Sauna... good or bad?

[Phidias]

Didn't really think about it before, but since my new gym offers one and every member seems to be raving it (without being able to explain concretely what it exactly does on the body except that it makes them sweat a lot... ), I was really wondering if it could be of any use for BB purposes.

Did a bit of research and I keep hearing a lot of contradictions.

What do u guys think? Effects on recovery / dehydratation - water retention / overall health / skin?

Really curious about it.

 

[drbjr]

Is it a wet or dry sauna? I have a dry sauna in my clinic and have pt us it and they all say it makes their joints fell great. I have weighed people pre and post use and the average weight loss is 5lbs of water per use. I run at 135 temp 20 to 30 min.

 

[security1769]

all i can say is that you shouldn't use it before working out. it causes muscle fatigue.

 

[VanR__]

My joints love it but it reeks like humid man-ass.

 

[HITHARD]

...

From a cardiovascular standpoint not good. You NEVER want extreme heat or cold to enter the lungs very bad! Going through respiratory therapy class they harped and saunas all the time..

 

[km2000]

your skin is the bodys largest detoxifying organ! how does it detox? through sweat.... a sauna dry or wet is very benificial... indians and many ancient civilizations have been using them for ages.....

the best routine i have found is 3 15min sets in the sauna and rinsing off between 15min incriments in there, this insures you rinse all the toxins and sweat off your body and it is not reabsorbed....

saunas are great for bodybuilders, just need to make sure you are well hydrated befor and during the session....

 

[JETHRO TULL]

I agree.

Scandinavians did it...natives here on the reservation do it. Supposed to dextox the bod. Like everyone else said....my joints feel much better even after 110 degree hot tub. [I know that's different than a dry sauna...but we have on down at my parents house and I feel great afterwards] ...

 

[Phidias]

the best routine i have found is 3 15min sets in the sauna and rinsing off between 15min incriments in there, this insures you rinse all the toxins and sweat off your body and it is not reabsorbed.....

Very interesting!

In your opinion KM when is the best moment to "perform" a sauna? Spaced enough from a weight or cardio session, right after? I wouldn't do it before anyway...

Preferably in the morning to energize you for the day, or rather at night due to its possible tiring effects?

If not abused (which shouldn't be the case in a 45 min session with 3 pauses like you suggested), don't you however feel it can be hard on the heart like HITHARD pointed out?

 

[oldfella]

I personally have always enjoyed a good sauna after training. It just helps to ease the muscles a bit and you can relax and unwind a bit. I do feel cleansed afterwards. it is a good feeling. I have used a sauna effectively precontest to dry out some also. It pulls a hell of a lot of water out from your skin. As long as you are well hydrated to begin with!

 

[n8ia]

love the sauna. 15 min rinse back in for 15 rinse then back in. always remember to towel off the sweet when your in their this helps get more and more toxins out

 

[aw1218]

IT could kill your sperm since it's too hot; ball damage probably

 

[Big Danny]

As long as you are not going to abuse it should be all right. It is also important on what gear are you before entering sauna.

 

[thedonker]

Didn't really think about it before, but since my new gym offers one and every member seems to be raving it (without being able to explain concretely what it exactly does on the body except that it makes them sweat a lot... ), I was really wondering if it could be of any use for BB purposes.

Did a bit of research and I keep hearing a lot of contradictions.

What do u guys think? Effects on recovery / dehydratation - water retention / overall health / skin?

Really curious about it.

ok here is what i put an an other site about saunas a while back, see for yourself. Ironically I have not used mine for quite some time, my son has been keeping his toys in there, however I have cleaned it out tonight and turned it on, I am really low carb right now and can't be arsed with cardio, so this is my answer, I know I am lazy ;-) hope some of this helps you out and answers some of your questions.


"Hi there, yes I have found that the infa red saunas work, sadly I have worn a heart rate monitor in one just to see the effects on heart rate, and my heart rate went up to around 138 lying down on my arse, I use them after a cardio session for 20 mins or as long as i can stand it, drink plenty of water. So hyperthetically you should burn fat, but it is not a miracle cure.

I also have an infa red sauna in my home, and it does work for fat loss, it is much lower intenseity heat that a typical wet sauna so you do not sweat excessively and lose too much water, it is much more gentle. There have been studies done in sweden/dennmark which prove you can burn an extra 600-800kcal per hr in an infared sauna, so give one a try and see for your self, they not only boost your fatburning, they clean your pores and seem to release endorphins, oh and mine has a SAD light, so that if you get the winter blues it helps keep you in a better mood.

I have dug out some info form the manufacturer of mine, this may help you, it is interesting really to think that it may increase GH, well I can see bodybuilders everywhere running to the infrared saunas !!!! Can't see that claim working however, enjoy the read


The Heatwave is one of the most exciting developments in the health market giving a wide range of benefits which could change a persons whole outlook on life.

All our infra-red saunas are classed as Far-infra-red saunas. This is the most beneficial infrared treatment for your health. Benefits such as - helping you to get fitter and healthier whilst using up huge amounts of calories. This is all achieved by using a Heatwave infra-red sauna on a regular basis.

A session in a Heatwave is a totally pleasant and rewarding experience with the user able to select whatever temperature they wish their bodies to be, without the discomfort of the air being too warm. This is because the emitters in the Heatwave heat up the person rather than the air. Out of 100% Infra-red energy only 20% heats up the air and 80% is converted to heat within our bodies.

WEIGHT CONTROL
Depending on the person, a 30 minute session in a Heatwave sauna can result in up to 800 calories being used or the equivalent of a long run.

Also , because of the deep tissue penetration it is one of the fastest and most effective ways of dealing with cellulite.


PHYSICAL FITNESS
According to the American Medical Association and N.A.S.A., an Infra-red sauna session keeps your cardiovascular system just as healthy as if you were undertaking regular exercise

It has been widely used by astronauts and athletes to great effect.

Infrared Sauna Therapy
Most people will benefit from one 45-minute session per day. Infra-red saunas leave you feeling invigorated, not depleted like conventional saunas. Many people, including myself, choose to have their sauna treatment first thing in the morning before work.

Health Benefits of Infra-Red Sauna
Heat therapy using the infra-red sauna can produce an impressive number of positive health benefits:

Assists weight loss and increases metabolism: burns up to 600 calories in 30 minutes
Improves circulation to deep and superficial tissues
Promotes detoxification of the heavy metals and organic chemicals stored in fat cells
Helps to boost the immune response to kill viruses and bacteria
Pain relief
Muscle relaxation
Accelerates the breakdown of fat and cellulite
Promotes skin tone, elasticity, pore cleansing, and healing of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis
Accelerates wound healing from injuries and surgeries and reduces scar formation
Passive cardiovascular conditioning effect: enhances oxygen and nutrients to deep tissues
Regulates blood pressure
Useful in athletic conditioning to warm muscles before, and after, activity
Reduces physical and emotional stress
Reduces fatigue and stimulates energy
Anti-cancer effect through hyperthermia effect, immune enhancement and elimination of carcinogenic chemicals


Detoxification
The effect of detoxification is one of the most interesting and wide-ranging benefits of the infra-red sauna. The ability of hyperthermia therapy to release a range of toxins stored in body tissues has been documented in a number of medical studies over the last 20 years. Heat causes chemicals such as heavy metals, pesticides and fat-soluble chemicals to be released from the fat cells and tissues into the lymph fluid. Since sweat is made from the lymph fluid, toxins in the lymph are expelled from the body in the sweat. This process bypasses the liver and kidneys, which are usually sweat is composed of water-, the remaining 15 to 20 percent consists of cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid.

Study after study has shown that infra-red sauna therapy, combined with nutritional supplements, consistently and dramatically eliminates a wide range of chemical compounds including pesticides, PCBs, heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic, and both prescription and non-prescription drugs. Sweat produced during exercise does not eliminate the same amount of toxins.

The detoxification benefits of the infra-red sauna can be applied to a wide number of conditions where toxicity plays as role, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, chemical sensitivities, auto-immune conditions, neurological diseases, allergies, and cancer.

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue
For the fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue patient, a consistent program of infra-red sauna therapy will assist the problem of autonomic dysregulation, which is common to these conditions. The autonomic nervous system controls the unconscious functions of the body, including muscle tension, blood pressure, sweating, digestion, and balance. Symptoms of autonomic dysregulation are muscle pain, digestive problems, visual disturbances and dizziness. These symptoms are reduced, as regular sauna therapy induces normal autonomic functioning.

Physical Conditioning
Infra-red sauna therapy has a beneficial effect on metabolism and cardiovascular conditioning. A session in the sauna doubles the flow of blood to all the tissues of the body and exercises the heart. -This is comparable to a similar time of exercise, although no muscle conditioning will result. This is useful as an augmentation to a regular exercise routine and is a good substitute for those who can't exercise.

The infra-red sauna is a valuable tool in any weight-loss program. At EcoMed, we routinely used the sauna for its excellent calorie burning effects. We find that the sauna accelerates weight loss in a person who is already exercising and following a sensible and healthy alkaline diet. A half-hour session can burn up to 600 calories. Therefore, two sessions a day of 45 minutes each can burn up to 1800 calories, per day, which is equivalent to almost two hours of vigorous aerobic exercise.

There have been reports in marketing literature that hyperthermic-therapy increases human growth hormone, but I have not seen joints. Pain in muscles in alleviated by the reduction of muscle spasms and increased blood circulation to muscles suffering from ischemia (insufficient blood flow). Hyperthermia also helps to reduce pain by the acting on nerve endings as well as encouraging production of endorphins, which act as natural analgesics. As well, heat therapy is useful in helping to reduce inflammation and edema, resulting in a reduction of pain and acceleration of healing of injuries. Hyperthermia will also decrease joint stiffness and increase the flexibility of collagen tissues such as tendons, ligaments and joint capsules.

Infrared therapy has been successfully used to reduce pain from a variety of conditions including whiplash, soft tissue injuries, arthritis, sciatica, back pain, neuritis, bursitis, menstrual cramps, gout, migraines, and chronic muscle spasms.

Skin Care
The sauna improves blood circulation to the skin and results in a deep pore cleansing. This results in an improved skin tone and elasticity. Regular users are said to have more youthful skin that "glows." People with chronic skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema will benefit from regular sauna sessions. If the person is heat sensitive, the temperature of the sauna can be turned down to a level that the person can tolerate. Burn victims and people with scars can also benefit from the improved healing of the skin.

Stress Reduction
Due to the many physiological effects of heat therapy, people feel less stressed after a sauna session. A sauna session relaxes muscles, circulates the blood, stimulates the heart, and releases endorphins, providing a feeling of invigoration. People report being able to sleep better after their sauna sessions.


The newest generation of sauna combines light therapy with infra-red heat treatment by using full spectrum lights, installed inside the sauna. This is useful to stimulate melatonin and for those suffering from seasonally affective disorder (SAD).


The infra-red sauna has become an integral part of my naturopathic practice. I can personally testify to its excellent results in a wide range of conditions. As a preventive tool, I can recommend it to anyone wishing to eliminate toxins from their bodies. From a preventive health perspective, this may be one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

Related articles
Saunas and complementary cancer care
A look into the benefits of Infrared saunas and how they can help cancer sufferers
Season Affective Disorder (SAD) A patient's guide.
More information on Season Affective Disorder and how to combat it.
What is light therapy?
Light Therapy for Health, Beauty and Well-being.
What is FIR (Far-Infrared)
Many researchers from Italy, United States of America and Germany have found that it helps to promote health profoundly."

 

[Phidias]

this helps you out and answers some of your questions.

Thanks for having taken the time to repost it donker!

However, some of the claims of the manufacturer are pretty hard to believe, especially concerning fat loss... burning up to 800 kcal in 30 min
If sauna burned fat (and at that rate ) most people using it on a regular even daily basis would see dramatic results in no time, which is far from being the case as session after session they are as chubby

Good advertisement for sure but a little too biased to say the least

 

[Phidias]

One of my main concern about sauna is to know if after losing that much water during a session your body doesn't tend to be a sponge right after it, thus holding even more fluids than before you performed it?

Kinda like when after a contest you reintroduce immediately massive amounts of fluids, salt, carbs etc... and end up gaining a lot of weight.

 

[thedonker]

Thanks for having taken the time to repost it donker!

However, some of the claims of the manufacturer are pretty hard to believe, especially concerning fat loss... burning up to 800 kcal in 30 min
If sauna burned fat (and at that rate ) most people using it on a regular even daily basis would see dramatic results in no time, which is far from being the case as session after session they are as chubby

Good advertisement for sure but a little too biased to say the least

i totally agree, I have found it to be a great addition to an already good training and diet routine. Tonight for example, I have sat in my infared sauna and chilled listend to music for around 45 mins, because it is infrared, when I got out I was sweating like I had been low/medium intesity cardio for 45 mins. It seems to release some endorphins, and I hardly notice any water loss etc, as I sip water throughout. I would hazard a guess at buring an extra 200/300 kcals per hour, with a low to moderate heart rate, and according to the testing I have done in the past with a trainsmart device this means some extra fat burning for me. Which I suppose is better that sitting in front of this computer or the nearest tv, if you get my drift.

one of the great benefits for me is the results on my skin, it just looks better the moment after I come out of the shower after, kinda glows.

I will go in tommorow now that you have me thinking about it again and I will put on my heart monitor, from that and my test results I should be able to calculate how many kcals I have burned off, roughly speaking anyway. From my tests at between 117-126 bpm, I burn 70% from BF, at about 5.6 kcal per min total kcal per min being 7.9 average. The sauna seems to get me near the lower end of this range.

best wishes

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Dammit, I forgot that after reading this thread I was going to give the dry sauna in my gym a try today and forgot!

 

[thedonker]

Ok tonight , i went into my sauna post cardio, My HR was 103 when I got in to the sauna, and for the first 10 mins av was 109 bpm, then for the next 10 my average was 121 bpm, then for the last 10 i ranged between 121-145 bpm, the first 20 mins i was lying down the last 10 i ws sat up nearer the heaters. My HR reached 151 at the peak, however I was not breathing like I was exercising at that intesity, (weird)

that given in 30 mins I burned according to my exercise heartrate tests.

194 kcal of which in a non carb depleted state should be 56% from BF

however I am very low carb right now, so the percentage may be more.

compared to waking rest I burn ave 2.2 kcal per min at 60 bpm.

my test with the trainsmart was done a long time ago, I am a different bodycomp now, but things should not have changed too much, i only use it as a guide anyhow.

whether or not this is conclusive as to whether an infared sauna works for burning body fat, I do not know, as all this really proves is that it raises the heart rate, does this mean more fat burning, I think it must mean a little more, is it better than exercise at the same intesity?, absolutely no way, but it serves a purpose i guess.

hope this makes things a little clearer.