Negative Ion Generator: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Negative ion generators are electrical devices that create charged particles called negative ions, resulting in "ionized air."

Negative ion generators are marketed to improve health by reversing negative ion depletion. They also claim to filter out smoke, dust, viruses, and bacteria from the air.

People use negative ion generators for hay fever, asthma, depression, flu, and many other conditions, but there is not good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Negative ion generators are not regulated by the US FDA. Don't confuse negative ion generators with ozone therapy. These are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Negative Ion Generator overview.

Side Effects

Special Precautions and Warnings

There isn't enough reliable information to know if negative ion generators are safe to use or what the side effects might be. They might release small amounts of ozone into the air, but it's not likely to reach toxic levels.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if negative ion generators are safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Interactions

We currently have no information for Negative Ion Generator overview.

Dosing

Negative ion generators are electrical devices that can be purchased online. They are marketed to "ionize" air, and also filter out dust, smoke, viruses, and bacteria. They are mainly used for the treatment and prevention of respiratory infections. But there isn't enough reliable information about their use. They also aren't regulated by the US FDA.

View References

REFERENCES:

Comini S, Mandras N, Iannantuoni MR, et al. Positive and Negative Ions Potently Inhibit the Viability of Airborne Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria. Microbiol Spectr 2021;9(3):e0065121.

Abidin SZ, Ming HT. Effect of a commercial air ionizer on dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) in the laboratory. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2012;2(2):156-8.

Terman M, Terman JS. Treatment of seasonal affective disorder with a high-output negative ionizer. J Altern Complement Med 1995;1(1):87-92.

Blackhall K, Appleton S, Cates CJ. Ionisers for chronic asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(9):CD002986.

Morton LL, Kershner JR. Negative air ionization improves memory and attention in learning-disabled and mentally retarded children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 1984;12(2):353-65.

Jones DP, O'Connor SA, Collins JV, Watson BW. Effect of long-term ionized air treatment on patients with bronchial asthma. Thorax 1976;31(4):428-32.

Dauphinais DR, Rosenthal JZ, Terman M, DiFebo HM, Tuggle C, Rosenthal NE. Controlled trial of safety and efficacy of bright light therapy vs. negative air ions in patients with bipolar depression. Psychiatry Res 2012;196(1):57-61.

Jiang SY, Ma A, Ramachandran S. Negative air ions and their effects on human health and air quality improvement. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(10):2966.

Flory R, Ametepe J, Bowers B. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of bright light and high-density negative air ions for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2010;177(1-2):101-8.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners. May 2021. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ozone-generators-are-sold-air-cleaners. Accessed June 23, 2022.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. Mar 2022. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=801.415. Accessed June 23, 2022.

Britigan N, Alshawa A, Nizkorodov SA. Quantification of ozone levels in indoor environments generated by ionization and ozonolysis air purifiers. J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2006;56(5):601-10.

Ho CS, Lee MC, Chang CY, Chen WC, Huang WC. Beneficial effects of a negative ion patch on eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage, inflammation, and exercise performance in badminton athletes. Chin J Physiol. 2020;63(1):35-42.

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