What's In A Breath of Fresh Air?

Alternative thinking or hard fact?

Some of the ions commonly found in sea air.

Opinions on the physiological effects of ions seem to be incredibly polarised between the ardent skeptic and the avid believer. Research seems to be centered around the effect of ionizers, which create a negatively charged atmosphere similar to the relaxing natural environments near waterfalls, on mountains, in forests or by the sea.

It is widely accepted that negative ion generators remove dust particles from the air, which can help alleviate the symptoms of patients with respiratory difficulties. Similarly, scientists at St James's University Hospital in Leeds managed to entirely eliminate common bacterial infections by installing ionizers in their intensive care unit. The team explained that the ions collided with the suspended particles and gave them a charge. The charged particles then clustered together and fell out of the air, disinfecting the atmosphere.

At the New York State Psychiatric Institute, researchers found that negative ion therapy helped to alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of winter depression. During a trial, people were exposed to high and low rate flows of negative ions while they slept. Many of the patients that were exposed to a higher density of negative ions showed an improvement in their symptoms.

Negative ions are thought to alleviate depression because of their effect on serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain believed to play an important role in regulating mood. Studies in the 1970s reported that levels of serotonin could be affected by the type and concentration of ions breathed from air. The recent study at the New York State Psychiatric Institute found that devices emitting negatively charged oxygen particles had a similar effect to sunlight, which helps the body produce serotonin and ease seasonal depression.

The general consensus in the homeopathic community seems to be that negative ions have beneficial effects whereas positive ions are harmful. It is thought that positive ions cause a massive overproduction of serotonin in the blood which triggers the release of adrenaline into the brain. Although this should not cause any short term problems, if the body produces too much serotonin for long durations then it will not be able to keep up with the production of adrenaline. The sudden rush of adrenaline can cause anxiety and nervousness followed by a tired low as the body struggles to keep up.