Tuesday
Jan202009
Tue, January 20, 2009 | Lisa Barger Salt Lamps
“Do those Himalayan salt lamps really work for cleaning air? Do you think they’re scams?”
I am not convinced that Himalayan salt lamps do anything to make a significant difference in your health. Yes, they’re beautiful but any actual health effect would be, in my opinion, so small that you’d be much better off just using them as a room accessory and purchasing a de-humidifier and an actual HEPA filter.
What Himalayan Salt Lamps Are Supposed To Do
We looked at a few web sites and catalogs selling Himalayan salt lamps and found a variety of claims. Some sites, like IonicSalts.com are very upfront with their “no science” admissions. Others, like Natural-Salt-Lamps.com, go a little further and (in a slightly roundabout way) claim that their lamps produce negative ions that “bring oxygen to your brain”, “boost your immune system” and cure seasonal affective disorder.
How Salt Lamps Work Their “Miracles”
According to claims made on various sites, salt lamps “work” by releasing negative ions into the air. Unfortunately, as this blogger points out, there’s no way these lamps can work as promised.
Is There Any Science Behind This?
While the potential health benefits of bathing in salt waters have been recognized for centuries, there is actually some science to back up those practices. In 2000, for example, psoriasis patients were encouraged to bathe in water in which was dissolved salts from the Dead Sea. The patients symptoms improved, no side effects were reported and the patients expressed a “high acceptance” of the therapy.
However, there’s a big difference between soaking in salted water and simply sitting next to a lamp made of salt. Despite seeing claims on several salt lamp web sites of “studies” proving their usefulness, we were not able to find even a single published study on Himalayan salt lamps.
So Are Himalyan Salt Lamps Scams?
It’s not often that we actually pronounce a product an out-and-out scam but we’re doing exactly that here. As beautiful as they are—and we DO have one—there is just no way Himalayan salt lamps can “clean” your air.
References:
Schiffner, R., et al. (2000). Evaluation of a multicentre study of synchronous application of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy (TL-01) and bathing in Dead Sea salt solution for psoriasis vulgaris. British Journal of Dermatology.
IonicSalts.com (2004-2012). Accessed January 20, 2009.
Natural-Salt-Lamps.com. (No Date Given). Accessed January 20, 2009.
I am not convinced that Himalayan salt lamps do anything to make a significant difference in your health. Yes, they’re beautiful but any actual health effect would be, in my opinion, so small that you’d be much better off just using them as a room accessory and purchasing a de-humidifier and an actual HEPA filter.
What Himalayan Salt Lamps Are Supposed To Do
We looked at a few web sites and catalogs selling Himalayan salt lamps and found a variety of claims. Some sites, like IonicSalts.com are very upfront with their “no science” admissions. Others, like Natural-Salt-Lamps.com, go a little further and (in a slightly roundabout way) claim that their lamps produce negative ions that “bring oxygen to your brain”, “boost your immune system” and cure seasonal affective disorder.
How Salt Lamps Work Their “Miracles”
According to claims made on various sites, salt lamps “work” by releasing negative ions into the air. Unfortunately, as this blogger points out, there’s no way these lamps can work as promised.
Is There Any Science Behind This?
While the potential health benefits of bathing in salt waters have been recognized for centuries, there is actually some science to back up those practices. In 2000, for example, psoriasis patients were encouraged to bathe in water in which was dissolved salts from the Dead Sea. The patients symptoms improved, no side effects were reported and the patients expressed a “high acceptance” of the therapy.
However, there’s a big difference between soaking in salted water and simply sitting next to a lamp made of salt. Despite seeing claims on several salt lamp web sites of “studies” proving their usefulness, we were not able to find even a single published study on Himalayan salt lamps.
So Are Himalyan Salt Lamps Scams?
It’s not often that we actually pronounce a product an out-and-out scam but we’re doing exactly that here. As beautiful as they are—and we DO have one—there is just no way Himalayan salt lamps can “clean” your air.
References:
Schiffner, R., et al. (2000). Evaluation of a multicentre study of synchronous application of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy (TL-01) and bathing in Dead Sea salt solution for psoriasis vulgaris. British Journal of Dermatology.
IonicSalts.com (2004-2012). Accessed January 20, 2009.
Natural-Salt-Lamps.com. (No Date Given). Accessed January 20, 2009.
This is a "retired" article left in place for archival purposes; it may not reflect current thinking or research on the topic. No new comments are being accepted at this time
Reader Comments (4)
These do work. I have purchased 3 for my office , which is full of electrical equipment that emit positive ions (bad ions) .. Prior to putting these in my office , I would have chronic fatigue by the end of the workday.... Now , with the salt lamps , I feel no fatigue and the air quality is noticeably fresher. I've even had clients comment on the air quality. Its all scientific. No different than the noticeable difference when breathing air at the beach or up in the mountains. The lamps emit negative ions (good ions) which cancel out the positive ones (not-so-good ions). The result is the inhalation of healthier air quality. The effect of the lamps will depend on the size of the room in respect to the lamps ( common sense stuff)
From the Argonne National Laboratory's "Ask A Scientist" site:
"Your suspicion that the ion claim is false is right on target. There is not nearly enough energy in the heat or photons emitted by the internal light bulb to drive any form or ions from the salt crystals." You can read the entire response in context at the site.
I purchased a salt lamp a year ago. Since then I have purchased a lamp for each room in my house and one for where I sit at work. The salt lamp does help clean the air. The light bulb needs to be at least 15 watts to release the ions. I put this lamp in my parent’s room and found that it reduced my mom snoring to minimal. I use this lamp in my son’s room to help with allergies. The lamp is awesome. I recommend it to anyone.
I love the salt lamps. They work for me. I have a 90 lbs salt lamp purchased from a NJ comapany in my house. Believe it or not, it is more of a psychological thing i believe. If you believe it works it does. Can science prove there is a God?