{"id":57373,"date":"2017-04-03T11:15:59","date_gmt":"2017-04-03T15:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=57373"},"modified":"2017-04-06T11:53:01","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T15:53:01","slug":"infrared-saunas-detox-benefits-dangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/infrared-saunas-detox-benefits-dangers\/","title":{"rendered":"Infrared Saunas Are Hot Right Now. But Are They Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Infrared
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saunas, sweat lodges, steam rooms \u2014 we all like a good sweat<\/a>. It\u2019s relaxing and rejuvenating, not to mention that heat has long been associated with a variety of health benefits across many cultures.<\/p>\n

The latest trend causing temperatures to rise \u2014 literally \u2014 are infrared saunas. Not only are stand-alone infrared sauna studios popping up coast-to-coast, now fitness studios are getting in on the game too, installing saunas in their facilities. Thanks to deep penetrating heat, celebs and wellness aficionados are touting infrared as a better way to detox<\/a>, relax, relieve pain and lose weight<\/a>, plus a fast track to better skin.<\/p>\n

But is there truth behind the heat or is it just a bunch of hot air? Here\u2019s what you need to know about the infrared sauna craze.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>I Tried Cupping Therapy and Here’s What Happened<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Your Wavelength?<\/h3>\n

\u201cIt goes through the skin, through the muscles, tendons and subcutaneous layer.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First, a quick trip back to high school physics class. Infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light \u2014 lying just past red light on the spectrum \u2014 and you can\u2019t see it with the naked eye. There are three categories of infrared: near infrared, mid infrared and far infrared.<\/p>\n

These new wave saunas use far infrared light<\/a> to create heat. Unlike traditional saunas, which warm the air around you, these hot boxes use radiant energy to raise your body\u2019s core temperature. \u201cYou can feel the sensation below the skin,\u201d says Dr. Michael Hamblin, PhD, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Principal Investigator at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. \u201cIt goes through the skin, through the muscles, tendons and subcutaneous layer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result is vigorous sweating and increased heart rate at a lower temperature \u2014 between 100 to 140 degrees compared to the close to 200-degree temperature of a regular sauna. That means the experience won\u2019t be quite as stifling, but you\u2019ll feel plenty hot.<\/p>\n

Hospitals have used infrared heating elements in neonatal beds for years to keep newborn babies warm. And if you\u2019ve taken a hot yoga<\/a> at Y7, then you can thank infrared heat for your sweaty vinyasa flow<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Get the Benefits of Hot Yoga (Without Passing Out)<\/a><\/p>\n

What the Science Says About Infrared<\/h3>\n

While you may associate saunas with a relaxing day at the spa<\/a>, they\u2019ve been used in Europe and Asia for therapeutic purposes for years.<\/p>\n

Some studies have found that infrared saunas may be a non-invasive way to treat chronic heart problems<\/a>, normalize blood pressure and protect against oxidative stress<\/a>, preventing the narrowing and hardening of your arteries. Other studies have found that infrared heat may improve the quality of life of adults with type 2 diabetes<\/a> and reduce pain associated with fibromyalgia<\/a> and rheumatoid arthritis<\/a>. \u201cFar infrared may be good for pain relief and recovery after exercise, and it may have anti-inflammatory effects,\u201d says Dr. Hamblin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis concept of detoxing is not based on any scientific fact.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, despite the potential benefits of infrared sauna use, most of the human studies are small and offer inconclusive evidence, including its long-term effects. Scientists aren\u2019t sure exactly how it works and what changes it makes in the body. Plus, it\u2019s unclear that infrared heat is any better than traditional therapies.<\/p>\n

Take pain management, for example. According to Dr. Houman Danesh, Director of Integrative Pain Management at Mount Sinai Hospital, infrared heat can be helpful for joint pain. \u201cHeat and ice are pretty superficial and they don\u2019t get into the joint as much as infrared therapy,\u201d he says, which a physical therapist can apply through pads placed over the intended area. \u201cThat being said, heat and ice usually give adequate relief.\u201d For the majority of aches and pains, Dr. Danesh recommends sticking with tried-and-true heat and ice treatment, stretching and a visit to the physical therapist in lieu of\u00a0infrared therapy.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Foam Rolling Moves You Aren’t Doing, But Should<\/a><\/p>\n

As for Infrared sauna studios\u2019 biggest claim to fame that the deep penetrating heat will make you sweat 20 times more<\/a> and wring out heavy metal toxins, giving you a better detox<\/a>? Dr. Hamlin says that\u2019s just not true. \u201cThis concept of detoxing is not based on any scientific fact,\u201d he says. Sweating is one of your body\u2019s primary ways of regulating temperature. Instead, it\u2019s your liver and kidneys that have the task of removing waste from your body, and they do a pretty good job on their own.<\/p>\n

Infrared Saunas: The Real Deal or Total Burn?<\/h2>\n

OK, we admit that infrared saunas can feel good. If you find heat therapy soothing and relaxing, you can give it a try. Just don\u2019t pack your bags and move in. \u201cYou can overdo anything,\u201d says Dr. Hamblin. \u201cIf you overdo something, it generally has less of an effect.\u201d So maybe stick with an occasional 15 to 30-minute session, says Dr. Hamblin. And since you\u2019re likely to work up a sweat, don\u2019t forget to hydrate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> You’ll Never Guess These 7 Dehydration Symptoms<\/a><\/p>\n

If you have a heart condition, or are pregnant or sick, this may not be the right treatment for you. Be sure to consult your doctor beforehand.<\/p>\n

Dr. Danesh also cautions against using infrared therapy to self-treat a chronic condition. \u201cI don\u2019t think that this should be done in spas. It should be done under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner like a physical therapist if you\u2019re interested in it. It\u2019s part of a multimodal approach to treating an issue,\u201d says Dr. Danesh. \u201cI think trying to take one tool out of a toolbox and use it for everything isn\u2019t necessarily the best approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Dr. Danesh advises caution. He likens infrared saunas to tanning beds<\/a>. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know certain complications like skin cancer [would arise] when used so frequently,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you do this three times a week on your own, over your entire body, what can happen? No one knows.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Infrared saunas are causing quite a sweat. But is it a better way to detox? Experts weigh in on the potential health benefits and dangers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":57385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,11,18],"tags":[276,188,161,144,82,341,380],"class_list":["post-57373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-health-hacks","category-weight-loss","tag-detox","tag-heart-rate-training","tag-hydration","tag-injury","tag-recovery","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2diet-advice"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57373"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57373\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}