Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04556422

Comparison of Acute Sauna With Exercise and Sauna

Sauna bathing has been associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, improved vascular endothelial and cardiac function, reduced oxidative stress and lower blood pressure. Earlier studies conducted by the investigators have showed positive alterations of arterial stiffness and hemodynamics through sauna bathing.

Some studies have sought to utilize sauna bathing as an intervention after exercise with promising and synergistic results, although the effects on populations with cardiovascular risk factors are less clear. Furthermore, studies investigating the use of both exercise and sauna bathing in combination has been somewhat limited. However, results from some studies speculate that adjunctive exercise and sauna interventions may be useful for aging and clinical patient population groups.

Given that heat therapy and sauna use is gaining more worldwide popularity, the investigators sought to compare the acute hemodynamic effects between sauna use alone and a short bout of exercise followed by sauna exposure. It was hypothesize that the combination of exercise and sauna will elicit greater changes than sauna alone. To achieve this, we standardized the protocol duration (30 minutes).

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Cardiovascular Risk Factor Arterial Stiffness Blood Pressure

Age range

30 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä, Central Finland, 40014, Finland

About this study

In this crossover trial, all study participants underwent two interventions, each on a separate occasion (>72 hours apart). A standalone 30-minute sauna at 75°C (S), and 15-minutes of cycling on the stationary bike at 75% maximum heart rate, followed by 15-minutes of sauna exposure (ES). A cycling exercise test was conducted on a separate day prior to the experiment to ascertain individual maximal exercise heart rates, which was then used to calculate individual 75% maximum.

After the first 15-minute period of S, the participants left the sauna room to have a quick shower (<30 seconds) before going back for the second 15-minute period. The same sauna bathing room (75°C) was used for all participants and the cycling exercise was conducted within 10 meters of the sauna room to minimize transit time during ES. Participants were instructed to abstain from eating 2h, caffeine 12h and alcohol 24h prior to the measurements. Food intake was not standardized. Fluid was consumed ad libitum. A medical physician was in attendance at all times and participants were allowed to leave the sauna or stop the experiment at any time if they felt uncomfortable.

Brachial blood pressures and pulse wave velocity (PWV) as a measure of arterial stiffness, were taken in their respective order at three different time points; before (PRE), immediately after (POST), and after a 30-minute recovery (POST30). Transit time from the cessation of the intervention to POST measurements were kept under 60 seconds. All measurements were performed by the same assessor to minimize ascertainment biases.

Participants were permitted to take a quick shower (<30 seconds) before POST measurements were taken. Water temperature or the shower was not controlled and participants could freely select their desired temperature. Thereafter, they were instructed to rest in a designated waiting lounge (mean temperature 21°C) in a seated position for a duration of 30-minutes before the last measurement (POST30) was taken.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Free of a prior diagnosis of CVD, exhibits at least one of the following cardiovascular risk factors: a history of smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or family history of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Exclusion criteria

  • recent musculoskeletal injuries or surgery (less than 6 months ago), mental illnesses, under 30 years of age or over 75 at time of recruitment, health conditions that may contraindicate study parameters.

Treatment and study plan

Aerobic Exercise

Other

15 minutes of aerobic exercise using stationary bicycle

Sauna bathing

Other

Passive heat exposure

Primary outcomes

  1. Brachial blood pressure

    Time frame: Single session (30 minutes)

    Systolic and diastolic blood pressure

  2. Central blood pressure

    Time frame: Single session (30 minutes)

    Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured using ECG and Pulsepen

Secondary outcomes

  1. Arterial Stiffness

    Time frame: Single session (30 minutes)

    Pulsewave velocity (PWV)

  2. Augmentation Index

    Time frame: Single session (30 minutes)

    Supplement to PWV

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Jyvaskyla

Other

Collaborators

  • Business Finland
  • Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research
  • Harvia Finland Oy

Registry information

Official study title

Standalone Sauna Versus Exercise Followed by Sauna on Cardiovascular Function in Non-naïve Sauna Users

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Sep 21, 2020
Registry last updated
Sep 23, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.