A single sauna session raises your body temperature to a fever-like range, which activates your immune system and moves defensive cells into circulation where they can respond faster to infections.
The sauna offers significant benefits by mimicking moderate cardiovascular exercise, triggering many of the same physiological responses and benefits, such as increased blood flow to the skin and muscles, higher plasma volume and heart rate, lower blood pressure, endorphin release, and elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
The effective resolution of inflammation through the heat shock response is crucial to preventing the transition to chronic inflammatory states. This transition characterizes a spectrum of debilitating conditions, including insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These help explain many of the sauna's cardiovascular benefits, as well as some of its neurological benefits. The sauna is also an excellent complement to exercise, as both enhance each other's benefits.
The sauna increases heat shock protein levels by nearly 50% above baseline levels, and once activated, these proteins remain active for approximately 48 hours. Heat shock proteins refold misfolded proteins within cells. Unstructured proteins tend to accumulate, and these clumps can form plaques in the vascular system or brain, contributing to neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular problems.
Several observational and interventional studies suggest that regular or frequent sauna bathing reduces the incidence of vascular and non-vascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and respiratory conditions; it may improve the severity of conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, COVID-19, headaches, and influenza; and it increases life expectancy. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on adverse outcomes have been linked to its blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytoprotective, and stress-reducing properties, and its synergistic effect on neuroendocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, and immune function.
Evidence suggests that sauna use is an emerging protective factor that may enhance the beneficial effects of other protective risk or lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and fitness, or mitigate the adverse effects of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and systemic inflammation.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been reported to improve health conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including brain injury, diabetes, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease, and skin injury. PBM enhances glymphatic drainage, regulates the gut microbiome, boosts myokine production, and modulates the immune system. Photobiomodulation therapy can enhance the plasticity and modify the immune microenvironment of bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal cells (MSCs), transforming them into a powerful anti-inflammatory and osteogenic tool applicable to conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, immunological disorders, and various forms of osteopenia. The functional decline of bone marrow-derived MSCs with aging is supported by impaired mitochondrial metabolism due to telomere shortening.
Thanks for the interesting and informative comment. At age 31 I began a regular cardio trading routine after meeting Dr Ken Cooper and am now training for my 48th NYC Marathon at age 84. This obviously involves extended and daily trading sessions. I have never taken my temperature upon completion of my routine but am aware that it is somewhat elevated, particularly during warm/hot weather. I had posited that my almost nonexistent colds and flu was due to both the cardio benefit indicated by elevated pulse rate and perhaps elevated temperature response of my activity . However, when I have questioned my physicians concerning this hypothesis they been neither knowledgeable or seemed particularly interested. Thanks for the post and the references.
Another benefit has been that it probably saved my life. All males on my father’s side if my family developed heat diseases they aged and vied at much younger ages than I have achieved. When I noticed what I considered bothersome symptoms q4 tears ago, I fortunately insisted on a nuclear stress test which revealed an LAD that was almost 90% blocked . Fortunately what they discovered was that I had developed a great amount of collateral circulation around the blockage, which I why I only a very mild symptom when I first began to exercise. Had two stents implanted and through diet and 10 mg doses of Zetia and Crestor maintain my total Cholesterol lever at approximately 110.
You have demonstrated mental strength and physical effort to be in top shape. Statins (such as atorvastatin, simvastatin, and rosuvastatin) inhibit the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme, which is part of the mevalonate pathway. This same pathway not only produces cholesterol but also CoQ10.
CoQ10 is key in:
1) Mitochondrial energy (ATP) production
2) Muscle function (including the heart)
3) Antioxidant activity
A 2024 meta-analysis that included randomized clinical trials concluded that CoQ10, added to conventional treatment, improved cardiac function parameters and functional capacity in patients with heart failure, with good tolerability.
A recent meta-analysis of 45 trials found a modest but significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (approximately 3-5 mmHg), especially with treatments lasting longer than 8 weeks.
In people with type 2 diabetes, some recent meta-analyses show modest improvements in blood glucose and blood pressure, factors that influence overall cardiovascular risk. However, the effects on cholesterol and triglycerides are less consistent.
CoQ10 participates directly in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Organs with high energy demands (heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and muscles) are especially dependent on it. Endogenous production decreases with age.
CoQ10 is one of the body's main fat-soluble antioxidants and helps protect:
1) Cell membranes.
2) Lipoproteins.
3) Mitochondria.
4) DNA from oxidative damage. 5) Physical performance
Some recent studies suggest a reduction in markers of cardiac stress induced by intense exercise and a slight improvement in physical endurance, although larger trials are still needed.
The sauna offers significant benefits by mimicking moderate cardiovascular exercise, triggering many of the same physiological responses and benefits, such as increased blood flow to the skin and muscles, higher plasma volume and heart rate, lower blood pressure, endorphin release, and elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
The effective resolution of inflammation through the heat shock response is crucial to preventing the transition to chronic inflammatory states. This transition characterizes a spectrum of debilitating conditions, including insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These help explain many of the sauna's cardiovascular benefits, as well as some of its neurological benefits. The sauna is also an excellent complement to exercise, as both enhance each other's benefits.
The sauna increases heat shock protein levels by nearly 50% above baseline levels, and once activated, these proteins remain active for approximately 48 hours. Heat shock proteins refold misfolded proteins within cells. Unstructured proteins tend to accumulate, and these clumps can form plaques in the vascular system or brain, contributing to neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular problems.
Several observational and interventional studies suggest that regular or frequent sauna bathing reduces the incidence of vascular and non-vascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and respiratory conditions; it may improve the severity of conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, COVID-19, headaches, and influenza; and it increases life expectancy. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on adverse outcomes have been linked to its blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytoprotective, and stress-reducing properties, and its synergistic effect on neuroendocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, and immune function.
Evidence suggests that sauna use is an emerging protective factor that may enhance the beneficial effects of other protective risk or lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and fitness, or mitigate the adverse effects of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and systemic inflammation.
https://saunazeit.com/en/what-are-heat-shock-proteins-and-why-sauna-can-help-with-it/ (2023).----
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025619623000083 (2023).---
https://wjarr.com/sites/default/files/WJARR-2022-1414.pdf (2023).---
http://bioclima.ro/Balneo552.pdf (2023).---
https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/3965 (2023).---
https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/49430 (2024).--
https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/49802 (2024).--
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/23/3/347 (2025)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol23/iss4/20/ (2025)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355814524000452 (2024).--
https://jpmsonline.com/article/exploring-the-relationship-between-sauna-habits-and-knowledge-of-cardiovascular-health-benefits-of-sauna-use-among-adults-in-saudi-arabia-a-cross-sectional-study-973/ (2026)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-026-03177-6 (2026)
-------------------------------------------------
Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been reported to improve health conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including brain injury, diabetes, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease, and skin injury. PBM enhances glymphatic drainage, regulates the gut microbiome, boosts myokine production, and modulates the immune system. Photobiomodulation therapy can enhance the plasticity and modify the immune microenvironment of bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal cells (MSCs), transforming them into a powerful anti-inflammatory and osteogenic tool applicable to conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, immunological disorders, and various forms of osteopenia. The functional decline of bone marrow-derived MSCs with aging is supported by impaired mitochondrial metabolism due to telomere shortening.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20417314221110192 (2022)---
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/php.13963 (2024).--https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-024-01484-x (2024).--https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-024-01231-y (2024).--
https://saunazeit.com/en/what-are-heat-shock-proteins-and-why-sauna-can-help-with-it/ (2023).----
https://www.steamandsaunaexperts.com/blog/what-are-heat-shock-proteins-learn-the-secret-way-sauna-therapy-can-help-you-improve-your-health (2021).----
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2022 (2022).---
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025619623000083 (2023).---
https://wjarr.com/sites/default/files/WJARR-2022-1414.pdf (2023).---
http://bioclima.ro/Balneo552.pdf (2023).---
https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/3965 (2023).---
https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/49430 (2024).--
https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/49802 (2024).--
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22423982.2025.2595806 (2025)
https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/58417 (2025)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1355814524000452 (2024).--
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-026-03177-6 (2026)
https://www.proquest.com/openview/5371045af8f2fb7b56f0a1a478531c85/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y (2026)
Thanks for the interesting and informative comment. At age 31 I began a regular cardio trading routine after meeting Dr Ken Cooper and am now training for my 48th NYC Marathon at age 84. This obviously involves extended and daily trading sessions. I have never taken my temperature upon completion of my routine but am aware that it is somewhat elevated, particularly during warm/hot weather. I had posited that my almost nonexistent colds and flu was due to both the cardio benefit indicated by elevated pulse rate and perhaps elevated temperature response of my activity . However, when I have questioned my physicians concerning this hypothesis they been neither knowledgeable or seemed particularly interested. Thanks for the post and the references.
Another benefit has been that it probably saved my life. All males on my father’s side if my family developed heat diseases they aged and vied at much younger ages than I have achieved. When I noticed what I considered bothersome symptoms q4 tears ago, I fortunately insisted on a nuclear stress test which revealed an LAD that was almost 90% blocked . Fortunately what they discovered was that I had developed a great amount of collateral circulation around the blockage, which I why I only a very mild symptom when I first began to exercise. Had two stents implanted and through diet and 10 mg doses of Zetia and Crestor maintain my total Cholesterol lever at approximately 110.
You have demonstrated mental strength and physical effort to be in top shape. Statins (such as atorvastatin, simvastatin, and rosuvastatin) inhibit the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme, which is part of the mevalonate pathway. This same pathway not only produces cholesterol but also CoQ10.
CoQ10 is key in:
1) Mitochondrial energy (ATP) production
2) Muscle function (including the heart)
3) Antioxidant activity
A 2024 meta-analysis that included randomized clinical trials concluded that CoQ10, added to conventional treatment, improved cardiac function parameters and functional capacity in patients with heart failure, with good tolerability.
The proposed mechanisms include:
1) Improved ATP production in the heart muscle.
2) Reduced oxidative stress.
3) Improved mitochondrial function.
4) Improved cardiac contractility. 5) Blood Pressure
A recent meta-analysis of 45 trials found a modest but significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (approximately 3-5 mmHg), especially with treatments lasting longer than 8 weeks.
In people with type 2 diabetes, some recent meta-analyses show modest improvements in blood glucose and blood pressure, factors that influence overall cardiovascular risk. However, the effects on cholesterol and triglycerides are less consistent.
CoQ10 participates directly in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Organs with high energy demands (heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and muscles) are especially dependent on it. Endogenous production decreases with age.
CoQ10 is one of the body's main fat-soluble antioxidants and helps protect:
1) Cell membranes.
2) Lipoproteins.
3) Mitochondria.
4) DNA from oxidative damage. 5) Physical performance
Some recent studies suggest a reduction in markers of cardiac stress induced by intense exercise and a slight improvement in physical endurance, although larger trials are still needed.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12872-024-04232-z?utm_source=chatgpt.com (2024)
https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNerds/comments/1qy3ikn/effects_of_coenzyme_q10_administration_on_blood/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (2025)
https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNerds/comments/1qy3ikn/effects_of_coenzyme_q10_administration_on_blood/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.vogue.com/article/coenzyme-q10-benefits?utm_source=chatgpt.com (2025)
https://www.reddit.com/r/AdvancedFitness/comments/1pm98rb/af_short_term_coq10_supplementation_reduces/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (2025)
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/17/2896 (2025)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2026.2624477 (2026)
https://journals.lww.com/cardiologyinreview/abstract/9900/coenzyme_q10_in_cardiovascular_medicine_.716.aspx (2026)