Effects of Twelve Sessions of High-Temperature Sauna Baths on Body Composition in Healthy Young Men.

ABSTRACT

The health benefits of sauna baths are attracting ever-increasing interest. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 12 high-temperature (100 °C) sauna baths on body composition of 23 healthy young men, divided into a control group (CG) and a sauna group (SG). Both groups were initially evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), after which the SG experienced 12 sessions of sauna baths at high temperatures (100 °C). Initial measurements were carried out after the sauna sessions and after two weeks of decay in both groups. The muscle mass of the right leg (pre vs. decay 9.50 (5.59) vs. 10.52 (5.15); p < 0.05; Δ 1.07%), bone mineral density (pre vs. post 1.221 (0.35) vs. 1.315 (0.45); p < 0.05; Δ 7.7%) and bone mineral content (pre vs. post 0.470 (0.21) vs. 0.499 (0.22); p < 0.05; Δ 6.17%) of the left leg increased in the SG after the sauna baths. It seems that exposure to heat at high temperatures could produce improvements in bone and muscle mass.