Sauna questions answered with expert Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Infrared vs traditional saunas? Can sauna bathing lower the risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke, depression, and all-cause mortality? How exactly should we use saunas for optimal benefit (duration, frequency, temperature, etc.)?
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a cell biologist with a Ph.D. in biomedical science from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dr. Patrick is the Co-Founder of FoundMyFitness.com.
View Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s recent review article on saunas in Experimental Gerontology here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556521002916
Subscribe to Dr. Patrick’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/FoundMyFitness?sub_confirmation=1
Interviewer: Kyle Allred, Physician Assistant, Producer, and Co-Founder of MedCram.com
Topics covered:
00:00:00 – Intro to Saunas and Rhonda Patrick
00:01:04 – Summary of sauna health benefits (lowers dementia, cardiovascular, depression risk, etc.)
00:07:09 – A review article vs primary research and Dr. Jari Laukkanen
00:07:58 – More on cardiovascular benefits of sauna
00:10:48 – Does sauna use lower hypertension risk?
00:11:56 – Sauna use may improve fitness and endurance
00:14:48 – Can sauna use lower Alzheimers and dementia risk?
00:16:43 – What are heat shock proteins?
00:19:18 – Dr. Patrick’s research on amyloid-beta 42 / heat shock proteins
00:20:30 – How Rhonda Patrick became interested in Saunas
00:22:20 – Endorphins, opiate receptors, depression, and sauna use
00:26:36 – Sauna associated with lower inflammatory markers
00:27:14 – Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and sauna use
00:29:20 – Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuroplasticity
00:32:01 – More cellular repair mechanisms (NRF2) and hormesis
00:34:00 – Eustress and intermittent fasting
00:37:38 – Sauna and muscle atrophy
00:39:54 – Excretion of heavy metals and toxins through sweat
00:41:58 – Heart rate variability and sauna use
00:43:30 – Sauna mimics moderate-intensity exercise
00:47:32 – What Rhonda Patrick does in the sauna
00:49:22 – Countries / cultures utilizing hyperthermia
00:51:34 – Infrared sauna benefits vs. traditional Finnish sauna (and waon therapy)
00:55:39 – Details about Rhonda Patrick’s sauna routine (temp., duration, dry vs. humid etc.)
01:01:43 – Utilizing sauna to extend a workout
01:02:33 – Can a long hot shower or bath mimic sauna benefits?
01:03:27 – Hydration before and after sauna bathing
01:04:36 – Cold exposure after sauna use?
01:06:24 – How to tell if in the sauna for too long?
01:08:10 – Contraindications/people who shouldn’t use sauna
01:12:28 – Continuous glucose monitors and sauna
01:14:25 – Limitations of current sauna research
01:18:06 – More on Finland and saunas
01:18:50 – More on heat shock proteins
01:19:46 – Closing thoughts
SELECTED LINKS:
Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events (JAMA Internal Medicine) | https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724
Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged Finnish men (Age and Ageing) | https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/46/2/245/2654230
Association of High Cardiovascular Fitness and the Rate of Adaptation to Heat Stress (Biomed Res Int.) | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5850892/
Sauna bathing reduces the risk of stroke in Finnish men and women (Neurology) | https://n.neurology.org/content/90/22/e1937
Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1440244006001393
2022 World Happiness Report (Helliwell et al.) | https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2022/WHR+22.pdf
Clinical trial in progress on sauna and depression run by Dr. Ashley Mason | https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04249700
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Interview Produced and Edited by Kyle Allred with Daphne Sprinkle
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