Infrared sauna and detox: Sweating is not "just" the body's air conditioning. Sweat also expels waste products and toxins. Infrared sauna can be a good tool for reducing environmental toxins in the body.
Saunas and "sweat lodges" have been used for thousands of years to cleanse and heal the body, and remain popular today. Decades of research show that sauna use has a variety of health benefits, including pain relief, healthier skin, better sleep, good recovery after intense exercise, improved performance, and increased detoxification. Infrared heat is used as part of disease treatment and is gaining increasing attention in medicine. Studies show that regular sauna use can help us live longer.
When it comes to infrared saunas and detox, or detoxification, experts disagree. While some believe that the idea of sweating in a sauna to "detox" the body is a sweaty myth, others point to research that has detected heavy metals and environmental toxins in sweat. Both sides agree on the need for more research, but that does not mean that research does not exist.
The "Cocktail Effect"
It turns out that Norwegians are among the most toxic people in the world. 60 years ago, we carried six to seven different harmful substances in our bodies. Today, the number is between 200 and 400, including pesticides and mycotoxins (mold toxins).
In 2017, the EPA (U.S Environmental Protection Agency) listed 85,000 known chemicals. No one knows how many chemicals are actually in use or how they affect our health. Researchers are concerned about the "cocktail effect." The combined effect can have unforeseen consequences. We know that environmental toxins can accumulate in the body and be stored in fat tissue, which in turn can lead to illness.
Higher Levels of Environmental Toxins in Sweat Than in Urine
The body's own detoxification system continuously works to excrete waste products and toxins through breath (carbon dioxide), feces, urine, and sweat.
A study published in 2012 found that 15-20% of induced sweat in an infrared sauna consisted of cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, heavy metals, sulfuric acid, and ammonia, as well as sodium and uric acid. In other words, an infrared sauna allows the body to eliminate environmental toxins through sweat. The excretion of certain heavy metals was also found to be significantly higher in sweat than in urine.
In a study on Bisphenol A (BPA) in blood, sweat, and urine, the substance was found to varying degrees in blood, urine, and sweat. BPA is a chemical substance we ingest through food and drinks stored in plastic containers, as well as cosmetics, cash register receipts, dust, and medical equipment in hospitals. It is a hormone-disrupting substance. BPA has been linked to several diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer, and health damage to the kidneys and liver. In the study, with 20 participants, BPA was also identified in sweat, even when it was not detected in serum or urine samples. The study concluded that sweating appears to be a useful tool to facilitate the release of BPA through the skin to reduce the toxin in the body.
In the USA, environmental toxins in fat tissue are considered a direct cause of increasing obesity in the population; "obesogens", because the stored toxins disrupt metabolism. The toxins can also be a reason why some people struggle to lose weight.
A study from 2018 used infrared sauna as an aid to remove mycotoxins (mold toxins) in patients exposed to mold. When the English ME doctor, Dr. Myhill, performed tissue biopsies on her patients before and after sauna use, it was found that all of them had a reduced proportion of toxins in their bodies. One patient had toxins reduced to 1/4 of the original level.
"Killer Sweat"
There are many good reasons to sweat. In 2001, a group of researchers discovered that sweat contains a natural antibiotic, a protein, that kills bacteria on the skin. The protein can kill E. coli and fungi, among other things, and is important for protecting wounds from bacterial infections. Sweat also acts as a natural moisturizer on the skin, and helps with dry skin and certain skin conditions.
Do you know what happens when fat leaves the body? Where does the fat actually go? It doesn't turn into muscle, as many believe. Fat is broken down into carbon dioxide and water. Fun fact: With a weight loss of 10 kilos of fat, 8.4 kilos are exhaled, while 1.6 kilos become water that leaves the body through bodily fluids such as urine, feces, sweat, or tears (source: NHI.no)
Infrared Sauna and DETOX: environmental toxins in the body are reduced by infrared sauna
Cleansing the body of toxins using an infrared sauna, or "flushing out" all toxins, is impossible. We are continuously exposed to environmental toxins, but – much or little – studies conducted conclude that infrared sauna can be a good tool for reducing the burden of environmental toxins in the body.
Text: Trine Dahlman
