Also known as: sauna bathing, heat therapy, infrared sauna, sauna
Latest evidence update: 2026-03-01
Strongest in Recency (88). Held back by Sample size (42).
Solid mix of RCTs with some methodological gaps.
Good cross-study replication, some imprecision.
Hundreds of participants; meaningful but not large.
Mostly aligned, with some divergence.
Most studies are recent (last 2-3 years).
Areas where research points to a consistent direction of effect. The strength of evidence is graded; the size of the effect is not quantified.
Regular sauna use (80-100°C, 15-20 min) is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and heat shock protein activation.
ProtocolEngine provides general health information based on published research. This is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or health protocol.
Heat therapy is effective for reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness pain at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise.
Hot spring and sauna use showed no significant blood lipid changes in older adults with mean age 60 years or greater.
Combined heat therapy and moderate-intensity exercise training for 8 weeks improves brachial artery endothelial function and lower limb arterial stiffness in young, healthy recreationally active adults.
Combined heat therapy and exercise reduced carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity by 0.33 m·s⁻¹ after 8 weeks within group.
Heat therapy did not significantly reduce 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure in adults with untreated hypertension over 8-10 weeks.