Does the sea air strengthen our immune system?

According to Belgian research, the sea air contains small amounts of bacteria that strengthen our immune system. To what extent does this really affect our health?

Researchers from the Flemish Marine Institute (VLIZ) examined aerosols from splashing seawater. These aerosols contain a number of bacteria that are not yet known to our immune system and are therefore said to make our immune system stronger.

It is claimed that people who often visit or live near the sea would live longer and stay healthy longer. This health effect was previously explained by the fact that people exercise more at the sea.

The scientists brought the seawater aerosols they collected into contact with cultured kidney cells. This shows that the immune response of these kidney cells to the seawater could promote our immune system.

But the effect on people has not yet been proven. Just because certain substances in the kidney cells show that our immune system gets a boost does not mean that we will actually become less ill. For example, during the corona pandemic we noticed no difference between the number of infections at the sea or inland.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 0000-00-00 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025