Hmmm, don’t want to turn you off massages but the original research here doesn’t back up everything that is claimed in the NYT; which is not unusual for media reporting in general, is it? As always, beware media and blogger hype!

The danger signs here are over-simplification and exaggeration. Par for the course, I know. There is no hint that the results are complex or contradictory, only the seemingly unequivocal “good news” that massage is potentially a “medical necessity”, at least in the words of the blogger quoted. Contrast the “good news” for massage message with the original source report that states in its conclusion, “preliminary data suggest that a single session of Swedish Massage Therapy produces measurable biologic effects. If replicated, these findings may have implications for managing inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.” As you’d hope it is a measured, careful statement of just “biologic effects”, not convincing evidence of positive benefits.

So what is “the truth”? First up, read the report itself. (Note: I didn’t spend $49 getting the full paper, I just used the abstract. If you really want the full story, buy the full research report.) Nevertheless, if you want my opinion, read on…
 
Firstly the Swedish massage was only compared to “light touch” as a control, there was apparently no comparison with rest or alternatively light activity.  So what it “proves” is limited to either a full-on Swedish massage or “light touch” – whether just resting is better or even different is unknown. It needs to be widened in scope and the result replicated, as the conclusion stated, before valid conclusions are drawn.

Secondly the Swedish massage caused “a large effect size decrease in AVP”, which is to say that vasopressin levels dropped. Vasopressin essentially helps us to conserve water and avoid dehydration. It conserves water by concentrating our urine and as a by-product raises blood pressure, all good things whilst normal, healthy people are exercising. Assuming that you have just finished exercising and are no longer concerned with conserving urine then this is ‘probably’ a good thing, but be aware that it will potentially accelerate dehydration. Drink before, during and after massage, perhaps? It’s worth noting also that vasopressin appears to be linked also with pair bonding, so reduced AVP levels would presumably be a disincentive for massage if the formation of long-term attachments is important to you. “Massage destroys long-term relationships” is a headline the NYT missed!

It has also got to be asked if you just stop exercising and replenish your fluids in the normal way will your AVP levels fall anyway? Of course they will. Not sure if the researchers filtered out those who had just exercised or not, categorised them or even considered that AVP levels may have been falling anyway, irrespective. If they didn’t, or didn’t correct for differing levels of exercise exertion then they should have.

Thirdly there is a reported “small effect size decrease in CORT, but these findings were not mediated by OT.” So Swedish massage may have a small role in decreasing cortisol levels when compared with “light touch” but that any such small difference is not linked with oxytocin release, which was the massage industry’s hope. Again, cortisol falls anyway when the stimulus (stressor) is removed or reduced. Rest does that, too, but here we see a “small difference” between full-on massage and light touch. What would rest or sleep do in comparison? 

Fourthly “massage increased the number of circulating lymphocytes, CD 25+ lymphocytes, CD 56+ lymphocytes, CD4+lymphocytes, and CD8+ lymphocytes (effect sizes from 0.14 to 0.43).” Again, this needs to be corrected for pre-massage exercise levels as well as compared with a valid control. (I haven’t got the full report so I can’t be certain.) This is important – indeed crucial – to the “increased immune response” claim. It’s also probably something that those with auto-immune diseases probably don’t want, too. Increased immune response, no thanks. 

Fifthly, “mitogen-stimulated levels of interleukin (IL)–1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ decreased for subjects receiving Swedish Massage Therapy versus light touch (effect sizes from −0.22 to −0.63). Swedish Massage Therapy decreased IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 levels relative to baseline measures.” Decreased? OK, it gets a bit confused or contradictory here as decreased interleukin levels suggest less communication, coordination and stimulation of the immune response. So if we can unravel the seeming contradiction – increased immune response despite lower levels of immune stimulation – this could be good news for those with auto-immune diseases. For the rest of us it doesn’t stand out as a plus for massage. It does stand in seeming contradiction with point four above and needs to be explored.

So whilst it’s intriguing news it’s not actually a full-on endorsement of massage, either. Beware media spin (even mine), it can lead you astray! 

Is Massage a Medical Necessity? | The Outside Blog

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recruited a group of 53 healthy adults to get massages. Some got a Swedish massage and the rest got a light massage. All of the adults had their blood tested before and just after their massage. The results?

The Swedish massage group experienced significantly lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and an increase in their immune systems’ disease-fighting white blood cells. The light massage group also experienced increases in oxytocin, the contentment hormone, and decreases in the hormone that triggers the release of cortisol.

If a massage seems like an expensive way to fight off stress and disease, consider looking up massage colleges in your area, where hour-long massages by masseurs-in-training often cost $25-$30–half the cost of a massage at a spa.

Vital Signs – A Good Massage Brings Biological Changes, Too – NYTimes.com

Volunteers who received Swedish massage experienced significant decreases in levels of the stress hormone cortisol in blood and saliva, and in arginine vasopressin, a hormone that can lead to increases in cortisol. They also had increases in the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells that are part of the immune system.

Volunteers who had the light massage experienced greater increases in oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment, than the Swedish massage group, and bigger decreases in adrenal corticotropin hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. – The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine – 0(0):

Results: Compared to light touch, Swedish Massage Therapy caused a large effect size decrease in AVP, and a small effect size decrease in CORT, but these findings were not mediated by OT. Massage increased the number of circulating lymphocytes, CD 25+ lymphocytes, CD 56+ lymphocytes, CD4+lymphocytes, and CD8+ lymphocytes (effect sizes from 0.14 to 0.43). Mitogen-stimulated levels of interleukin (IL)–1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ decreased for subjects receiving Swedish Massage Therapy versus light touch (effect sizes from −0.22 to −0.63). Swedish Massage Therapy decreased IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 levels relative to baseline measures.

Hmmm, don’t want to turn you off massages but the original research here doesn’t back up everything that is claimed in the NYT; which is not unusual for media reporting in general, is it? As always, beware media and blogger hype!

The danger signs here are over-simplification and exaggeration. Par for the course, I know. There is no hint that the results are complex or contradictory, only the seemingly unequivocal “good news” that massage is potentially a “medical necessity”, at least in the words of the blogger quoted. Contrast the “good news” for massage message with the original source report that states in its conclusion, “preliminary data suggest that a single session of Swedish Massage Therapy produces measurable biologic effects. If replicated, these findings may have implications for managing inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.” As you’d hope it is a measured, careful statement of just “biologic effects”, not convincing evidence of positive benefits.

So what is “the truth”? First up, read the report itself. (Note: I didn’t spend $49 getting the full paper, I just used the abstract. If you really want the full story, buy the full research report.) Nevertheless, if you want my opinion, read on…
 
Firstly the Swedish massage was only compared to “light touch” as a control, there was apparently no comparison with rest or alternatively light activity.  So what it “proves” is limited to either a full-on Swedish massage or “light touch” – whether just resting is better or even different is unknown. It needs to be widened in scope and the result replicated, as the conclusion stated, before valid conclusions are drawn.

Secondly the Swedish massage caused “a large effect size decrease in AVP”, which is to say that vasopressin levels dropped. Vasopressin essentially helps us to conserve water and avoid dehydration. It conserves water by concentrating our urine and as a by-product raises blood pressure, all good things whilst normal, healthy people are exercising. Assuming that you have just finished exercising and are no longer concerned with conserving urine then this is ‘probably’ a good thing, but be aware that it will potentially accelerate dehydration. Drink before, during and after massage, perhaps? It’s worth noting also that vasopressin appears to be linked also with pair bonding, so reduced AVP levels would presumably be a disincentive for massage if the formation of long-term attachments is important to you. “Massage destroys long-term relationships” is a headline the NYT missed!

It has also got to be asked if you just stop exercising and replenish your fluids in the normal way will your AVP levels fall anyway? Of course they will. Not sure if the researchers filtered out those who had just exercised or not, categorised them or even considered that AVP levels may have been falling anyway, irrespective. If they didn’t, or didn’t correct for differing levels of exercise exertion then they should have.

Thirdly there is a reported “small effect size decrease in CORT, but these findings were not mediated by OT.” So Swedish massage may have a small role in decreasing cortisol levels when compared with “light touch” but that any such small difference is not linked with oxytocin release, which was the massage industry’s hope. Again, cortisol falls anyway when the stimulus (stressor) is removed or reduced. Rest does that, too, but here we see a “small difference” between full-on massage and light touch. What would rest or sleep do in comparison? 

Fourthly “massage increased the number of circulating lymphocytes, CD 25+ lymphocytes, CD 56+ lymphocytes, CD4+lymphocytes, and CD8+ lymphocytes (effect sizes from 0.14 to 0.43).” Again, this needs to be corrected for pre-massage exercise levels as well as compared with a valid control. (I haven’t got the full report so I can’t be certain.) This is important – indeed crucial – to the “increased immune response” claim. It’s also probably something that those with auto-immune diseases probably don’t want, too. Increased immune response, no thanks. 

Fifthly, “mitogen-stimulated levels of interleukin (IL)–1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ decreased for subjects receiving Swedish Massage Therapy versus light touch (effect sizes from −0.22 to −0.63). Swedish Massage Therapy decreased IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 levels relative to baseline measures.” Decreased? OK, it gets a bit confused or contradictory here as decreased interleukin levels suggest less communication, coordination and stimulation of the immune response. So if we can unravel the seeming contradiction – increased immune response despite lower levels of immune stimulation – this could be good news for those with auto-immune diseases. For the rest of us it doesn’t stand out as a plus for massage. It does stand in seeming contradiction with point four above and needs to be explored.

So whilst it’s intriguing news it’s not actually a full-on endorsement of massage, either. Beware media spin (even mine), it can lead you astray! 

Is Massage a Medical Necessity? | The Outside Blog

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recruited a group of 53 healthy adults to get massages. Some got a Swedish massage and the rest got a light massage. All of the adults had their blood tested before and just after their massage. The results?

The Swedish massage group experienced significantly lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and an increase in their immune systems’ disease-fighting white blood cells. The light massage group also experienced increases in oxytocin, the contentment hormone, and decreases in the hormone that triggers the release of cortisol.

If a massage seems like an expensive way to fight off stress and disease, consider looking up massage colleges in your area, where hour-long massages by masseurs-in-training often cost $25-$30–half the cost of a massage at a spa.

Vital Signs – A Good Massage Brings Biological Changes, Too – NYTimes.com

Volunteers who received Swedish massage experienced significant decreases in levels of the stress hormone cortisol in blood and saliva, and in arginine vasopressin, a hormone that can lead to increases in cortisol. They also had increases in the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells that are part of the immune system.

Volunteers who had the light massage experienced greater increases in oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment, than the Swedish massage group, and bigger decreases in adrenal corticotropin hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. – The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine – 0(0):

Results: Compared to light touch, Swedish Massage Therapy caused a large effect size decrease in AVP, and a small effect size decrease in CORT, but these findings were not mediated by OT. Massage increased the number of circulating lymphocytes, CD 25+ lymphocytes, CD 56+ lymphocytes, CD4+lymphocytes, and CD8+ lymphocytes (effect sizes from 0.14 to 0.43). Mitogen-stimulated levels of interleukin (IL)–1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ decreased for subjects receiving Swedish Massage Therapy versus light touch (effect sizes from −0.22 to −0.63). Swedish Massage Therapy decreased IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 levels relative to baseline measures.

Whilst the idea below is for general health readings and the (rather creepy) suggestion is that employers may wish to monitor staff health, one early-adopting group could be athletes. Imagine having your fitness level and cardio performance plus a GPS unit implanted into your body. You may still have a display unit on a watchband or handlebar but the ‘guts’ of the monitoring system is in you. Fancy going that far? I reckon it’s not that far away. 

Implantable & wearable monitoring devices for the tech-savvy generation

Jarno Riistama from Tampere University of Technology (TUT) believes that an increase in health problems as a result of modern living will encourage us to be more health conscious. However, he estimates it will be another ten years or so before implantable measurement devices for human use are commercially available because of the rigorous testing and approval processes.

In addition to the implantable devices, researchers at Tampere have developed wearable ‘strips’ that measure functions such as EKG directly from the skin. The signals, which are comparable to those produced by existing measurement devices such as pulse counters, are sent wirelessly from the device, removing the need for cumbersome cables.

Whilst the idea below is for general health readings and the (rather creepy) suggestion is that employers may wish to monitor staff health, one early-adopting group could be athletes. Imagine having your fitness level and cardio performance plus a GPS unit implanted into your body. You may still have a display unit on a watchband or handlebar but the ‘guts’ of the monitoring system is in you. Fancy going that far? I reckon it’s not that far away. 

Implantable & wearable monitoring devices for the tech-savvy generation

Jarno Riistama from Tampere University of Technology (TUT) believes that an increase in health problems as a result of modern living will encourage us to be more health conscious. However, he estimates it will be another ten years or so before implantable measurement devices for human use are commercially available because of the rigorous testing and approval processes.

In addition to the implantable devices, researchers at Tampere have developed wearable ‘strips’ that measure functions such as EKG directly from the skin. The signals, which are comparable to those produced by existing measurement devices such as pulse counters, are sent wirelessly from the device, removing the need for cumbersome cables.

The key point here is that it works best at the highest fitness levels. So slacking off isn’t an option.

Vigorous Exercise Prevents Hypertension as Long as Fitness Is High

A new analysis of the longitudinal Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, published online June 1, 2010 in Hypertension, shows that both physical fitness and physical activity are inversely associated with the development of hypertension over a period of 20 years [1]. But importantly, the researchers illustrate that activity was significantly associated with nonhypertensive blood-pressure readings only when fitness levels were the highest.

The key point here is that it works best at the highest fitness levels. So slacking off isn’t an option.

Vigorous Exercise Prevents Hypertension as Long as Fitness Is High

A new analysis of the longitudinal Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, published online June 1, 2010 in Hypertension, shows that both physical fitness and physical activity are inversely associated with the development of hypertension over a period of 20 years [1]. But importantly, the researchers illustrate that activity was significantly associated with nonhypertensive blood-pressure readings only when fitness levels were the highest.