Daily saunas may combat menopausal weight gain by helping the body burn fat, experts find

Research shows that daily sauna or hot tub visits help reduce weight gain during menopause.

It was discovered that half an hour a day in a warm environment activates the production of a protein that helps the body use energy and burn fat.

It also improved the use of insulin, which is needed to regulate blood sugar levels in the body.

Scientists believe it suggests that heat therapy – such as saunas or hot tubs – could be an effective way to control the weight gain that many women experience during menopause.

It is thought that changes in hormone levels affect how the body stores fat. Healthy women gain an average of 1 to 1.5 pounds per year during menopause.

Combined with a natural decline in muscle mass, which causes the body to burn fewer calories, it can be extra challenging for women to maintain a healthy weight as they age.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Department of Nutrition wanted to test whether heat exposure could change the body’s response to fat.

They used older mice whose ovaries had been removed to simulate menopause and fed them a “Western diet,” in which 45 percent of the calories came from fat.

Half of the mice then received 30 minutes of heat therapy daily for 12 weeks in a 40℃ (104°F) heat chamber.

In the people in the sauna group, no tissue damage occurred and lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly lower, indicating less tissue damage due to aging.

According to the findings presented at the Chicago Nutrition Conference, the therapy also effectively reduced the weight gain caused by a high-fat diet.

This could be partly because they showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and also reduced fat accumulation in key areas like the liver.

They had higher levels of brown fat, a type of fat that helps the body burn more energy but that people often lose as they age, leading to weight gain.

Heat therapy appears to trigger several molecular processes that help the body use energy more efficiently and burn fat. One of these is a protein known as TRPV1.

‘Whole body heat therapy’ effectively reduced weight gain caused by a high-fat diet, say Rong Fan (left) and Prof Soonkyu Chung, who presented their findings at the Chicago Nutrition Conference

Associate Professor Soonkyu Chung said: ‘Our research suggests that whole-body heat therapy could be an effective, non-invasive solution for managing weight gain and insulin resistance associated with menopause.’

More research is needed to determine the optimal duration and intensity of heat exposure for humans, the researchers said.

Rong Fan, co-author of the study, said the treatment could be extended to other heat therapies. He added: ‘Heat therapy could be a practical option for people with extra belly fat and a higher risk of metabolic diseases caused by hormonal changes during menopause.

‘It can be easily integrated into daily health care practice through regular sessions in saunas, heated baths or special heat wraps.’