HELPS BUILD & MAINTAIN MUSCLE: Hyperthermic conditioning by means of regular sauna use can induce muscle hypertrophy through three mechanisms. 1. Increase the production of Heat Shock Proteins: heat acclimation through regular sauna use reduces the amount of protein degradation resulting in an increase in net protein synthesis and thus muscle hypertrophy. This is our body's heat stress response. 2. By boosting Growth Hormone Levels: the amount of growth hormone that your body will produce in response to heat acclimation will vary according to time, temperature, and frequency of sauna use. The increase in growth hormone will remain increased for up to an hour post sauna. 3. By improving insulin sensitivity: insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Improving insulin resistance as we age is not just a benefit to maintaining our muscles, it is extremely important with regard to our overall health and longevity. Increase insulin sensitivity promotes both improved health and muscle growth.
INCREASE EXERCISE ENDURANCE: Studies show that a 30 minute sauna session two times a week for three weeks POST workout increases the time that it took for participants to run until exhausted by 32% compared to the baseline. That increase was also accompanied by a 7.1% increase in plasma volume and 3.5% increase in red blood cell count. This results in reduced cardiovascular strain and lowers the heart rate for the same given workload. There is also increased nutrient delivery to the muscles which in turn reduces the depletion of glycogen stores, aiding endurance.
SWEAT OUT TOXINS: Harmful toxins that are commonly found stored in the body-arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, BPA, phthalates and pesticides will be flushed out through the sweating process with regular use of the sauna. The Ultimate Detox was created by Dr. Yu which we will get more in-depth with in a few weeks. This protocol involves a combination of high doses of niacin, activated charcoal, exercise and lengthy sauna sessions.
Next week we will dive into three more benefits of your sauna sessions.
