Essential oil inhaler (AromaStick®) improves heat tolerance in the Hot Immersion Test (HIT). Results from two randomized, controlled experiments.
J Therm Biol 2019;
87:102478. [PMID:
31999606 DOI:
10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102478]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
A recent review article on an aromatherapeutic inhaler demonstrated clinical effects on a number of bodily systems, like the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the nervous system and the endocrine system.
OBJECTIVE
This paper extends these findings and investigates whether specially designed essential oils inhalers are capable to counter experimentally induced stressful heat sensations.
METHOD
Two prospective, randomized, controlled experiments using the Hot Immersion Test Paradigm (HIT) were conducted to investigate whether deep odor inhalations increase heat tolerance.
RESULTS
In both experiments, the inhaler strongly prolonged pain tolerance and increased blood oxygenation (1 < d < 1.3). In the second experiment, the inhaler also increased heart rate variability (d = 1.3) as a mechanism to cope with heat stress.
CONCLUSION
The ability to resist a stressful thermal stimulus can be exogenously improved by short and deep inhalations of essential scents directly delivered to the olfactory system.
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