Trademarks, Patents, Clinical Trials, And Citations of The Anti-Aging Bed®

Anti Aging Bed® – 86232808 US Registered & ApprovedA2B® – 86099048 US Registered & Approved
Anti Oxidant Bed® – 86270350 US Registered & Approved

Patents:
9,332,855 B2 US APPROVED
9,691,516 B2 US APPROVED
16035492 US PATENT PENDING

Information, Clinical Trials & Citations Below:

Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications

*The FDA determined NanoBionic Technology to enhance faster recovery, increase in general wellness, promotes a restful night sleep, and give temporary increase in local blood flow all while in contact with the bed.

INTRODUCTION – A rose by any other name: “ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY.”

1. So what is the significance of electromagnetic energy for a Human?

   1. ALL biological organisms are subjected to natural electromagnetic radiation reaching the earth from the sun.

   2. ALL biological organisms on this planet experience the beneficial (as well as adverse) effects of electromagnetic energy at all levels of your physiology – starting from those sub-cellular organelles actually inside your cells all the way up to the macro structure of your body as a whole.

   3. Thermal radiation (or INFRARED) is a specific and narrowly defined band of electromagnetic radiation within the overall electromagnetic spectrum. Throughout history, INFRARED has been used effectively to treat/ease physiologic maladies and discomforts.

   4. Heated saunas are a common avenue (and perhaps the oldest) to deliver INFRARED radiation in a controlled environment.

   5. As technology continues to advance at exponentially greater rates, today’s healthcare tools can deliver a far greater beneficial effect by isolating and delivering pure FAR Infrared Radiation (FIR). The benefits from FIR are dramatically enhanced as compared to the infrared spectrum alone.

   6. Today, specialty FIR FABRICS made up of filaments (fibers) impregnated with FIR emitting nanoparticles are being used to deliver these beneficial thermal radiation effects.

2. What is FIR radiation?

   1. With respect to the complete electromagnetic radiation spectrum, the infrared radiation (IR) band covers the wavelength range of 750 nm–100 μm, frequency range of 400 THz–3 THz, and photon energy range of 12.4 meV– 1.7 eV.

   2. The classification of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) has three sub-divisions for the IR radiation as given in Table 1.

Table 1

CIE classification of IR radiation.

Name/abbreviation

Wavelength

Photon energy (THz)

Near infrared/IR-A

0.7– 1.4 μm (700– 1400 nm)

215– 430

Mid infrared/IR-B

1.4– 3.0 μm (1400– 3000 nm)

100– 215

Farinfrared/IR-C

3.0– 100 μm (3000 nm– 0.1 mm)

3– 100

1. An alternative classification provided in ISO 20473 standard for the sub-division of the IR ranges is given in Table 2.

Table 2

ISO 20473 standard for sub-division of the IR.

Name/abbreviation

Wavelength (μm)

Near IR, NIR

0.78 – 3

Mid IR, MIR

3.0 – 50

Far IR, FIR

50 – 1000

1. Well who cares? Why is the FIR bandwidth “special” for use in Humans?

   1. In the IR radiation bands, only FIR transfers energy (in the form of heat) which can be perceived by the thermoreceptors in human skin as radiant heat [1].

   2. Not only is FIR absorbed by the human body,

   3. but FIR is also emitted by the body

Biological effects of FIR (on human tissue – PEOPLE)

1. How can I best understand the effects of FIR on Humans?

   1. FIR application in medicine requires understanding and knowledge of

      1. Photons & Biology: the interactions of electromagnetic radiation at FIR range with biological structures (including cells, cell membranes, cell fluids – especially water, DNA/proteins) and

      2. Overall Biology: functioning of the living systems in general.

   2. Electricity = Energy = Performance: At the cellular level, the underlying biophysical mechanisms of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with living cells can be framed in terms of:

      1. Electricity: altered cell membrane potentials and

      2. Energy: altered mitochondrial metabolism [2].

   3. FIR energy (photons with quantum energy levels of 12.4 meV –1.7 eV) is absorbed by vibrational levels of bonds in molecules.

      1. Vibration + Molecular Shape = FUNCTION: There are variable vibrational “modes” covering symmetric and antisymmetric stretching, scissoring, rocking, wagging and twisting of molecular morphology (shape).

      2. Water & Electricity: Considering

         1. the high concentration of water in biological systems (HUMANS),

         2. the interaction of water molecules with ions (electrically charged particles),

         3. the dielectric properties of the water and

         4. the large dipole moment that this effect (water + electricity) generates is the dominant factor in altering biological system performance.

            Summation: Photons are absorbed by the bonds of molecules in water based biological systems, altering their shape and by extension altering their function, efficiency and performance. [2].

   1. Electricity: the dielectric properties of tissues (even at cellular level) depend on and vary with the water content. In addition, molecular “meso-structures” show variations in shape, form and function with variations of energy input (like FIR). For these reasons,

   2. Water: water content (like that found in biological systems – humans) is a critical factor in the interaction between FIR and living organisms.

   3. Performance: In this regard, the dynamics of water-clusters have been shown to have significant implications in biological environments.

      1. Local changes in the molecular environment (caused by solvation or confinement) are shown to affect substantially the translational and vibrational modes in FIR frequency range.

      2. It is found that water cluster size and temperature affect the FIR absorption spectrum significantly [3].

MEDICAL applications of FIR (how we apply all that to PEOPLE)

1. What do we call it?

   1. MARKETING: In recent marketing efforts, when FIR has been used as a therapeutic modality the alternative terms “biogenetic radiation” and “biogenetic rays” have been coined and widely used in the popular literature.

2. Can I see FIR?

   1. No: FIR wavelength is too long to be perceived by the eyes,

3. Does it matter that FIR is “invisible?”

   1. Visual perception doesn’t matter: The Human body experiences FIR energy as a subliminally perceived radiant heat which has been shown to penetrate tissue up to 1.5 inches (almost 4 cm) beneath the skin.

   2. FIR mechanism of action (MOA): FIR energy is sufficient to exert rotational and vibrational modes of motion in those bonds forming the molecules (including the water molecules making up your cells).

4. Does FIR make me feel like I’m heating up?

   1. It depends: Introduction of FIR to (human) tissue typically results in elevated epidermal temperature when the that tissue is irradiated with FIR similar to thermal loads from when exposed to other wavelengths – this elevated epidermal temperature is not always perceivable.

5. What is the result of the elevated epidermal temperature due to FIR introduction?

   1. ENHANCED CIRCULATION: Introduction of FIR over time has been shown to provide prolonged erythermal response (better blood flow leading to enhanced oxygen and nutrient utilization) at the site of exposure.

6. Do I have to “feel” the FIR heating me up for it to work?

   1. No: Levels of FIR that do not produce any detectable/ perceivable skin heating can still exhibit biological effects.

Biomedical laboratory studies using FIR

1. STUDIES: I assume there exist clinical studies supporting the use and effect of FIR?

   1. Yes – Enhancing circulation of EXISTING vascular structures: There have been laboratory studies that have reported the biological effects of FIR. A recent important paper describes the in vitrouse of an FIR generator (WS TY-301R®; M/s WS Far Infrared Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan) as a radiation source to irradiate human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) [4].

      1. Enhanced CIRCULATION: These data provide information on how FIR exposure could affect & enhance microcirculation, independent from thermal effects.

      2. Enhanced WOUND HEALING: The same group had previously shown that non-thermal FIR therapy increased skin blood flow in rats [5]. Toyokawa et al. [6] used ceramic FIR emitters to stimulate full thickness excisional skin wound healing in rats.

         1. HEAL FASTER/ BETTER: After constant exposure to FIR, wound healing was significantly accelerated and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 expressing myofibroblasts and collagen content were increased.

      3. Yes – Enhancing circulation by CREATING NEW vascular structures (“ANGIOGENISIS”): Akasaki et al. [7] studied in vivothe effects of repeated FIR irradiation on angiogenesis in a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia.

         1. Following reports that FIR therapy upregulated the expression of arterial eNOS in hamsters and

         2. it is known that NO constitutively produced by eNOS plays an important role in angiogenesis

            they took a step further to investigate whether the FIR therapy increases angiogenesis in mice with the hindlimb ischemia.

1. Laser-Doppler perfusion imaging demonstrated that at the ischemic limb, blood perfusion ratio in the FIR group increased significantly in comparison with the control group.

2. Also, in the treated group, significantly greater capillary density was observed.

3. Western blotting showed that thermal therapy markedly increased the eNOS expression.

• The study led to the conclusion that angiogenesis can be induced via eNOS using FIR thermal therapy in mice with hindlimb ischemia.

• Enhancement of physiologically appropriate angiogenesis (in this case with FIR) increases performance, function and efficiency of biological systems (Humans).

1. Yes – Supporting the Immune System against Oncogenesis (Cancer): Ishibashi et al. [8] did an in vitrostudy with five human cancer cell lines to assess the effects of FIR irradiation.

   1. Effects vary: The overall observation was that the FIR effect varied in these five cancer cell line types, as can be expected.

   2. Effective in many: The study summary of results indicated that a proliferation-suppressing effect of FIR, in some cancer cell lines.

• Positive results: These findings suggest that FIR irradiation may be used as an effective medical treatment avenue for some cancer cells.

FIR emitting ceramics and fabrics

1. How can we deploy FIR in a practical and marketable manner?

   1. FABRIC/ BEDDING/ CLOTHING: FIR emitting ceramics (embedded or woven into fabric) have been studied for some time [9, 10].

   2. NATURAL FIR EMMISION increases as substance heats up: All FIR ceramics have the property of emitting IR radiation proportional to their temperature.

      1. The Physics: The exact chemical composition of the ceramic material governs the relationship between the temperature and the amount of IR radiation emmison.

      2. The radiated energy follows the Stefan-Boltzmann law which says that the total energy radiated per unit of surface area per unit of time is directly proportional to the fourth power of the black body’s absolute temperature.

• The wavelength range also depends strictly on the temperature according to Wien’s displacement law [11].

1. What types of SUBSTANCES that we can use also emit FIR?

   1. Ceramics: Ceramic material like the boron-silicate mineral, tourmaline (known as a gemstone in its crystalline form) when milled into fine powders emits FIR [12]

   2. Size matters: The characteristics of the FIR emission depend on the particle size.

   3. Circulation: Preparations containing FIR emitting ceramics have successfully been applied to the skin with the aim of affecting the blood flow and other beneficial effects [13].

2. How has this been practically and successfully deployed?

   1. NANO Tech: Small particles (nanoparticles and microparticles) of FIR-emitting ceramic material have been incorporated into fibers that are then woven into fabrics.

   2. Forms: These fabrics can be manufactured into various forms like bedding or garments that can be deployed on different parts of the body.

Basic Science

• Physics not fantasy: When FIR emitting ceramics or fabrics are employed as therapeutic devices, it is pertinent to analyze the thermodynamics (PHYSICS) of the process.

• 1st Law: The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Heat (molecular vibrational energy) is transferred from one body to another in three forms: radiation, convection and conduction.

• Power Source – the Human: Thus, it is clear that the principle source of energy needed to power the FIR emission from the garments comes from the human body, since it is at a significantly higher temperature than the surrounding air.

  Energy transfer: So energy from the human body is transferred to these ceramic particles.

  • People to Particles: Human tissues emanating heat (body temperature) interact with the FIR emitting substances which are acting as “perfect absorbers.”

  • Elevated temperatures “EMIT”: As the temperature of the FIR substance becomes elevated to an activation threshold (from body heat ALONE), they (the FIR substances) then emit beneficial FIR radiation back to the body.

    • Human FIR: It is plausible that FIR emitted from the skin is absorbed by the ceramic particles, which then re-emit the same FIR back to the skin.

      • Although this may appear to be an “energy neutral” process and to cancel itself out, this is not in fact the case because the FIR emitting material will prevent the loss of Human generated FIR that would otherwise have escaped through normal clothing.

    • Other source FIR: Other sources of heat that can transfer energy from the body to the ceramic particles with a net gain of FIR are either convection, conduction, or both.

      • The balance between conduction and convection is dependent upon how close the contact is between the FIR fabric and the skin. If the garment is skin tight, then conduction may be important, while if it is loose fitting then convection (heating up a layer of air between the skin and the garment) may be important.

More Human benefit:

• What other Human benefits can FIR confer?

  1. Ting-Kai Leung and colleagues have studied the effect of FIR-emitting ceramic powders in a range of biological studies [14–19].

     1. Decreased Muscle FATIGUE: In one set of studies, they found that FIR irradiation improved cell viability and prevented lactate dehydrogenase release under hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-mediated oxidative stress (LACTIC ACID), and also elevated the intracellular levels of NO and calmodulin [14]. In the study, they used electro-stimulation of amphibian skeletal muscle and found that FIR emitting ceramics delayed the onset of fatigue, induced by muscle contractions [14].

     2. SLOW oncogenesis (cancer): In another set of studies, they showed that ceramic-emitted FIR (cFIR) could increase the generation of intracellular NO in breast cancer cells [15] and inhibit growth of murine melanoma cells [16].

• Arthritis: The same research group went on to study a rabbit model of rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison of the final exposed group to the control group indicating that FIR reduced inflammation due to arthritis.

1. Cellular Defense & Repair: In their most recent study the Leung group studied the repair effect of FIR radiation poisoning [19]. The FIR treated cells demonstrated significantly higher cell survival rates than the control groups. The proposed that the ionizing radiation protective ability of FIR occurs predominantly through an antioxidant mechanism. They are suggesting that FIR provides cells with a defensive mechanism during the irradiation process and promotes cell repair during post exposure period.

Fabrics that are used to deliver the FIR radiation/ FIR emitting ceramics and fabrics

1. DELIVERY SYSTEMS: FIR emitting garments and fabrics manufactured from fibers impregnated with ceramic nanoparticles (Celliant®, Hologenix, Santa Monica, CA, USA).

2. Celliant®(Hologenix, Santa Monica, CA, USA) is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber that incorporates FIR emitting ceramic nanoparticles.

   1. (A) fibers, (B) yarns, (C) fabrics, (D) knee bandage brace, (E) socks, (F) gloves, (G) elbow bandage brace, (H) multi-purpose bandage, (I) performance apparel, (J) mattress, and (K) puppy blanket.

3. Applications: Materials manufactured of FIR emitting ceramic material have been successfully applied to the human body for benefit in numerous applications.

   1. Sleep: For instance, a blanket containing FIR fibers has been reported to improve quality of sleep [34]

   2. Lactation: FIR materials were applied to the breasts of women who encountered difficulty in producing sufficient breast milk during lactation for enhanced production[35].

   3. Hand/ joint pain: Gloves have been made out of FIR emitting fabrics and there have been reports that these gloves can be used to treat arthritis of the hands and Raynaud’s syndrome [36].

   4. WEIGHT LOSS: Belts made out of these fabrics have been used for weight reduction. In one study, Conrado and Munin [37] investigated whether the use of a garment made with synthetic fibers embedded with FIR ceramic led to a reduction in body measurements.

      1. The study population comprised 42 women divided into two groups: active and placebo.

      2. The volunteers used clothing either impregnated or not impregnated with ceramic powder for at least 8 h/day for 30 days.

• The experimental data showed a reduction in body measurements, which may be a consequence of an increment in microcirculation and peripheral blood flow, and these changes might promote improved general health.

1. MENSTRAL PERIOD: a belt containing FIR-emitting material was used to study the relief of menstrual pain [38].

   1. In this study, 104 patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomized to wear a sericite or placebo belt during sleep for three menstrual cycles, and then followed up for two additional menstrual cycles with no belt.

   2. Hot packs were used to heat the ceramics and ensure slight pain relief in both groups.

• It was found that during the follow-up period, the a decreased pain score was maintained in the experimental group, whereas the pain score gradually returned to baseline in the control group.

1. CELLULITE: Rao et al. [40] used garments made out of bioceramic-coated neoprene to treat cellulite of the legs.

   1. Each subject was randomized to receive occlusion by the garment on either the right or left leg, with the contralateral side serving as a control with no occlusion.

   2. Of the 17 subjects who completed the study, 76% noticed an overall improvement in their cellulite. A follow up two-center, double-blinded, randomized trial found similar results [41].

2. Diabetic Neuropathy: York and Gordon [42] studied socks manufactured from FIR fiber material in patients with chronic foot pain resulting from diabetic neuropathy or other disorders.

   1. Pain Reduction: A double-blind, randomized trial with 55 subjects were compared to measure pain reduction.

      1. More pain reduction was reported by FIR subjects.

      2. In neuropathic subjects, FIR garment caused greater pain reduction

      3. Non-neuropathic subjects showed better pain reduction with the FIR socks.

Hypothesis for molecular and cellular mechanisms of FIR effects

1. No EXTERNAL Power Required: FIR textiles like ceramic discs, powders and fabrics use no external power but may rely solely on the reflective energy from the body.

2. No perceivable heat: FIR textiles have such low irradiances that they do not heat the tissue (0.1–5 mW/cm2).

Conclusion

• Applications: Studies indicate that non-heating FIR has real and significant biological effects, therefore the possible future applications are wide ranging.

  1. Healing: Not only could bandages and dressings made out of FIR emitting fabrics be applied for medical conditions and injuries that require healing, but there is a large potential market in lifestyle enhancing applications.

  2. Enhancement: Garments may be manufactured for performance enhancing apparel in both leisure activities (like sleeping and enhanced sleep cycle) and competitive sports areas.

  3. Cold weather apparel would perform better by incorporating FIR emitting capability and sleeping environments could be improved by mattresses and bedding emitting FIR.

Grounding to Earth’s Negative Telluric Current:

Introduction

1. What is ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE?

   1. Environmental medicine is that area of health, wellness and medicine that focuses on the interactions between human health and the environment.

   2. Environmental considerations include factors such as extraneous components of air and water, chemicals – synthetic and naturally occurring – and how these may cause or – more importantly – mediate disease.

2. What is the relevance of the EARTH’S SURFACE?

   1. Omnipresent throughout the environment is a surprisingly beneficial, yet overlooked resource, a global resource for health maintenance, disease prevention, and clinical therapy: the surface of the Earth itself.

   2. It is an established, though not widely appreciated fact, that the Earth’s surface possesses a limitless and continuously renewed supply of free or mobile electrons.

   3. The surface of the planet is electrically conductive (except in limited ultra-dry areas such as deserts),

   4. and the Earth’s negative potential is maintained (i.e., its electron supply replenished) by the global atmospheric electrical circuit [1, 2].

3. What is relevant about the Earth’s negative potential?

   1. Mounting evidence suggests that the Earth’s negative potential can create a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the normal (if not optimal) functioning of all body systems.

   2. Moreover, oscillations of the intensity of the Earth’s (negative) potential (it’s electron supply) may be important for setting biological clocks and regulating diurnal body rhythms such as cortisol secretion [3].

4. What is the relevance of the Earth’s ELECTRON supply?

   1. It is well established that electrons from antioxidant molecules neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) AKA inflammatory “free radicals” which deeply affect the body’s immune and inflammatory responses.

   2. The National Library of Medicine’s online resource PubMed lists 7021 studies and 522 review articles from a search of “antioxidant + electron + free radical” [3].

   3. It is theorized that the influx of free electrons, absorbed into the body through direct contact with the Earth, neutralize ROS and thereby reduce both acute and chronic inflammation [4].

5. How did Man historically absorb electrons into the body?

   1. Throughout history, humans mostly enjoyed direct contact with the Earth. They walked barefoot or with footwear made of animal skins (which have conductive properties) and humans slept directly on the ground or on skins.

   2. Through direct human contact with the Earth or through perspiration-moistened animal skins used as footwear or sleeping mats – the ground’s abundant free electrons were able to enter the body, which is electrically conductive [5].

   3. Through this mechanism (contact with Earth), every part of the body could acquire equilibrium with the electrical potential of the Earth, thereby stabilizing the electrical environment of all organs, tissues, and cells.

6. How is the Modern Age any different?

   1. Today, humans live in a near perpetual state of suspended animation above the Earth. Modern lifestyle – rubber soled shoes, insulated floors, etc. – has increasingly separated humans from the flow of the Earth’s negative potential (electrons).

   2. Rossi has lamented that the use of insulating materials in post-World War II shoes has separated us from the Earth’s energy field [6].

7. What does any of this have to do with health?

   1. During recent decades, chronic illness, immune disorders, and inflammatory diseases have increased dramatically, and some researchers have cited environmental factors as the cause [7].

   2. However, the possibility of modern disconnection with the Earth’s surface as a cause has not been considered. Much of the research reviewed in this paper points in that direction.

8. What is the history of Grounding, if any?

   1. In the late 19th century, a back-to-nature movement in Germany claimed many health benefits from being barefoot outdoors, even in cold weather [8].

   2. In the 1920s, White, a medical doctor, investigated the practice of sleeping grounded after being informed by some individuals that they could not sleep properly “unless they were on the ground or connected to the ground in some way,” such as with copper wires attached to grounded-to-Earth water, gas, or radiator pipes. He reported improved sleeping using these techniques [9]. Due to the nascent Medical Industrial complex, these ideas were suppressed.

   3. At the end of the 20th century, experiments initiated independently by Ober in the USA [10] and K. Sokal and P. Sokal [11] in Poland revealed distinct physiological and health benefits with the use of conductive bed pads, mats, EKG- and TENS-type electrode patches, and plates connected indoors to the Earth outside.

      1. Ober, a retired cable television executive, found a similarity between the human body (a bioelectrical, signal-transmitting organism) and the cable used to transmit cable television signals.

      2. When cables are “grounded” to the Earth, interference is virtually eliminated from the signal. Furthermore, all electrical systems are stabilized by grounding them to the Earth. K. Sokal and P. Sokal, meanwhile, discovered that grounding the human body represents a “universal regulating factor in Nature” that strongly influences bioelectrical, bioenergetic, and biochemical processes and appears to offer a significant modulating effect on chronic illnesses encountered daily in their clinical practices.

9. So, what then is Earthing?

   1. Earthing (also known as grounding) refers to contact with the Earth’s surface electrons by walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems, some of them patented, that transfer the energy from the ground into the body.

   2. Emerging scientific research supports the concept that the Earth’s electrons induce multiple physiological changes of clinical significance, including reduced pain, better sleep, a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic tone in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and a blood-thinning effect.

   3. The research, along with many anecdotal reports, is presented in a new book entitled Earthing [12].

Review of Earthing Papers

The studies summarized below involve indoor-testing methods under controlled conditions that simulate being barefoot outdoors.

1. Sleep and Chronic Pain

   1. In a blinded pilot study, Ober recruited 60 subjects (22 males and 28 females) who suffered from self-described sleep disturbances and chronic muscle and joint pain for at least six months [10].

   2. Subjects were randomly divided for the month-long study in which both groups slept on conductive carbon fiber mattress pads provided by Ober.

   3. Half the pads were connected to a dedicated Earth ground outside each subject’s bedroom window, while the other half were “sham” grounded—not connected to the Earth. Results are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

Subjective sleep, pain, and well-being feedback.

Categories

Test subjects*

Control subjects**

Same

Improved

Same

Improved

Time to fall asleep

4 = 15%

23 = 85%

20 = 87%

3 = 13%

Quality of sleep

2 = 7%

25 = 93%

20 = 87%

3 = 13%

Wake feeling rested

0 = 0%

27 = 100%

20 = 87%

3 = 13%

Muscles stiffness and pain

5 = 18%

22 = 82%

23 = 100%

0 = 0%

Chronic back and/or joint pain

7 = 26%

20 = 74%

23 = 100%

0 = 0%

General well-being

6 = 22%

21 = 78%

20 = 87%

3 = 13%

  *Reports not received from three participants.

**Reports not received from seven participants.

Most grounded subjects described symptomatic improvement while most in the control group did not. Some subjects reported significant relief from asthmatic and respiratory conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, PMS, sleep apnea, and hypertension while sleeping grounded. These results indicated that the effects of earthing go beyond reduction of pain and improvements in sleep.

1. Sleep, Stress, Pain, and Cortisol

   1. A pilot study evaluated diurnal rhythms in cortisol correlated with changes in sleep, pain, and stress (anxiety, depression, and irritability), as monitored by subjective reporting [13]. Twelve subjects with complaints of sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress were grounded to Earth during sleep in their own beds using a conductive mattress pad for 8 weeks.

   2. In order to obtain a baseline measurement of cortisol, subjects chewed Dacron salvettes for 2 minutes and then placed them in time-labeled sampling tubes that were stored in a refrigerator.

   3. Self-administered sample collections began at 8 AM and were repeated every 4 hours. After 6 weeks of being grounded, subjects repeated this 24-hour saliva test.

   4. The samples were processed using a standard radioimmunoassay. A composite of the results is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Cortisol levels before and after grounding. In unstressed individuals, the normal 24-hour cortisol secretion profile follows a predictable pattern: lowest around midnight and highest around 8 a.m. Graph (a) illustrates the wide variation of patterns among study participants prior to grounding, while (b) shows a realignment and normalization trend of patterns after six weeks of sleeping grounded.

Subjective symptoms of sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress were reported daily throughout the 8-week test period. The majority of subjects with high- to out-of-range nighttime secretion levels experienced improvements by sleeping grounded. This is demonstrated by the restoration of normal day-night cortisol secretion profiles.

Eleven of 12 participants reported falling asleep more quickly, and all 12 reported waking up fewer times at night. Grounding the body at night during sleep also appears to positively affect morning fatigue levels, daytime energy, and nighttime pain levels.

About 30 percent of the general American adult population complain of sleep disruption, while approximately 10 percent have associated symptoms of daytime functional impairment consistent with the diagnosis of insomnia. Insomnia often correlates with major depression, generalized anxiety, substance abuse, dementia, and a variety of pain and physical problems. The direct and indirect costs of chronic insomnia have been estimated at tens of billions of dollars annually in the USA alone [14]. In view of the burdens of personal discomfort and health care costs, grounding the body during sleep seems to have much to offer.

1. Earthing Reduces Electric Fields Induced on the Body

   1. Voltage induced on a human body from the electrical environment was measured using a high-impedance measurement head. Applewhite, an electrical engineer and expert in the design of electrostatic discharge systems in the electronic industry, was both subject and author of the study [15].

   2. Measurements were taken while ungrounded and then grounded using a conductive patch and conductive bed pad. The author measured the induced fields at three positions: left breast, abdomen, and left thigh.

   3. Each method (patch and sheet) immediately reduced the common alternating current (AC) 60 Hz ambient voltage induced on the body by a highly significant factor of about 70 on average. Figure 2shows this effect.

Figure 2

Effect of bed pad grounding on 60 Hz mode.

The study showed that when the body is grounded, its electrical potential becomes equalized with the Earth’s electrical potential through a transfer of electrons from the Earth to the body. This, in turn, prevents the 60 Hz mode from producing an AC electric potential at the surface of the body and from producing perturbations of the electric charges of the molecules inside the body. The study confirms the “umbrella” effect of earthing the body explained by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman in his lectures on electromagnetism [16]. Feynman said that when the body potential is the same as the Earth’s electric potential (and thus grounded), it becomes an extension of the Earth’s gigantic electric system. The Earth’s potential thus becomes the “working agent that cancels, reduces, or pushes away electric fields from the body.”

Applewhite was able to document changes in the ambient voltage induced on the body by monitoring the voltage drop across a resistor. This effect clearly showed the “umbrella effect” described above. The body of the grounded person is not subject to the perturbation of electrons and electrical systems.

Jamieson asks whether the failure to appropriately ground humans is a factor contributing to the potential consequences of electropollution in office settings [17]. Considerable debate exists on whether electromagnetic fields in our environment cause a risk to health [18], but there is no question that the body reacts to the presence of environmental electric fields. This study demonstrates that grounding essentially eliminates the ambient voltage induced on the body from common electricity power sources.

Physiological and Electrophysiological Effects

1. Reductions in Overall Stress Levels and Tension and Shift in ANS Balance

   1. Fifty-eight healthy adult subjects (including 30 controls) participated in a randomized double-blind pilot study investigating earthing effects on human physiology [19].

   2. Earthing was accomplished with a conductive adhesive patch placed on the sole of each foot.

   3. A biofeedback system recorded electrophysiological and physiological parameters. Experimental subjects were exposed to 28 minutes in the unearthed condition followed by 28 minutes with the earthing wire connected. Controls were unearthed for 56 minutes.

   4. Upon earthing, about half the subjects showed an abrupt, almost instantaneous change in root mean square (rms) values of electroencephalograms (EEGs) from the left hemisphere (but not the right hemisphere) at all frequencies analyzed by the biofeedback system (beta, alpha, theta, and delta).

   5. All grounded subjects presented an abrupt change in rms values of surface electromyograms (SEMGs) from right and left upper trapezius muscles.

   6. Earthing decreased blood volume pulse (BVP) in 19 of 22 experimental subjects (statistically significant) and in 8 of 30 controls (not significant). Earthing the human body showed significant effects on electrophysiological properties of the brain and musculature, on the BVP, and on the noise and stability of electrophysiological recordings. Taken together, the changes in EEG, EMG, and BVP suggest reductions in overall stress levels and tensions and a shift in ANS balance upon earthing. The results extend the conclusions of previous studies.

2. Immune Cell and Pain Responses with Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Induction

   1. Pain reduction from sleeping grounded has been documented in previous studies [10, 13].

   2. This pilot study looked for blood markers that might differentiate between grounded and ungrounded subjects who completed a single session of intense, eccentric exercise resulting in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) of the gastrocnemius [21].

   3. If markers were able to differentiate these groups, future studies could be done in greater detail with a larger subject base. DOMS is a common complaint in the fitness and athletic world following excessive physical activity and involves acute inflammation in overtaxed muscles. It develops in 14 to 48 hours and persists for more than 96 hours [22].

3. No known treatment reduces the recovery period, but apparently massage and hydrotherapy [23–25] and acupuncture [26] can reduce pain.

   1. Eight healthy men ages 20–23 were put through a similar routine of toe raises while carrying on their shoulders a barbell equal to one-third of their body weight. Each participant was exercised individually on a Monday morning and then monitored for the rest of the week while following a similar eating, sleeping, and living schedule in a hotel. The group was randomly divided in half and either grounded or sham grounded with the use of a conductive patch placed at the sole of each foot during active hours and a conductive sheet at night. Complete blood counts, blood chemistry, enzyme chemistry, serum and saliva cortisol, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, and pain levels (a total of 48 parameters) were taken at the same time of day before the eccentric exercise and at 24, 48, and 72 hours afterwards. Parameters consistently differing by 10 percent or more, normalized to baseline, were considered worthy of further study.

   2. Parameters that differed by these criteria included white blood cell counts, bilirubin, creatine kinase, phosphocreatine/inorganic phosphate ratios, glycerolphosphorylcholine, phosphorylcholine, the visual analogue pain scale, and pressure measurements on the right gastrocnemius.

   3. The results showed that grounding the body to the Earth alters measures of immune system activity and pain. Among the ungrounded men, for instance, there was an expected, sharp increase in white blood cells at the stage when DOMS is known to reach its peak and greater perception of pain (see Figure 3).

   4. This effect demonstrates a typical inflammatory response. In comparison, the grounded men had only a slight decrease in white blood cells, indicating scant inflammation, and, for the first time ever observed, a shorter recovery time.

   5. Brown later commented that there were “significant differences” in the pain these men reported [12].

Figure 3

Delayed onset muscle soreness and grounding. Consistent with all measurements, ungrounded subjects expressed the perception of greater pain. Related to the pain finding was evidence of a muted white blood cell response indicating that a grounded body experiences less inflammation.

1. Heart Rate Variability

   1. The rapid change in skin conductance reported in an earlier study led to the hypothesis that grounding may also improve heart rate variability (HRV), a measurement of the heart’s response to ANS regulation.

   2. A double-blind study was designed with 27 participants [27]. Subjects sat in a comfortable reclining chair. Four transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) type adhesive electrode patches were placed on the sole of each foot and on each palm.

   3. Participants served as their own controls. Each participant’s data from a 2-hour session (40 minutes of which was grounded) were compared with another 2-hour sham-grounded session. The sequence of grounding versus sham-grounding sessions was assigned randomly.

   4. During the grounded sessions, participants had statistically significant improvements in HRV that went way beyond basic relaxation results (which were shown by the non-grounded sessions). Since improved HRV is a significant positive indicator on cardiovascular status, it is suggested that simple grounding techniques be utilized as a basic integrative strategy in supporting the cardiovascular system, especially under situations of heightened autonomic tone when the sympathetic nervous system is more activated than the parasympathetic nervous system.

2. Reduction of Primary Indicators of Osteoporosis, Improvement of Glucose Regulation, and Immune Response

   1. Sokal and P. Sokal, cardiologist and neurosurgeon father and son on the medical staff of a military clinic in Poland, conducted a series of experiments to determine whether contact with the Earth via a copper conductor can affect physiological processes [11].

   2. Their investigations were prompted by the question as to whether the natural electric charge on the surface of the Earth influences the regulation of human physiological processes.

   3. Double-blind experiments were conducted on groups ranging from 12 to 84 subjects who followed similar physical activity, diet, and fluid intake during the trial periods. Grounding was achieved with a copper plate (30 mm × 80 mm) placed on the lower part of the leg, attached with a strip so that it would not come off during the night. The plate was connected by a conductive wire to a larger plate (60 mm × 250 mm) placed in contact with the Earth outside.

   4. In one experiment with nonmedicated subjects, grounding during a single night of sleep resulted in statistically significant changes in concentrations of minerals and electrolytes in the blood serum: iron, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Renal excretion of both calcium and phosphorus was reduced significantly. The observed reductions in blood and urinary calcium and phosphorus directly relate to osteoporosis. The results suggest that Earthing for a single night reduces primary indicators of osteoporosis.

   5. Earthing continually during rest and physical activity over a 72-hour period decreased fasting glucose among patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Patients had been well controlled with glibenclamide, an antidiabetic drug, for about 6 months, but at the time of study had unsatisfactory glycemic control despite dietary and exercise advice and glibenclamide doses of 10 mg/day.

   6. Sokal and P. Sokal drew blood samples from 6 male and 6 female adults with no history of thyroid disease. A single night of grounding produced a significant decrease of free tri-iodothyronine and an increase of free thyroxin and thyroid-stimulating hormone. The meaning of these results is unclear but suggests an earthing influence on hepatic, hypothalamus, and pituitary relationships with thyroid function. Ober et al. [12] have observed that many individuals on thyroid medication reported symptoms of hyperthyroid, such as heart palpitations, after starting grounding. Such symptoms typically vanish after medication is adjusted downward under medical supervision. Through a series of feedback regulations, thyroid hormones affect almost every physiological process in the body, including growth and development, metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate. Clearly, further study of earthing effects on thyroid function is needed.

   7. In another experiment, the effect of grounding on the classic immune response following vaccination was examined. Earthing accelerated the immune response, as demonstrated by increases in gamma globulin concentration. This result confirms an association between earthing and the immune response, as was suggested in the DOMS study [21].

   8. Sokal and P. Sokal conclude that earthing the human body influences human physiological processes, including increasing the activity of catabolic processes and may be “the primary factor regulating endocrine and nervous systems.”

3. Altered Blood Electrodynamics

   1. Since grounding produces changes in many electrical properties of the body [1, 15, 19, 28], a next logical step was to evaluate the electrical property of the blood.

   2. A suitable measure is the zeta potential of red blood cells (RBCs) and RBC aggregation. Zeta potential is a parameter closely related to the number of negative charges on the surface of an RBC. The higher the number, the greater the ability of the RBC to repel other RBCs. Thus, the greater the zeta potential the less coagulable is the blood.

   3. Ten relatively healthy subjects participated in the study [29]. They were seated comfortably in a reclining chair and were grounded for two hours with electrode patches placed on their feet and hands, as in previous studies. Blood samples were taken before and after.

   4. Grounding the body to the earth substantially increases the zeta potential and decreases RBC aggregation, thereby reducing blood viscosity. Subjects in pain reported reduction to the point that it was almost unnoticeable. The results strongly suggest that earthing is a natural solution for patients with excessive blood viscosity, an option of great interest not just for cardiologists, but also for any physician concerned about the relationship of blood viscosity, clotting, and inflammation. In 2008, Adak and colleagues reported the presence of both hypercoagulable blood and poor RBC zeta potential among diabetics. Zeta potential was particularly poor among diabetics with cardiovascular disease [30].

WRAP UP

Until now, the physiological significance and possible health effects of stabilizing the internal bioelectrical environment of an organism have not been a significant topic of research. Some aspects of this, however, are relatively obvious. In the absence of Earth contact, internal charge distribution will not be uniform, but instead will be subject to a variety of electrical perturbations in the environment. It is well known that many important regulations and physiological processes involve events taking place on cell and tissue surfaces. In the absence of a common reference point, or “ground,” electrical gradients, due to uneven charge distribution, can build up along tissue surfaces and cell membranes.

We can predict that such charge differentials will influence biochemical and physiological processes. First, the structure and functioning of many enzymes are sensitive to local environmental conditions. Each enzyme has an optimal pH that favors maximal activity. A change in the electrical environment can alter the pH of biological fluids and the charge distribution on molecules and thereby affect reaction rates. The pH effect results because of critical charged amino acids at the active site of the enzyme that participate in substrate binding and catalysis. In addition, the ability of a substrate or enzyme to donate or accept hydrogen ions is influenced by pH.

Another example is provided by voltage-gated ion channels, which play critical biophysical roles in excitable cells such as neurons. Local alterations in the charge profiles around these channels can lead to electrical instability of the cell membrane and to the inappropriate spontaneous activity observed during certain pathological states [31].

Earthing research offers insights into the clinical potential of barefoot contact with the Earth, or simulated barefoot contact indoors via simple conductive systems, on the stability of internal bioelectrical function and human physiology. Initial experiments resulted in subjective reports of improved sleep and reduced pain [10]. Subsequent research showed that improved sleep was correlated with a normalization of the cortisol day-night profile [13]. The results are significant in light of the extensive research showing that lack of sleep stresses the body and contributes to many detrimental health consequences. Lack of sleep is often the result of pain. Hence, reduction of pain might be one reason for the benefits just described.

Pain reduction from sleeping grounded has been confirmed in a controlled study on DOMS. Earthing is the first intervention known to speed recovery from DOMS [21]. Painful conditions are often the result of various kinds of acute or chronic inflammation conditions caused in part by ROS generated by normal metabolism and also by the immune system as part of the response to injury or trauma. Inflammation can cause pain and loss of range of motion in joints. Inflammatory swelling can put pressure on pain receptors (nocireceptors) and can compromise the microcirculation, leading to ischemic pain. Inflammation can cause the release of toxic molecules that also activate pain receptors. Modern biomedical research has also documented a close relationship between chronic inflammation and virtually all chronic diseases, including the diseases of aging, and the aging process itself. The steep rise in inflammatory diseases, in fact, has been recently called “inflamm-aging” to describe a progressive inflammatory status and a loss of stress-coping ability as major components of the aging process [32].

Reduction in inflammation as a result of earthing has been documented with infrared medical imaging [28] and with measurements of blood chemistry and white blood cell counts [21]. The logical explanation for the anti-inflammatory effects is that grounding the body allows negatively charged antioxidant electrons from the Earth to enter the body and neutralize positively charged free radicals at sites of inflammation [28]. Flow of electrons from the Earth to the body has been documented [15].

A pilot study on the electrodynamics of red blood cells (zeta potential) has revealed that earthing significantly reduces blood viscosity, an important but neglected parameter in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes [29], and circulation in general. Thus, thinning the blood may allow for more oxygen delivery to tissues and further support the reduction of inflammation.

Stress reduction has been confirmed with various measures showing rapid shifts in the ANS from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance, improvement in heart rate variability, and normalization of muscle tension [19, 20, 27].

Not reported here are many observations over more than two decades by Ober et al. [12] and K. Sokal and P. Sokal [11] indicating that regular earthing may improve blood pressure, cardiovascular arrhythmias, and autoimmune conditions such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Some effects of earthing on medication are described by Ober et al. [12] and at the website: http://www.earthinginstitute.net/. As an example, the combination of earthing and coumadin has the potential to exert a compounded blood thinning effect and must be supervised by a physician. Multiple anecdotes of elevated INR have been reported. INR (international normalized ratio) is a widely used measurement of coagulation. The influence of earthing on thyroid function and medication has been described earlier.

From a practical standpoint, clinicians could recommend outdoor “barefoot sessions” to patients, weather, and conditions permitting. Ober et al. [12] have observed that going barefoot as little as 30 or 40 minutes daily can significantly reduce pain and stress, and the studies summarized here explain why this is the case. Obviously, there is no cost for barefoot grounding. However, the use of conductive systems while sleeping, working, or relaxing indoors offer a more convenient and routine-friendly approach.

Conclusion

De Flora et al. wrote the following: “Since the late 20th century, chronic degenerative diseases have overcome infectious disease as the major causes of death in the 21st century, so an increase in human longevity will depend on finding an intervention that inhibits the development of these diseases and slows their progress” [33].

Could such an intervention be located right beneath our feet? Earthing research, observations, and related theories raise an intriguing possibility about the Earth’s surface electrons as an untapped health resource—the Earth as a “global treatment table.” Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth—whether being outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, ANS dysfunction, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV, hypercoagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease. The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or earthing the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.

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