What Can Air Ionization (Negative Ions) do for you?

1. Evidence shows that negative ionizers clean the air of dust, molds, bateria, soot, pollen and household odors

2. Air ionizers have been reported to be helpful to people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which causes depression, by regulating hormone levels (Ref: 4)

3. Air ionizers clean the air of pollen, therefore being helpful for those with hay-fever and other seasonal allergies.

An air ioniser (or negative ion generator) is a device that uses high voltage to ionise (electrically charge) air molecules. Negative ions, or anions, are particles with one or more extra electrons, conferring a net negative charge to the particle. Cations are positive ions missing one or more electrons, resulting in a net positive charge. Most commercial air purifiers are designed to generate negative ions.

Air ionizers have been reported to help relieve tension and help improve sleep. ( I can personally attest to negative ionizers helping one sleep better. As a matter of fact, I used to turn my negative ionizer off before tests in college so I would not oversleep)

Air ionizers help remove the airborne pollutants below, therefore those with ashtma which is triggered by the below pollutants, may benefit. Pollen, Mold Spores, Animal Dander, Viruses, Bacteria ( studies show Negative Ions kill bacterias like Pseudomonas, E. coli, Staph ),Odors, Second Hand Cigarette smoke

Reported Physiologic Effects of Negative Ions ( As reported in The Effect of Air Ionization, Electric Fields, Atmospherics and other Electrical Phenomena on Man and Animal by Felix Gad Sulman, MD)

-Decreased respiratory rate ( indicating a relaxed state)
-Decreased blood pressure ( no a substitute for medical therapy)
-Produces a feeling of well being
-Increased vital capacity
-Decreased skin temperature
-Acceleration of the conversion of succinate to fumerate ( increased metabolism, remember Krebbs cycle?)
-Stimulation of cytochrome oxidase activity
-Decreased blood sedimentation rate (ESR- a sign of inflammation and is normally elevated in disease states)
-Increased ciliary activity (allows our body to clear pollution we breathe in)
-Increased resistance to infection
-Suggested adjunctive therapy in chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, migraines, insomnia, wound and burn healing, asthma, hayfever, emphysema, bronchitis.. and more

I recommend using negative ionizers, also known as negative ion generators in your home or auto. These units are inexpensive to run, don't require monthly filter changes and have numerous health benefits. There are many different brands available on the market, but I personally recommend the The Wein VI-2500 High Density Negative Ionizer since it has numerous research studies to back up it's effectiveness.

From my research, the other brands don't have the scientific studies to proove their effectiveness. See references below. The VI-2500 Ionizer is a quality unit, we have 3 Wein VI-2500 High Intensity Negative Ionizers in our home. In addition, I use a Wein Auto Ionizer- AS1250 B in my car, as does my wife.

What are air ions? In nature, there exists both positively charged ions (posions) and negatively charged ions (negions). These molecules have powerful effects on human biology, both negatively and positively affecting us. Although common sense would suggest that positive ions would have a positive effect and negative ions a negative effect- the opposite it true.

Negative ions, specifically negatively charged oxygen molcules (different than ozone), have been shown to have beneficial effects on human health.

What is a negative ion? A negative ion is a molecule with a negative charge assigned to it. Negative ions occur commonly throughout nature and can create an overall sense of well-being. Negative ions are found after a rainstorm (falling water creates negative ions) or after a lightning strike. Every home has its own built in negative ionizer- your shower. The smell in the air generated after a rainfall is actually the odor of negatively charged ions in the air.

What are positive ions? Positive ions are positively charged molecules (positively charged carbon dioxide) and are believed to have negative health effects on human health. Studies have shown they can inhibit ciliary motility (the cleaning mechanism in our respiratory tract) increasing risk of infection. Positive ions are found in high concentrations before a storm when it is windy and in areas that have high outdoor air pollution. Sitting in traffic on a busy highway or freeway is a great place to get a dose of positive ions. What can they do to us? The can leave us fatigued, irritable or even depressed.