to improve the cognitive abilities of mentally handicapped
children, as well as the abilities of normal children.
Fourth graders were divided into three groups: normal, learning-disabled, and
mildly mentally retarded. The results were encouraging.
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"Half in each group were assigned randomly to an unmodified air-placebo condition under double-blind testing procedures. All of the children breathing negatively ionized air were superior in incidental memory...The action of negative ions on the neurotransmitter, serotonin, may be the mechanism by which negative ions produce such behavioral effects."
"Table I shows enhanced performance on the order of 8.4% for the normals, 23.6% for the learning-disabled, and 54.8% for the mildly retarded."
(ref: page 353, 358 of the journal)
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February 1995, "Journal of Alternative and Comparative Medicine",
(Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.) published a study on SAD.
Two researchers, Dr. Michael Terman (head of Columbia's Winter depression department)
and Dr. Jiuan Su Terman conducted a study of the impact of negative ion therapy on
people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (winter depression).
Researchers believe that the biology of Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD) is very similar to
that of "all-year" depression, hence, the same antidepressant drugs (such as Prozac) are
used to treat both.
The double blind study divided clinically depressed subjects into two groups. Both
groups were exposed to negative ions for a period 20 days. The
subjects in the first group were treated for 30 minutes per day with a
low density ion generator (10,000 ions/cubic centimeter).
Subjects in the second group were treated for 30 minutes per day with a
high density ion generator (2,700,000 ions/cubic centimeter).
The remission or "cure" criterion used was a 50% or greater reduction in symptom
frequency and severity using the SAD version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.
The results of this study amazed the medical community: While a low density negative ion
generator provided little benefit, a high density negative ion generator gave relief from
depression comparable to that given by Prozac and other antidepressants,
without drug side effects.
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According to Dr. Arnot,
"If the blustery winds of winter blowing across the nation this week are bringing you down, there's good reason. Researchers now believe that the ill winds strip away highly charged subatomic particles called Negative Ions from the air around us, contributing to a seasonal form of depression.
Here's why. Level of brain chemical responsible for mood, called serotonin, are often lower in cases of season depression. Serotonin levels can be elevated by increased exposure to light or by antidepressants like Prozac. Researchers say negative ions may also increase brain levels of serotonin.
A study in the current "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" concluded that 58 percent of patients treated with high-density negative ions had significant relief of their symptoms, almost identical to the number improved with drugs, but without drug side effects.
The whole idea of using negative ions as a legitimate medical treatment may seem just a little bit odd. But while many doctors are still highly skeptical about alternative medicines, more and more Americans are turning to them because they haven't found the satisfaction they want from mainstream medicine.
(src: summary from CBS News transcript, 2/14/95 6:30-7:00 PM, Connie Chung)
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There is much research supporting the effectiveness of negative ions on mood, energy, and performance. But, you are probably wondering what negative ions are, and how they benefit us.
Spring 1991, an article entitled "Ions and Consciousness" was published in the magazine, "Whole Self":
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Research on ions began in the 1950s with Dr. Albert Kreuger, professor emeritus of the University of California at Berkeley, and Dr. Felix Sulman, professor of pharmacology at the Hebrew University in Israel."
"Dr. Kreuger excited the scientific world when he discovered ions to be biologically active, stimulated production of the powerful chemical serotonin, 5-HT. Serotonin is a very active neuro-hormone which causes profound neural, glandular, and digestive effects throughout the body."
"Dr. Sulman corroborated Kreuger's findings while studying positive ion victims of the hot, dry Sharav winds in Jerusalem. He demonstrated three effects of positive ion excess: irritation and tension, exhaustion, and hyperthyroid response. Most of these conditions, along with symptoms of depression, anxiety, headaches, and low-energy physical and mental functions, were shown to be alleviated or totally eliminated by increasing the negative ion count in the air."
"While ionization of the air is mandatory in many European and Russian hospitals and workplaces, it has only recently come to light in our country with the growing problem of toxic air in our urban environments."
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