Incense burning is a practice that’s common in many religious and spiritual traditions. The scent of burning incense is thought to carry prayers up to God and create a sacred or meditative atmosphere. It’s also used as a form of aromatherapy and to enhance mental wellness. However, it’s important to know that burning incense emits a complex mixture of air pollutants that can negatively impact health.
Incense is made from a variety of natural ingredients, including herbs, roots, barks, spices, resins and essential oils. The base material for incense consists of either charcoal or wood powder. The base material is mixed with an oxidizer to sustain the combustion. Then, fragrant materials are added to the mixture or to incense sticks before shaping and drying. There are two main types of incense: direct-burning and indirect-burning. Direct-burning incense burns directly over coal embers and generates more smoke. Indirect-burning incense is never placed directly over the flame and smolders instead.
The most popular type of incense is frankincense. It has a distinctive pine-like aroma and is used in many religious practices, particularly to worship God. Frankincense is a woody fragrance that’s believed to cleanse the spirit, purify the mind and body, and help you find inner peace.
Another popular type of incense is sandalwood, which has a warm and earthy scent that helps relieve stress and tension. It can be burned as part of a meditation ritual, or to calm and relax the mind before sleep. The best quality incense is the kind that is made with natural materials, and is free of artificial fragrances and preservatives.
Research shows that the use of incense is associated with a variety of negative health effects. For example, incense smoke can irritate the respiratory tract and cause eye irritation. It can also trigger asthma symptoms in those who are sensitive to it. In addition, incense smoke can aggravate cardiovascular disease and increase the risk of developing diabetes. In fact, one study showed that long-term incense use is associated with a lower HDL cholesterol level and an increased waist circumference.
Studies have also shown that incense smoke can contain a wide array of airborne toxicants. Some of these compounds have been shown to be genotoxic and mutagenic, possibly causing DNA adducts in human cells. These adducts can lead to cancer in humans.
Although this study’s strengths include a large, well-defined community sample, detailed cognitive and neuroimaging data and longitudinal follow up, there are several limitations to consider. First, incense use habit was recorded based on self-report, which can be susceptible to reporting bias. Additionally, real-time indoor air pollution monitoring was not conducted. Finally, detailed toxicological analyses of individual chemical components were not performed. Nevertheless, this study has identified incense burning as a potential modifiable risk factor for adverse cognitive and brain outcomes.