There is a lack of effective treatment options, so simple tools to help with prevention are crucial. It turns out that sauna therapy may be one of these tools.
When the cells in the body are regularly exposed to high temperatures, a protein is activated, which in studies on worms and flies has shown to play a crucial role in the aging process. Considerably increased temperatures activate a specific gene, FOX03, which is strongly connected to life span and protects the cells against aging.
Sauna bathing, for this reason, can have a very favorable effect on the regenerating processes of the cell.
Sauna for Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Study
The effects of sauna bathing on the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia were studied in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD), involving more than 2,000 middle-aged men living in the eastern part of Finland. Based on their sauna bathing habits, the study participants were divided into three groups:
Group 1: Participants who took a sauna session once a week.
Group 2: Participants who took a sauna session 2-3 times a week.
Group 3: Participants who took a sauna session 4-7 times a week.
The more frequently sauna sessions were taken by the participants, the lower the risk of dementia. Among those taking a sauna 4-7 times a week, the risk of any form of dementia was 66% lower and the risk of Alzheimer's disease 65% lower than among those taking a sauna just once a week. The results of the study were published in the Age and Aging Journal.