Sauna and heat exposure

inflammation redoxstress neuroendocrine

Not a regulated product. No approval pathway exists for this intervention in any market, and none is required to practise it.

1 randomized trial (23 people, 8 weeks). Of its 3 main endpoints, 1 improved, 2 showed no effect. 1 other study gave a different intervention (L-NAME) and is shown for context, not counted.

Doses studied: 30 min intermittent.

Evidence map

each mark is a study; size shows participants; hover, tap or focus for details

main endpoints improvedno effectworsenedmixedobservationalanother intervention, contextsize not reported

Higher rows are closer to a person taking this. A case that rests only on the lower rows rests on animals or cells.

What each study measured

outlined square: the main (primary) endpoint

Harms reported

human studies

Where it is available

by regulator; select a market for its source

If you are tracking this yourself

measures the human studies used, by how repeatable they are

Repeatability is whether the same person measured twice gets the same number. It is not statistical significance. It informs study or protocol design only, never advice for a person.

What would change this picture

each study's own statement

Trials under way

Every study (9)

T7 Bucht 2019 Sauna Yoga Superiorly Improves Flexibility, Strength, and Balance: A Two-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy Older Adults doi:10.3390/ijerph16193721
T5 Chang 2025 Association between hypothermia and hyperthermia and 28-day mortality in pediatric intensive care unit patients: a retrospective cohort study doi:10.1038/s41598-025-93862-0
T5 Laukkanen 2022 The interplay between systolic blood pressure, sauna bathing, and cardiovascular mortality in middle-aged and older Finnish men: a cohort study doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1983038/v1
T5 Kunutsor 2022 Inflammation, sauna bathing, and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older Finnish men: a cohort study doi:10.1007/s10654-022-00926-w
T5 Kunutsor 2017 Joint associations of sauna bathing and cardiorespiratory fitness on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk: a long-term prospective cohort study doi:10.1080/07853890.2017.1387927
T5 Laukkanen 2018 Sauna bathing and cardiovascular mortality: a prospective cohort study doi:10.1186/s12916-018-1198-0
T3 Poduval 2003 Effect of nitric oxide on mortality of mice after whole body hyperthermia doi:10.1080/02656730210147286
TX Patrick 2021 Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111509
TX Coskun Benlidayi 2025 Sauna therapy in older adults doi:10.56543/aaeeu.2025.4.1.10