This study, conducted by Satoshi Biro, Akinori Masuda, Takashi Kihara, and Chuwa Tei from Kagoshima University’s Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Metabolic Medicine, explores the effects of sauna therapy on patients with lifestyle-related diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. The research shows that repeated sauna therapy, using a far-infrared dry sauna at 60°C for 15 minutes, has multiple health benefits, including improved endothelial function (which is often impaired in patients with these conditions) and a reduction in body weight and body fat. The therapy also increased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), a key protein involved in vascular health. In particular, the study found that sauna therapy significantly improved clinical symptoms like appetite loss and fatigue in patients with congestive heart failure and increased caloric intake in normal-weight individuals. However, while plasma ghrelin levels (a hunger-regulating hormone) rose in these patients, they did not change in obese patients, suggesting different metabolic responses to the therapy based on body weight.
The study suggests that sauna therapy may offer a non-invasive alternative for improving vascular health and supporting weight loss, especially in individuals unable to exercise due to physical limitations. Notably, in obese patients, sauna therapy led to reductions in body weight and body fat without altering hunger-related hormones, indicating its potential as a therapeutic tool for obesity management. This highlights sauna therapy as a promising option for addressing lifestyle-related diseases, particularly in conjunction with diet and exercise therapies. The research concludes that sauna therapy not only improves endothelial function, potentially preventing atherosclerosis, but could also be beneficial for weight management, especially in populations with limited ability to engage in physical activity.
