The effects of bathing in neutral bicarbonate ion water.

Abstract

Percutaneously absorbed carbon dioxide enhances blood flow. The mechanism by which it does so is unclear, but we hypothesized that it involves bicarbonate ions. BALB/c mice were bathed in neutral bicarbonate ionized water (NBIW) and showed increased blood bicarbonate levels and blood flow via phosphorylation of peripheral vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and production of nitric oxide (NO). Phosphorylation of eNOS and NO production were also increased in human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in medium containing NBIW, and NBIW showed reactive oxygen species scavenging activity. In a double-blind, randomized study in men and women aged 30 to 59 years with subjective cold intolerance, bathing in NBIW elevated body temperature faster than bathing in a control solution and improved chills and sleep quality. Taken together, our results show that percutaneously absorbed carbon dioxide changes to bicarbonate ions, which act directly on endothelial cells to increase NO production by phosphorylation of eNOS and thus improve blood flow.

• Authors: Tomoe Yamazaki, Ryoko Ushikoshi-Nakayama, Supriya Shakya, Daisuke Omagari, Naoyuki Matsumoto, Chiyoko Nukuzuma, Tomoko Komatsu, Masaichi Chang-Il Lee, Hiroko Inoue, Ichiro Saito
• Journal: Scientific reports (Sci Rep) Vol. 11 Issue 1 Pg. 21789 (11 08 2021) ISSN: 2045-2322 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34750450 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2021. The Author(s).

Chemical References

• Bicarbonates
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Nitric Oxide
• Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III

Topics

• Adult
• Animals
• Bicarbonates (pharmacokinetics, pharmacology)
• Blood Circulation (drug effects)
• Body Temperature (drug effects)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (drug effects, metabolism)
• Humans
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Immersion
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Middle Aged
• Nitric Oxide (metabolism)
• Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III (metabolism)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)