American cardiology clinical study review

European cardiology clinical study review

American cardiology clinical study review
Title of Study:
Repeated Thermal Therapy Improves Impaired Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors

Authors: Dr. Imamura, et.al, Kagoshima Japan

Publication and Date:
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2001

Purpose of Study
To determine whether Infrared Sauna therapy improves blood vessel function (endothelial) in patients risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. This dysfunction represents an early stage of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

How did they do it?
Studied 25 men with at least 1 risk factor. Patients were treated in an Infrared Sauna for 15 minutes once a day for 2 weeks.

Results: Infrared Sauna Treatment

• Significantly lowered blood pressure

• Significant weight loss

• Significantly lowered blood sugar

• Significantly increased blood flow

• Lowered cholesterol

• Lowered triglycerides

Conclusion:
Repeated Infrared Sauna treatment improves impaired blood vessel functions in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol. This suggests a preventive role for sauna use for arteriosclerosis.

 

European cardiology clinical study review
Finnish researchers, reporting the regular use of saunas state "there is abundant evidence to suggest that blood vessels of regular sauna-users remain elastic and pliable longer due to the regular dilation and contraction" of blood vessels induced by sauna use.

German medical researchers reported in Dermatol Monatsschr in 1989 that a single whole-body session of Far-infrared -induced hyperthermia lasting over one hour had the following beneficial effects: All of the subjects in one experiment had significant decrease in arterial, venous and mean blood pressure...and was linked, according to the researchers, to a persistent peripheral dilation effect. an improvement in plasma viscosity was also noted. Anther group of similar hypertension patients was also studied under the same conditions of Far-infrared -induced hyperthermia, with an eye toward more carefully evaluating the circulatory system effects induced by this type of whole-body heating.

During each Far-infrared session, there was a significant decrease of blood pressure, cardiac ejection resistance, and total peripheral resistance in every subject. there was also a significant increase during each session of the subjects heart rates, stroke volumes, cardiac outputs and ejection fractions. The researchers cite these last three effects as evidence that stimulation of the heart during Far-infrared induced hyperthermia is well-compensated, while the prior list of effects show clear detail of the microcirculatory changes leading to the desired result of lowering blood pressure.