Research shows that daily whole-body heat therapy, such as sauna, may help prevent age-related obesity and insulin resistance.
The findings that daily whole-body heat therapy such as sauna can help prevent age-related obesity and insulin resistance in older people, particularly women, were presented at the American Society of Nutrition’s annual conference, NUTRITION 2024.
The researchers anticipated that whole-body hyperthermia could be an alternative for patients who struggle to perform physical activities, improving insulin sensitivity and reducing fat accumulation.
The experts emphasized that simple, noninvasive whole-body heat therapy could promote healthy aging and manage weight gain related to menopause.
To observe aging and post-menopause conditions via inducing weight gain, the research was conducted with subjects of 10-month-old rats and rats with removed ovaries consumed a Western diet composed of 45% fat.
The rats were then divided into two groups: one group received heat therapy for 30 minutes daily in a 104-degree Fahrenheit room for 12 weeks, while the other group did not receive any heat therapy.
The 30-minute time frame was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, which recommend that adults exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
The results showed that the old rats that received heat therapy did not experience tissue damage, and their levels of Lactate Dehydrogenase, an indicator of age-related tissue damage, were significantly lower. Furthermore, hyperthermia effectively counteracted weight gain caused by a high-fat diet in old rats and those with removed ovaries.
Besides, the rats that received heat therapy showed remarkably ameliorated insulin sensitivity and insulin signaling, and less fat was accumulated in critical organs, including liver and brown fat, compared to the rats that did not receive heat therapy.
The researchers explained that heat therapy activates specific calcium channels in brown fat, a type of fat that burns calories to produce heat, increasing energy expenditure similar to that of aerobic exercise.
Previous studies have shown that brown fat decreases as people age and enter menopause, and metabolism slows down. The effects of heat therapy were especially pronounced in women who experienced reduced estrogen levels after menopause.
The research team mentioned the protein TRPV1, which functions as a calcium ion channel within the cell membrane, as part of the molecular mechanism that promotes fat burning through heat therapy.
According to the research team, when TRPV1 receives heat stimulation, a futile cycle that consumes energy in the form of ATP to allow calcium ions to cross the cell membrane is activated. The activation of TRPV1 and the futile cycle promotes fat breakdown and burning, overall metabolic health accompanying reduction of fat accumulation, and progression of insulin sensitivity. To summarize, regular heat exposure’s potential to burn calories and lose fat has been validated.
The research team anticipates that future studies will determine the optimal heat exposure time and intensity beneficial to human health and prove the safety and efficacy for various population groups.
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