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Study proves that laughter is the best heart medicine
Laughter may be the best medicine when it comes to heart disease, new research suggests.
Regularly having a good chuckle at comedy programs could improve symptoms of the condition – and potentially reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Scientists in Brazil found heart disease patients who laughed at funny shows twice a week experienced reduced inflammation and an increase in the heart’s capacity to pump oxygen around the body.
Experts said the research raised the “interesting possibility” that laughter therapy could be more widely available on the NHS in future, to help some of the 7.6 million Britons with heart disease.
Laughter yoga is already available on the health service in some areas, usually for people with anxiety or depression – but not specifically for heart patients.
Previous studies have shown laughing boosts the “happy hormones” endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. It can also boost immunity and the body’s natural defence systems.
The latest research was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Amsterdam this weekend.
It involved 26 adults with an average age of 64, who had all been diagnosed with coronary artery disease – caused by plaque build-up in the wall of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Over a three-month period, half of the patients were asked to watch two different hour-long comedy programs each week, including popular sitcoms.
The other half watched two different serious documentaries every week, about topics such as politics or the Amazon rainforest.
At the end of the 12-week study period, the comedy group saw a 10 per cent improvement in their VO2 max, a test measuring how much oxygen the heart can pump around the body.
They also showed improvements in flow-mediated dilation tests – which measure how well arteries can expand.
And blood tests revealed they had “significant reductions” in inflammatory biomarkers, which indicate how much plaque has built up in the blood vessels and whether people are at risk of heart attack or stroke.
Lead author Prof Marco Saffi, of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, in Brazil, said: “Our study found that laughter therapy increased the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system. It is a good intervention that could help reduce that inflammation and decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Laughter helps the heart because it releases endorphins, which reduce inflammation and helps the heart and blood vessels relax. It also reduces the levels of stress hormones, which place strain on the heart.”
Heart disease causes 160,000 deaths per year – one in four of all deaths in the UK.
It occurs when the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries, potentially causing deadly heart attacks.
Day-to-day symptoms
Patients with the condition often experience day-to-day symptoms including chest pain and shortness of breath, and are also at risk of heart failure.
Medication such as statins can help, while some patients need surgery to widen an artery.
But Prof Saffi said laughter therapy might in future be a treatment offered to help patients in care homes and hospitals, as well as those with heart disease living in the community.
“It does not have to be TV programs - people with heart disease could be invited to comedy evenings, or encouraged to enjoy fun evenings with friends and family. People should try to do things that make them laugh at least twice a week,” he said.
Prof Saffi told reporters laughter was good for both the brain and the heart – and could even make patients better at sticking to medical treatments.
“We know when people are happier they are better at adhering to medication,” he added.
The study could only show an association between laughing and improved symptoms, it did not prove one caused the other.
Prof James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “While this study reveals the interesting possibility that laughter could in fact be a therapy for coronary artery disease, this small trial will need to be replicated to get a better understanding of how laughter therapy may be helping these patients.
“It’s encouraging to see that something so simple and widespread could benefit our health, but more research is needed to determine whether laughter alone led to the improvements seen, and how long the effects could last.”
注释：
endorphin: n
表示" 内啡肽"，如：Endorphins serve as powerful pain relievers. 内啡肽可以作为强效止痛药。
dopamine: n
表示" 多巴胺(一种治脑神经病的药物)"，如：Dopamine allows us to feel good when we laugh. 当我们笑的时候,多巴胺让我们感觉心情很好。
serotonin: n
表示"血清素"，如：Once in the brain, the tryptophan is converted to serotonin. 一旦进入大脑，色氨酸会被转化成血清素。
coronary: adj
表示"冠状动脉或静脉的"，如：The coronary ostia are involved in the dissection. 解剖时要牵动冠状动脉口。
mediate: v
表示" 调停；斡旋"，means " act as a peacemaker or go-between for two or more people, groups, etc. who disagree"，如：He attempted to mediate their differences. 他试图调停他们的分歧。
Dilation: n
表示" 扩张；扩大部分"，means ""，如：It may cause constriction or dilation of blood vessels. 这可能导致血管的缩小或扩大
中文简要说明：
不少国家都有「笑是最佳治病良药」的俗谚。巴西科学家发表的最新研究成果证实这个古人流传下来的观念不假，心脏病患者每个星期看2次让人开怀大笑的喜剧节目，可以减缓症状，还能降低心脏病发作与中风发生的风险。
据英国《独立报》、《电讯报》报导，巴西南大河州快乐港临床医院（Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre）研究团队，日前在荷兰阿姆斯特丹举行的欧洲心脏病学会（European Society of Cardiology）年会发表前所未见的研究成果称，笑疗法（laughter therapy）可以增强心血管系统功能，对于心脏、肺脏、动脉、静脉均有益处。
研究团队指出，这种疗法会让冠状动脉心脏病患者心脏内的组织扩张，从而提高体内氧气流量，发炎症状减轻，健康状况获得改善。
心脏冠状动脉难以为心脏提供足够血液、氧气与营养时，就会发生冠心病症状，动脉壁积聚斑块，影响供血。科学家表示，冠状动脉疾病患者相关研究使用了多种非药物的治疗方法，但「笑疗法」的效益尚未获得充分评估。
研究团队在2016年8月至2020年12月这段期间，针对26名平均年龄64岁的冠状动脉疾病患者进行临床实验，为期12周，观察血流量增加时的摄氧量与血管扩张情况，也测量患者体内发炎指标分子的浓度。
患者分为2组，实验组每周看2种不同的喜剧节目，每次1小时；对照组每周看2部主题严肃的纪录片，例如政治、雨林等题材。实验期间告终后，实验组的最大摄氧量提升10%，发炎症状指标物质「显著减少」。
论文第一作者、快乐港临床医院教授史塔非（Marco Saffi）说，本研究显示笑疗法可增强心血管系统功能，这是一种很好的干预手段：「笑对心脏健康有帮助，会释放脑内啡（endorphin），从而减缓发炎，对心脏血管有益处，还可降低对心脏有害的压力荷尔蒙浓度，而且能以更积极的心态面对治疗。」
史塔非表示，笑疗法不一定非得看喜剧节目才可执行，让心脏病患者参加喜剧活动，或者与亲友共度愉快的时光都可以，「人们应该每周1到2次尝试能让自己开怀大笑的事情」。至于是否单靠欢笑就能让病情有所改善、效果能持续多久，仍待进一步研究。
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