Ep. #259: Do Infrared Saunas Work? What 23 Studies Say

The health and fitness space is full of gimmicks and gimcracks that promise to help you lose weight, look sexier, and get healthier.

You know, things like…

-Detox teas and “cleanses”
-Starvation (and overly restrictive) diets
-Overhyped nutrition “hacks” (like intermittent fasting and ketogenic dieting)
-Testosterone boosters
-Estrogen blockers

…just to name a few.

The sad truth is if you simply ignored most everything published in most fitness magazines and on most fitness websites and just stuck to the basics of energy balance, macronutrient optimization, compound weightlifting, and progressive overload instead, you’d be far better for it.

You’d be able to gain muscle and lose fat with ease, and you’d be able to do it eating foods and doing workouts that you actually enjoy.

If you want to speed up the process, though, or optimize other aspects of your health and performance, you can go a bit further.

You can take the right supplements, for example, incorporate mobility work into your exercise regimen, and take simple steps to improve your sleep quality.

And that’s where infrared sauna enters the picture. It isn’t necessary by any means, but depending on whom you listen to, it can be a boon to your overall health and wellbeing.

That’s why this technology has been getting a lot of attention recently, and if you poke around online, you can find doctors, trainers, and “gurus” singing its praises.

According to its proponents, infrared sauna can…

-Detoxify your body
-Enhance circulation
-Promote weight loss
-Lower blood pressure
-Increase immunity
-Relieve aches and pains
-Reduce muscle soreness and speed recovery
-Improve skin health and appearance
-Fight cancer

On the other hand, skeptics and detractors say that most of the hype is humbug, and that these devices are little more than overpriced space heaters.

Who’s right?

Well, when you look to the scientific literature, you discover that the answer is somewhere in the middle.

The long story short is infrared sauna does appear to deliver some health benefits, including reduced joint pain and stiffness and improved blood vessel function, but it can’t do what many people hope: it can’t “detox” your body, help you lose weight faster, boost your immune system, or prevent cancer.

And in this episode, we’re going to break it all down.

By the end, you’re going to know what infrared saunas are, how they work, how they can (and can’t) benefit you, how to use them properly, and more.

Let’s get started.

6:26 - What is infrared sauna?
7:22 - Is infrared sauna safe?
11:14 - What are the benefits of infrared sauna?
15:32 - Does infrared sauna improve your physical performance?
17:17 - Does infrared sauna enhance recovery after training?
17:49 - Does infrared sauna improve your mood?
18:50 - Does infrared sauna improve your skin health?
19:31 - Does infrared sauna help fight cancer?
19:56 - Can infrared sauna help prevent sickness?
20:46 - What’s the best way to use an infrared sauna?
22:23 - What’s the best type of infrared sauna?

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