Infrared sauna as exercise-mimetic? Physiological responses to infrared sauna vs exercise in healthy women: A randomized controlled crossover trial
Hussain JN, Cohen MM, Mantri N, O'Malley CJ, Greaves RF
Complementary therapies in medicine · 5 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2021-12-23 · Complement Ther Med · vol. 64 · p. 102798
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 10 citations · more than 65% of similar papers · 0.6× the field average
- References
- 109 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Infrared Thermography in Medicine · Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements
- Keywords
- Medicine, Arterial stiffness, Heart rate, Blood pressure, Crossover study, Cardiorespiratory fitness, Randomized controlled trial, Cardiology, Internal medicine, Physical therapy, Placebo, Pathology
- MeSH
- humans, exercise, steam bath, cross-over studies, blood pressure, heart rate, female, male
5 authors
From AU
- Joy N. Hussain · correspondingRMIT University
- Marc Maurice CohenExtreme Wellness Institute
- Nitin L. MantriRMIT University
- Cindy J. O’MalleyRMIT University
- Ronda F. GreavesVictorian Clinical Genetics Services; Murdoch Children's Research Institute; RMIT University
Abstract
Background
Passive heat therapies have been reported to have similar effects on the cardiovascular system as exercise. Studies supporting these findings in healthy populations have predominantly been done with men using warm water immersions or traditional saunas, rather than newer infrared-based saunas.
Objective
To explore short-term thermal and cardiovascular responses in women using an infrared sauna as compared to moderate-intensity exercise.
Study design
Randomized controlled crossover trial with balanced allocations.
Setting
Brisbane, Australia (August 2019 - March 2020) PARTICIPANTS: Ten healthy women (36 ± 9 years) INTERVENTIONS: 45 min of resting, infrared sauna or indoor bicycling PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: tympanic/skin temperatures; respiratory rate; blood pressure; arterial stiffness; heart rate variability RESULTS: Tympanic temperatures were elevated during infrared sauna as compared to both control (mean diff = +1.05 oC ± SEM 0.12 oC, 95% C.I.: 0.73 - 1.36, p oC ± SEM 0.12 oC, 95% C.I.: 0.49 - 1.08, p < 0.0005). Respiratory rates were higher during exercise as compared to both control (mean diff = +7.66 ± SEM 1.37, 95% C.I.: 4.09 - 11.23, p < 0.0005) and infrared sauna (mean diff = +6.66 ± SEM 1.33, 95% C.I.: 3.20 - 10.11, p < 0.0005). No significant differences in non-invasive measures of blood pressure, arterial stiffness or heart rate variability were detected between any of the interventions.
Conclusions
These findings suggest the physiological effects of infrared sauna bathing are underpinned by thermoregulatory-induced responses, more so than exercise-mimetic cardiorespiratory or cardiovascular activations.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.