Science Journal

Do Sauna Bath Really Burn Fat?

Last December, my family went to a prominent resort to celebrate Christmas at the same time relax. While soaking myself in a hot spring, my mother asked me to accompany her to the sauna bath. She said that it can reduce weight because we will copiously sweat inside. She believed that if the person sweats more, more  fats are burned, which isn't true. Of course, as a logical person who loves science and debunking BS pseudosciences, I refuted her statement that it does not actually lose weight, but I still accompany her to the sauna bath because why not? We paid the entrance fee so we should try everything the resort has. 

Upon coming home, I told my best friend about my skepticism towards the sauna bath. I am disappointed by her unexpected response. Instead of agreeing with me, she sided with my mother. She believed that BS because one of her friends, a former MMA fighter, went to a sauna bath so he could reach the weight his coach required before joining the fight and successfully did. So, my research journey began because I could not imagine how sitting in a hot room could effectively burn fat and it seems unbelievable because I do not think sitting would burn a lot of calories. 

After my research, I learned that the sauna bath has a lot of health benefits. Its heat rejuvenates the person, it relaxes their muscle and lowers the level of their stress hormone, cortisol. Moreover, its fat loss benefit is somewhat true. Sauna bath can reduce weight but it is not the actual fat that is oxidized or burned, instead, it removes the excess water retention in the body as heat increase sweat production. But this lost water weight is easily replaced by drinking water. Since a hot room can make a person feel dehydrated it would encourage that person to drink water, therefore, replacing the lost water weight.

Still, calories in and calories out matters more in weight loss. Though sedentary activities like sitting in a hot room or simply sitting on a couch watching TV can burn calories in a tiny amount,  it is better to speed up the heart rate through exercise. Intense exercise not only burns a lot of calories but has a lot of physiological positive outcomes. It increases endurance, muscle mass and makes the brain, heart, and other vital organs stay healthy.