Long regarded for its soothing properties and improvement of blood flow, sauna therapy even has a claim to leave you feeling lighter after a session. Step on a scale after sitting in a hot sauna for 20 minutes and you will probably notice a drop in your weight by a pound or two. This immediate result often raises the question: can sauna be used as a means of reducing body fat? The short answer would be no, but this does not tell the whole story. It's worth knowing what happens to our body in the sauna and what role sauna has in a real fat loss strategy.
More about sauna
One of the effects of sauna is that it causes weight loss as a result of loss of water rather than fat. When you are in the sauna, your body's temperature goes up. When your body gets hot, you start to sweat. Sweat mainly consists of water along with a small amount of these electrolytes as sodium and potassium. Thus, for every pound of sweat that you lose, there is a loss of about 16 ounces of water rather than fat. It is easy to see how the scale can show a drop in the weight of one to three pounds after a single sauna session. The problem is that this does not translate into anything since all this weight gets back after drinking water or having a meal.
Fat is energy in storage. To lose one pound of fat, the body should create a caloric deficit of about 3,500 calories. Sweating in the sauna does not result in calorie loss unless taking lots of time in the sauna.While the sauna may give you a feeling of temporary slimness, it does not directly remove fat from the body.
Can Using a Sauna Burn Calories or Increase Metabolic Rate?
According to various claims, the heat from the sauna increases the heart rate and metabolism, simulating moderate physical activity. However, while using a sauna does make the heart work faster and produces sweat, it does not lead to a significant calorie burn. According to research, spending 30 minutes in a sauna burns even less calories than walking briskly for the same amount of time. Although the sauna works to expand blood vessels and enhance the functioning of the heart, the phenomena in question are merely a case of thermoregulation, rather than fat burning.
That being said, one should keep in mind that long-term sauna use may have indirect benefits. In particular, it can improve the cardiovascular health, decrease stress levels, and assist in faster recovery after training. Reduced stress levels will stabilize cortisol levels, a hormone that contributes to accumulation of fat in the abdomen area. The faster recovery will allow one to train vigorously and regularly, which ultimately leads to fat loss.
Can Sauna Help with Permanent Fat Loss?
Achieving permanent fat loss requires a sustainable caloric deficit through following a diet as well as exercising. A sauna could aid in this process in the following ways: it can help one relax and fall asleep.Thirdly, the sensation of perspiration and warmth is uplifting in nature, developing and reinforcing good practices for health. Nevertheless, the use of sauna for losing fat is not effective alone and can go as far as being dangerous. Overheating while sauna may lead to serious problems such as dehydration, wrong balance of minerals, confusion, etc. At the same time, sauna cannot replace physical workouts or healthy nutrition. If sauna is included into the general plan combined with utilizing proper food diet, working out regularly and sleeping enough, it may help to some extent. But it can never help to lose fat without application of additional measures of one's lifestyle.
The Risks and Misunderstandings Regarding Sauna and Its Use to Lose Weight
People often have the impression that sweating more equals burning more fat, but this is not true. To clarify, sweat acts as a mechanism to cool the body down, but it does not help to burn fat. This is why it is dangerous to wear sauna suits or spend extra time in saunas "sweating" fat out of the body. Another myth is that sauna has detoxifying properties. It is true that sweat may contain some metals, but the primary detoxification organs are kidneys and liver. There is no evidence that sauna improves fat burning or detoxification.
Certain individuals, especially those suffering from heart disorders, low blood pressure, or pregnant women should talk to a doctor before using sauna. The alcohol use is extremely dangerous before and during the sauna procedure, as it can provoke dehydration and cardiovascular disorders. In case you feel dizzy in the sauna, immediately get out and cool off.
How to Use Sauna Correctly to Stay Healthy
If someone enjoys spending time in sauna and wants to make it part of their healthy way of life, they should follow some simple rules while using sauna. The time of staying in succession should be limited to 15-20 minutes. It is also important to drink enough water before and after sauna. It is better to refrain from visiting sauna after strenuous exercise when one feels dehydrated. Use sauna as a way to recover rather than lose weight. Plus, combine it with a low-calorie diet with a lot of proteins, fibers and healthy fats, and carrying out moderate physical exercises for at least 150 min a week.
