Art can affect people in many ways. It arouses emotions, evokes memories and stimulates thought. But who would have thought that rock music could also have an effect on a physiological level, namely on the production of insulin in the body? Recent research by Swiss scientists has yielded striking results in this area.
Revelation at the cellular level
What happens in our bodies when we listen to music? The researchers took a protein that controls the flow of calcium ions in E. coli bacteria and introduced it into human insulin cells. The results were striking: when exposed to sound, these cells began to actively produce insulin. And here we should pay tribute to the legends of rock music – Queen’s song “We Will Rock You” became the absolute leader, releasing up to 100% of insulin in just 15 minutes!
Frequency, volume and... insulin?
The key to understanding this phenomenon lies in volume and frequency. For maximum effect, a sound should have a volume of 60 decibels and a frequency of around 50 hertz. The length of time the sound is played and the pauses in between also play a role.
But, as is often the case in science, there are limitations. Insulin is only released when the cells are directly above the sound source. This explains why the headphone experiments had no effect.
A future without injections?
It’s probably too early to say that rock music can replace traditional diabetes treatment, but imagine a world where your insulin dose is just a few songs from Queen. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it?
And there is something truly magical about this story: music made for the soul can now help the body. Incredible proof that art and science can work hand in hand, complementing and enhancing each other.
