Infrared Sauna, are the claims backed up?
You may have heard about all the wonderful health claims of the Infrared Sauna: anti-aging abilities, detoxification, weight loss and even more. But are these infrared sauna claims actually backed up and proven by science, and are there any infrared sauna dangers?
Like most heat treatments, there’s a lot of hot air out there … but that doesn’t mean an infrared sauna is bad for you. Quite the contrary, in fact, research shows heart-healthy, pain-reducing, life-extending benefits of infrared saunas.
WHAT IS AN INFRARED SAUNA?
Historically, heat treatments have been used to help heal the body for thousands of years. Hot air baths and Sweat Lodges were used for relieving stress, increasing relaxation and detoxification among Native Americans, Eastern Europeans and in Ancient Chinese Medicine. Many years ago, before the invention of focused light therapy, basic saunas were created by building a fire directly under an enclosed sitting area. The sauna was heated with hot rocks and other materials burning on a fire that carried heat and smoke up to the lodge.
Infrared saunas are a type of sauna that uses heat and light to help relax and detoxify the body. Infrared light is the invisible part of the sun’s spectrum, which has the ability to gently and comfortably penetrate human tissue to produce a host of health benefits. It’s the same spectrum that stimulates plant growth due to cell generation. Called far-infrared and/or near-infrared saunas, they omit infrared light waves that create heat in the body, causing you to sweat and release stored toxins.
Sweating is good for you. Sweating is one of the body’s safest and most natural ways to heal and maintain good health. Infrared saunas are specifically designed to promote a deep, healthy and natural detoxifying sweat.
Detoxification is important because it strengthens the body’s immune system and helps the body’s biochemical processes function efficiently so that the body is better able to digest the nutrients in foods.
The body needs to sweat. We ingest and retain toxins every day, from the air we breathe to the food we consume. The fundamental benefit of an infrared sauna is the unique ability to detoxify, or sweat out, these toxic substances, many of which can lead to a variety of diseases down the road.
Anti-aging effects, pain reduction, joint and muscle support, and cardiovascular healing are also byproducts of infrared saunas. The interesting thing about infrared saunas is that they differ from regular saunas because the light directly penetrates the skin but does not warm the air around you.
The results of an infrared sauna are produced at lower temperatures than a conventional sauna and can be tolerated better by people who can’t withstand the very high heats of other dry saunas or even steam rooms.
HOW INFRARED SAUNAS WORK
Unlike other types of saunas, infrared lamp saunas penetrate the skin and heat the body from the inside-out. They reach deep inside the body and produce a heat that can be concentrated in a small area, which is why they don’t cause heat around the room.
The therapeutic effects of infrared saunas comes down to the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. Infrared radiation (IR) band covers the wavelength range of 750 nanometers to 100 micrometers, frequency range of 400 terahertz to three terahertz, and photon energy range of 12.4 milli-electron volts to 1.7 electron volts.
Infrared light treatment usually works within just 15–20 minutes and are capable of causing dramatic changes in body chemistry, helping restore balance in people who suffer from chronic problems related to pains, inflammation, low energy and poor circulation.
Infrared sauna treatments cause reactions in the body, including:
increased sweating (some people even report heavy or vigorous sweating)
increased heart rate
the same type of clarity-of-mind feelings as moderate exercise
relaxation responses triggered by the body’s parasympathetic nervous system
This type of treatment is one of the safest and most useful healing methods when combined with other factors like a balanced diet.
RESEARCH STUDIES:
A 2018 meta-analysis of nine clinical trials found that five weekly sessions of infrared sauna for 2 to 4 weeks, was associated with a significant reduction in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP — a marker of heart failure progression) and cardiothoracic ratio (an indicator of heart enlargement), and improved left-ventricular ejection fraction.
In a 5-year open-label trial, patients receiving Infrared sauna therapy in addition to usual care experienced a decrease in cardiac death and re-hospitalization after cardiac events compared to patients receiving usual care alone.
Infrared therapy is an effective method for considerably raising the rate of energy expenditure in the body. Per the Journal of the American Medical Association, a moderately conditioned person can easily sweat off 500 grams in an infrared room, consuming nearly 300 kcal, which is equivalent to running 2–3 miles. A heat-conditioned person can easily sweat off 600–800 kcal with no adverse effects. While the weight of the water loss can be regained by drinking water, and the calories consumed will not be.
Boosts Immune Health:
Infrared saunas stimulate the circulatory system, causing the heart to beat more vigorously and blood vessels to dilate, which helps cleanse the circulatory system and more fully oxygenate the body’s cells. Better blood circulation means more toxins flow from deep tissue to the skin’s surface to help with cell health and the immune system.
Raising core body temperature is key to keeping you healthy. Although infrared saunas heat you up differently than a fever, the increased body temperature provides similar benefits, including white blood cell and T-cell production to help ward off viruses. This heat produces a deep, detoxifying sweat below the skin’s surface, where most toxins reside. Your sweat then pushes out the toxins, cleansing your body and rejuvenating your skin. Some of the better infrared saunas have been proven to raise core body temperature by 3 degrees.
In an Austrian study, subjects who regularly used saunas found they had significantly fewer episodes of common colds than those who did not. This benefit becomes more significant, especially after 14 weeks of consecutive sauna use.
Helps with Weight Loss:
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to your overall quality of life. That’s no secret. In fact, a 10-year study published by The New England Journal of Medicine discovered that the circumference of your waist alone is a critical factor for assessing the risk of premature death. In other words, by maintaining a healthy weight, you may be able to live a longer, healthier life.
Using heat technology to burn calories, infrared saunas are clinically shown to aid weight loss. In a 2009 study, infrared saunas were shown to help lower weight and waist circumference in just a three-month period. The common theme among subjects in the study was that far infrared sauna use was similar to moderate exercise but “much more relaxing”. Therefore, infrared saunas can be an effective lifestyle advantage for those who cannot participate in traditional exercise programs due to medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular or respiratory problems.
In addition, according to information published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, infrared sauna weight loss sessions were shown to burn up to 600 calories. During a sauna weight loss session, core temperatures increase. The body has to work hard to cool itself, causing a healthy sweat. Using an infrared sauna increases heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate, burning more calories, leading to more weight loss. And blood flow rises, increasing from 5-7 quarts up to 13 quarts a minute. Regular use of an infrared sauna may provide many of the same benefits as regular exercise, such as cardiovascular conditioning.
Natural Anti-Aging - Skin Therapy:
Near infrared (NIR) light therapy is the science of photobiomodulation which uses invisible, near infrared wavelengths between 700 and 1,200 nm (nanometers) to deliver energy to cells. NIR is the shortest wavelength and penetrates the skin’s surface more effectively than mid or far infrared. Scientific research shows that when delivered at the vital wavelength of 880nm, without extreme heat or light, NIR promotes skin renewal, cell health and tissue growth.
A study published in The Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy showed significant improvements in skin appearance after just 12 weeks of sauna skin therapy using near infrared technology. Participants experienced a reduction in wrinkles and crow’s feet, as well as improved overall skin tone, including softness, smoothness, elasticity, clarity and firmness.
Acne:
Infrared saunas may not only improve the appearance of acne scarring, but they may actually help reduce acne in the first place. Typical acne is caused by a build-up of oil on the skin, and if you produce a lot of oil, that can lead to constant breakouts. Infrared saunas cause you to sweat from infrared heat – not actual heat – which can help clean out those clogged pores. When a sauna session is complete, a quick face wash ensures the unclogged pores do not clog up again.
Skin Detoxification:
Infrared saunas are clinically proven to reach deeper levels into your skin, effectively removing toxins such as dead skin cells, oils, dirt and bacteria. Infrared technology heats your body to the core, triggering your body to release toxins that can clog your pores and lead to a host of health issues beyond just within your skin.
Tone and Texture:
In a 2006 study, researchers looked at the impact of infrared on collagen and elastin in our skin, two of the most important ingredients to healthy skin. They found that both collagen and elastin increased after exposure to infrared, and all patients included in the study reported enhanced skin texture, less roughness, and improvement in color.
Appearance of Scars:
The increase in circulation and delivery of oxygen to injured or damaged areas helps with cell turnover, which helps with the appearance of scars. Studies using NASA LED technology concluded that NIR light significantly promotes faster cell regeneration, wound healing, and human tissue growth. Human cell growth increased by 155-171%.
Helps with Muscle Recovery:
Most people understand the benefits of exercise and training when trying to enhance performance or build muscle. Equally important is the recovery process, or downtime in between training, when energy is restored, and the body is able to heal tissue damage and rebuild muscles. Building muscle not only increases strength, but also boosts metabolism, reduces risk of injury, improves bone density and helps with excess body fat.
Heat, in and of itself, is great for recovery, temporary pain relief and inflammation. However, infrared light, because it heats the body from within, can penetrate further down into the joints, muscles and tissues, increasing circulation and blood flow.
Good circulation is critical for proper healing. Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the site of the strain or inflammation, which helps to create new blood vessels and tissues at the site. The more red and white blood cells that can get delivered to muscles, the quicker they rebuild.
There are many studies that show how the three wavelengths of near, mid and far can help with muscle recovery and performance.
In 2015, the Journal of Athletic Enhancement published a study looking at the effects of Far Infrared heat on recovery in power athletes. It found that far infrared (FIR) heat improves recovery of the neuromuscular performance during intensive training associated with the increase in the testosterone/cortisol ratio. Deep penetration of infrared with mild temperature and light humidity (vs. traditional saunas) appears favorable for the neuromuscular system to recover from endurance performance.
One of the foremost researchers on infrared, Dr. Michael Hamblin, published a study which suggests that red light and near infrared (NIR) can increase muscle mass gained after training, and decrease inflammation and oxidative stress.
Flexibility is also important for performance and injury prevention. A study conducted at Auburn University of Montgomery showed a full spectrum sauna can increase your flexibility up to 3x. Benefits of increased range of motion include joint mobility, less friction in the joints, enabling of joint function to diminish stiffness and joint relaxation.
Improves Heart Function:
A review by the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver found evidence supporting the use of infrared sauna treatments for normalizing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, treating congestive heart failure, and helping with chronic pain, showing Infrared saunas are a good mode in helping to prevent high blood pressure and improve heart health.
Another study published in the Journal of The Japanese Circulation Society backs up that research, as the study found that infrared sauna treatment helped patients with heart arrhythias and suffer from chronic heart failure. Repeated treatments with a 140 degree infrared sauna improved functioning of the heart and lowered incidence of ventricular arrhythmias.
Patients were randomized into sauna-treated or non-treated groups, with the sauna group undergoing a two-week program of a daily 140 degrees infrared sauna treatment for 15 minutes at a time, followed by 30 minutes of bed rest. Heart rate variability normalized in the sauna group (including having plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentrations decrease) compared with the non-treated group.
Helps Lower Chronic Pain, Including Pain from Arthritis:
Researchers from Saxion University of Applied Science in the Netherlands found that infrared sauna treatments can help reverse chronic pain with little to no side effects. They studied the effects of infrared saunas in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis over a four-week period, with a series of eight infrared treatments. Sauna therapy was well-tolerated with no adverse effects, and they found that a significant percentage of patients experienced decreased symptoms of pain and stiffness.
Fatigue also decreased in both groups of patients compared to before beginning treatment, leading the researchers to conclude that infrared treatment has statistically significant short-term beneficial effects in patients experiencing pain without causing any worsening disease symptoms or unwanted side effects.
Lowers Side Effects of Diabetes:
A 2010 study published in the Journal of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine found that infrared sauna use is associated with improved quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes, even when compared to other lifestyle interventions. People with diabetes often suffer from complications such as pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, congestive heart failure and other heart problems, but sauna treatments improve pain threshold and contribute to overall well-being — naturally treating diabetes symptoms.
Patients were tested at the Fraser Lake Community Health Center in Canada, undergoing 20-minute treatments three times weekly over a period of three months. Patients completed a 36-item short-form health survey before and after the treatment period. The results found that a significant percentage experienced improved physical health, general health and social functioning following treatments, as well as lower stress and fatigue levels.
Improves Quality of Life and Overall Well-being:
For many years, patients suffering from chronic pains have used thermal heating treatments to find relief. Studies have found that regular and repeated thermal therapies are promising methods for lowering chronic pain that can interfere with quality of life without the need for medications.
Researchers from Nishi Kyusyu University in Japan found that infrared sauna heat therapy works to improve a patient’s mood and well-being when coupled with other holistic treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and exercise rehabilitation.
Their 2005 study split patients with chronic pain into two groups, one receiving multidisciplinary treatments without infrared heat therapy and the other receiving all forms of treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy, rehabilitation and exercise therapy, and repeated infrared saunas). Therapy treatments were performed once a day for four weeks, and results were tracked immediately after treatment and then again two years after discharge.
According to the patients’ test scores, self-ratings for pain, depression and anger significantly decreased after treatment in both groups. However, pain and anger were significantly lower in the group also receiving infrared sauna therapy. Two years after treatment, 77 percent of the patients in the infrared sauna group felt well enough to return to work, compared to just 50 percent in the control group.
WHO CAN BENEFIT?
Researchers have been studying the effects of saunas for decades when it comes to pain management and relaxation. Infrared saunas are relatively new compared to conventional saunas but have picked up attention recently for helping naturally treat multiple health problems with little to no side effects.
Studies have shown benefits of infrared sauna therapy for people with:
cardiovascular disease
diabetes
high blood pressure
congestive heart failure
rheumatoid arthritis
chronic fatigue
poor digestion
depression and anger
chronic muscle and joint pains
One of the biggest benefits of infrared saunas is that they’re comfortable and simple to use, even for people who struggle with pain or who have sensitive skin and stomachs when it comes to heat, all with no need for medications.
WHAT TO EXPECT
How does an infrared sauna treatment feel exactly, and what can you expect?
A lot of sweating should be expected, although it’s not painful and many people find it relaxing. Some find that afterward they feel a bit lightheaded and like they just came off a day at the beach. Drinking water and getting plenty of rest are recommended. Most people don’t feel any different, although in some people with high levels of pain, they report that they feel an improvement almost immediately.
ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?
Infrared sauna wavelengths are too long to be perceived by the eyes, so they don’t damage sensitive eye tissues like other light therapies can. There are no reports of negative effects of infrared saunas so far, beyond the cautions about any sauna experience. These include the possibilities of overheating, dehydrating, and interference with medication, as well as the potential dangers for those who are pregnant, have heart disease, or are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
I use the Infrared Sauna daily, and suggest you give it try. As discussed above, there are just so many benefits; it’s hard to ignore such an easy way to improve your health and well-being! I would suggest an infrared sauna treatment a few times each week for optimum health.
Here is a link to the Infrared Saunas we use in our Whippany and Jersey City locations:
(https://www.sunlighten.com/saunas/mpulse-infrared-saunas/).
These are the best infrared saunas on the market, and are available for you to schedule individual sessions using various light therapies for your needs.