Objective: We investigated the effects of 5 days of spa therapy on the glycation reaction and oxidative balance defense system.  Subjects: The subjects were divided into a glucose spikes group (S group: 5 cases) and non-glucose spike group (non-S group: 6 cases), and a comparative study was conducted.  Method: The subjects stayed at the Inubosaki Onsen “Superb View Inubosaki Hotel” for 5 days and took spa baths twice a day for 20 min (balneotherapy). Before and after the baths, the degree of glycation was measured. Erythrocyte deformation by dark field microscope was classified into stages between 0 and 5, and the state of deformation and the levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were measured. In addition, the oxidative stress (reactive oxygen metabolites, d-ROM), antioxidant power (biological antioxidant potential, BAP), and latent antioxidant capacity (BAP/d-ROM ratio) were also measured.  Result: The red blood cell images before balneotherapy were worse in the S group, but there was no significant difference in the AGE values. There was also no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the oxidative balance defense system. A comparison before and after balneotherapy showed that the red blood cell images significantly improved from 3 (3-3) (median (IQR)) to 2 (1-2)°in the S group. Oxidative stress also significantly improved in group S from 342 (334-362) to 314 (303-345) CARR U. In the non-S group, the AGE value improved significantly from 0.52 (0.48-0.59) to 0.5 (0.43-053) a.u. There were no significant differences in the other items.  Discussion: Changes in red blood cell images are considered to reflect changes in the early reactions of glycation, and AGEs may be evaluated as representing whole early and late reactions of glycation. In the S group, the early reaction improved, and in the non-S group, the entire glycative reaction was effective. Although the each mechanism of blood glucose to different, balneotherapy was shown to be effective in improving glycation.

Objective: We investigated the effects of 5 days of spa therapy on the glycation reaction and oxidative balance defense system.  Subjects: The subjects were divided into a glucose spikes group (S group: 5 cases) and non-glucose spike group (non-S group: 6 cases), and a comparative study was conducted.  Method: The subjects stayed at the Inubosaki Onsen “Superb View Inubosaki Hotel” for 5 days and took spa baths twice a day for 20 min (balneotherapy). Before and after the baths, the degree of glycation was measured. Erythrocyte deformation by dark field microscope was classified into stages between 0 and 5, and the state of deformation and the levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were measured. In addition, the oxidative stress (reactive oxygen metabolites, d-ROM), antioxidant power (biological antioxidant potential, BAP), and latent antioxidant capacity (BAP/d-ROM ratio) were also measured.  Result: The red blood cell images before balneotherapy were worse in the S group, but there was no significant difference in the AGE values. There was also no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the oxidative balance defense system. A comparison before and after balneotherapy showed that the red blood cell images significantly improved from 3 (3-3) (median (IQR)) to 2 (1-2)° in the S group. Oxidative stress also significantly improved in group S from 342 (334-362) to 314 (303-345) CARR U. In the non-S group, the AGE value improved significantly from 0.52 (0.48-0.59) to 0.5 (0.43-053) a.u. There were no significant differences in the other items.  Discussion: Changes in red blood cell images are considered to reflect changes in the early reactions of glycation, and AGEs may be evaluated as representing whole early and late reactions of glycation. In the S group, the early reaction improved, and in the non-S group, the entire glycative reaction was effective. Although the each mechanism of blood glucose to different, balneotherapy was shown to be effective in improving glycation.