Forest bathing on urinary oxidative and anti-oxidative biomarker levels among healthy population

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01834
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Okayama University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Wang Da-Hong 岡山理科大学, 理学部, 教授 (90294404)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 森林環境 / 都市環境 / バイオマーカー / 酸化ストレス / 抗酸化能 / 過酸化水素 / 8-OHdG / フィトンチッド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some studies have shown that exposure to forests has positive effects on human health,although the mechanisms underlying the health benefits of a forest environment have not been elucidated yet. The current study was aimed at examining how the levels of urinary oxidative stress biomarkers change after a forest or urban walk in healthy young subjects. The forest walks were carried out in 2 forests in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, and the urban walks were carried out in the downtown area of Okayama city, each for two hours. Spot urine samples were collected before the walk, the next day and one week after the forest or urban walk. Compared with pre-forest walk levels, we found a decreased tendency in urinary dityrosine, hexanoyl-lysine, hydrogen peroxide, and 8-hydroxy-2’deoxyguanosine concentrations in most participants after the forest walk, but not the urban walk. These findings suggest the possibility that exposure to forests may alleviate oxidative stress in the body.

Free Research Field

環境予防医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでに森林浴の研究があまり焦点を当ててこなかった生体の酸化・抗酸化関連バイオマーカーに注目し、健常者を対象とし、森林散策の前後における体内の酸化・抗酸化バランスの変化及びそのメカニズムについて初めて考察した本研究は、独創性を有し、学術的意義が高いと考える。
本研究成果はレジャー活動としての森林浴による心身健康の増進・疾病予防の研究発展につながる基礎的データを提供し、さらに地域の森林の有効利用にも有意義な示唆を与えたと考える。