A transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath in Kusatsu-spa, Japan.
Affiliations:
(1) Department of Medicine, Kusatsu Branch Hospital, Gunma University School of Medicine
Source: Life Sci. 1992;51(24):1877-80.
DOI: 10.1016/0024-3205(92)90039-R
Publication date:
1992
E-Publication date:
Not specified
Availability: full text
Copyright: © 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd All rights reserved.
Language: English
Countries: Japan
Location: Kusatsu Spa
Correspondence address: Kubota K. :
Department of Medicine, Kusatsu Branch Hospital, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan
Department of Medicine, Kusatsu Branch Hospital, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan
Keywords
Article abstract
To clarify the mechanism of the intoxicating feeling attained after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath called 'jikan-yu' in Kusatsu-spa, Japan, we examined the change in plasma levels of beta-endorphin and methionine enkephalin in 7 healthy subjects. The mean sublingual temperature rose from 36.8 degrees C to 38.6 degrees C and the plasma beta-endorphin level from 16.2 pg/ml to 49.5 pg/ml 2 minutes after completing a 3-minute bath in 47 degrees C hot-spring water. However, the plasma methionine enkephalin level was not changed. This feeling of intoxication may be explained by the transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin level.