MINNEAPOLIS, April 7—Two years ago, researchers discovered that simply expecting to laugh led to an infusion of health-protecting hormones. Today, those researchers are finding that the same expectation also suppresses detrimental stress hormones.

In their earlier work the researchers found that the anticipation of “mirthful laughter” had surprising and significant effects. Two hormones – beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression) and human growth hormone (HGH; which helps with immunity) – increased by 27 and 87 percent respectively when volunteers anticipated watching a humorous video.

There was no such increase among the control group who did not anticipate watching the humor film. 

The research is entitled "Cortisol and Catecholamine Stress Hormone Decrease Is Associated with the Behavior of Perceptual Anticipation of Mirthful Laughter."

It was conducted by Lee Berk, M.D., and Stanley A. Tan (both of the Oak Crest Health Research Institute) and and Dottie Berk (Loma Linda University Health Care).

Bottom line, the researchers say, is that being open to laughter is good for people's health.

Lee Berk presented the team’s findings at the 121st Annual Meeting of the American Physiological Society, this weekend in San Diego.

News release