Are saunas good for you?

Saunas have been a standard inclusion at the local gym or health club for a
number of years and are ubiquitous in similar forms all over the world.
Originating in Finland, the sauna has long been famed for its health benefits
in Northern and Eastern Europe, Asia and the Americas.
The modern sauna, however, has changed significantly from the steamheated cabins of old. Saunas emitting Far Infrared (FIR) light as radiant heat
are now known for various health benefits and have become a popular
alternative. With repeated exposure to anything electrical however, comes
the fear of health risks brought on by Electromagnetic Field (EMF) exposure.
This literature review will assess the health benefits and risks of treatments
with traditional and FIR saunas.
Editors Note: We recently commissioned a writer to conduct a literature
review of the published studies on saunas. We must make it clear that
Sunlighten do not provide medical advice and you should speak with your
health practitioner if youre unsure a sauna is right for you. The following
literature review was independently compiled, and we thought some of you
would enjoy reading the findings of academic research in this field.
Detoxification
Many now associate a detox as a health-kick to look and feel good after a
period of overindulgence. For those who work in environments with health
hazards however, cleansing the body of harmful chemicals is almost a
necessity. One study conducting a three week program on ten electrical
workers, with 5-10 half hour sauna sessions, saw a mean drop of pesticides
in adipose tissue of 21.2%.
Another study on 69 police officers in Utah who had exposure to
methamphetamine and related chemical compounds were subjected to a 4-6
week treatment of exercise, nutritional supplementation (increasing doses of
vitamin B3) and four hours of daily sauna therapy. Significant health
improvements were seen after treatment including decreased neurotoxicity
levels.
Cardiovascular Benefits
The science behind what makes bathing in a sauna good for the body goes
beyond simply sweating it all out during detoxification. The cardiovascular
system responds to the thermal stress brought on by saunas by increasing
the heart rate and peripheral circulation as well as the metabolic rate and O2
consumption. One study found this to be similar to the effect of moderate

exercise , making saunas a suitable option for those living in climates with
limited opportunity to exercise.
Although an elevated heart-rate presents a health risk for those with a heart
condition, saunas have only resulted in sudden death in extremely rare
cases. One study found 1.7% of the 6,175 sudden deaths in Finland occurred
within 24 hours of taking a sauna. People who have suffered a Myocardial
Infarction (MI) should also not be worried. Two studies found participants
suffering virtually no adverse side-effects from sitting in a sauna after having
an MI, observed over the short and long term.
Saunas have also been shown to beneficial for those with high blood
pressure, or hypertension. Among hypertensive men, a 7-8% increase in
ventricular ejection fraction was experienced once undertaking sauna
therapy as well as a decrease in blood pressure shown in two studies , one
with a significant reduction from an average of 166/101 mm Hg to 143/92
mm Hg.
Saunas utilising FIR have been particularly effective for treating congestive
heart failure (CHF). During multiple studies on what is known as Waon
therapy, two to four weeks of sessions in a 60C FIR sauna, patients saw a
decrease in oxidative stress decreased ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal
heart rhythms) and improved vascular endothelial function. The same
Japanese research team proved the therapys effectiveness on improving the
overall prognosis of CHF in a larger study and saw an improvement in cardiac
function, exercise tolerance and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease.
Living with Type II Mellitus Diabetes is often associated with poor health
outcomes such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and excess weight.
The improved cardiovascular health seen from FIR sauna therapy then
presents an opportunity to better the QOL of those with Type II Diabetes. Two
studies saw the benefits from FIR saunas as lowering blood pressure and
waist circumference and improving stress and fatigue levels, making the
treatment beneficial for improving QOL in Type II DIabetes patients.
Other Physiological Benefits
Those suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can have their lifestyle
affected significantly. Chronic pain, disrupted sleep, hormonal imbalances,
allergies, gastrointestinal complications, neurocognitive problems and
extreme weight change are all common symptoms of CFS. Three studies by
Japanese researchers found thermal therapy with FIR saunas improved
fatigue, sleep and pain as well as their appetite and emotional state and
resulted in a higher rate of returning to work (82% in the thermal therapy
group vs. 58% in the non-thermal therapy group).

Other conditions associated with chronic pain such as Fibromyalgia

Syndrome (FMS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
have also been found to be treated with FIR saunas. One study conducting
four weeks of eight sessions in a 55C Infrared sauna saw a reduction in pain
of approximately 40% and 60% for patients with RA and approximately 50%
and 60% less stiffness for patients with AS. A 12-week therapy combining
underwater exercise and sauna therapy on patients with FMS found
reductions in pain and symptoms of 3177%, which remained stable after a
six month follow-up period (2868%).
Electromagnetic Field Exposure
Concerns over exposure to EMF were first raised in 1970s when early
research indicated a statistical association between EMF exposure and some
types of cancers and childhood leukaemia. The International Electromagnetic
Fields Project was established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in
1996 to investigate the true health risks of exposure to EMF.
Appliances such as FIR saunas come under the category of Extremely Low
Frequency (ELF) electric fields, measured as 0 to 100,000 Hz (100 kHz). Most
electric power lines run at 50 or 60 Hz , which presents a risk ratio (RR) of
1.5-2 (tobacco smoking had a RR of more than 10). One piece of research
suggested radiant heating appliances such as FIR saunas would also emit
frequency levels of around 50-60 Hz.
A Task Group of scientific experts established by WHO in 2005 concluded that
there are no substantive health issues related to ELF at levels generally
encountered by members of the public. EMF can also be measured as a
Gauss. Although the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
recommend no more than 1,000 mG of exposure for members of the public
(24 hour exposure) , Sweden has a benchmark of 3 mG. Some earlier models
of Infrared Saunas have recorded levels of 25 mG but better technology in
todays FIR saunas have much lower readings of 0.05-1 mG.
Conclusion
Saunas in varying models have been shown to have various health benefits.
The overall effect of being subjected to thermal stress can improve
cardiovascular health and help treat chronic conditions such as CFS, FMS, RA
and AS. Using sauna therapy for detoxification can also be highly effective
for improving the QOL of workers subjected to hazardous environmental
conditions.
Although there have been shown to me some risks of EMF exposure with FIR
saunas, todays models have recorded safe levels of EMF exposure and pose
no health risk; justifying its therapeutic use.

http://www.sunlighten.com.au/