Acute effects of walking in forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters
- PMID: 21431424
- DOI: 10.1007/s00421-011-1918-z
Acute effects of walking in forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters
Abstract
We previously found that forest environments reduced stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline and showed the relaxing effect both in male and female subjects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of walking under forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Sixteen healthy male subjects (mean age 57.4 ± 11.6 years) were selected after obtaining informed consent. The subjects took day trips to a forest park in the suburbs of Tokyo and to an urban area of Tokyo as a control in September 2010. On both trips, they walked for 2 h in the morning and afternoon on a Sunday. Blood and urine were sampled on the morning before each trip and after each trip. Blood pressure was measured on the morning (0800) before each trip, at noon (1300), in the afternoon (1600) during each trip, and on the morning (0800) after each trip. The day trip to the forest park significantly reduced blood pressure and urinary noradrenaline and dopamine levels and significantly increased serum adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels. Walking exercise also reduced the levels of serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and urinary dopamine. Taken together, habitual walking in forest environments may lower blood pressure by reducing sympathetic nerve activity and have beneficial effects on blood adiponectin and DHEA-S levels, and habitual walking exercise may have beneficial effects on blood NT-proBNP levels.
Similar articles
-
[Effect of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on human health: A review of the literature].Sante Publique. 2019 May 13;S1(HS):135-143. doi: 10.3917/spub.190.0135. Sante Publique. 2019. PMID: 31210473 Review. French.
-
Effects of Forest Bathing on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Middle-Aged Males.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:2587381. doi: 10.1155/2016/2587381. Epub 2016 Jul 14. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016. PMID: 27493670 Free PMC article.
-
A day trip to a forest park increases human natural killer activity and the expression of anti-cancer proteins in male subjects.J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2010 Apr-Jun;24(2):157-65. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2010. PMID: 20487629
-
A forest bathing trip increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins in female subjects.J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2008 Jan-Mar;22(1):45-55. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2008. PMID: 18394317
-
Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins.Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2008 Jan-Mar;21(1):117-27. doi: 10.1177/039463200802100113. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2008. PMID: 18336737
Cited by
-
The effect of forest-based health and wellness on the stress-relieve of middle-aged people.Front Public Health. 2024 May 7;12:1366339. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1366339. eCollection 2024. Front Public Health. 2024. PMID: 38774044 Free PMC article.
-
Interplay among Anxiety, Digital Environmental Exposure, and Cognitive Control: Implications of Natural Settings.Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Apr 13;14(4):323. doi: 10.3390/bs14040323. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38667119 Free PMC article.
-
Aula Verde (tree room) as a link between art and science to raise public awareness of nature-based solutions.Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 6;14(1):2368. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-51611-9. Sci Rep. 2024. PMID: 38321108 Free PMC article.
-
Forest Bathing Increases Adolescents' Mental Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Dec 20;21(1):8. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21010008. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023. PMID: 38276796 Free PMC article.
-
Can natural environments enhance acute effects of rehabilitation exercise for older adults? A pilot randomized controlled trial.Aging Clin Exp Res. 2023 Jun;35(6):1213-1219. doi: 10.1007/s40520-023-02402-1. Epub 2023 Apr 15. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2023. PMID: 37060534 Clinical Trial.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Research Materials