Breathing in sea air helps to fight cancer and lower cholesterol levels in the blood. This is shown by research from the Ghent University and the Flemish Institute for the Sea.

Researchers point to the beneficial effects of what they call sea spray: seawater that is sprayed by waves. This spray contains substances made by algae and bacteria that are good for health. “When you breathe in the sea air, you absorb these substances in your body,” says the university.

The laboratory looked at the effect on lung cancer cells. This showed that sea air inhibits the effect of a gene that plays an important role in lung cancer and cholesterol levels.

“Previous studies have shown that lung cancer cells are dying and cholesterol is falling when we slow down this gene,” says researcher Jana Asselman. “New potential cancer therapies and the latest generation of cholesterol inhibitors work on this same gene. Now that we know that sea air also slows down the effect of this gene, we can expect sea air to have a similar positive effect on health. ”

The research is published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports. The scientists are now trying to find out which substances in the sea air cause these effects.

Source: telegraaf.nl