Published June 20, 2022
Saunas offer various health benefits, including relaxation and improved sleep. Saunas have long been used across various cultures to cleanse the body, alleviate stress, and enhance overall well-being.
People also ask about infrared sauna cancer therapy; the use of gentle, whole-body warmth alongside a broader care plan. It helps to be clear up front: a home or wellness infrared sauna has not been shown to kill cancer or shrink tumors on its own. What it may offer someone living with cancer is comfort; warmth, relaxation, and short-term changes in circulation, once a clinician has confirmed it is safe.
Unlike traditional saunas that heat the surrounding air, infrared saunas use light waves to warm the body directly, which many people find gentler and easier to tolerate. Read on to learn what far-infrared and near-infrared saunas may and may not do, and how the subject of sauna and cancer is understood in current research.
What Is an Infrared Sauna?
Saunas use steam/heat to create an environment that raises the temperature of your inner body. You’ll sweat and increase your heart rate to pump more blood to your skin. The excess sweat is your body’s way of cooling itself. This method is designed to mimic the effects of exercise and deliver similar health benefits. Infrared saunas utilize infrared light to heat your body. At the same time, the air around you remains constant, unlike a traditional sauna, which uses heating devices to elevate the air temperature within.
An infrared sauna is sometimes compared to whole-body hyperthermia, but the two are not the same thing. Clinical hyperthermia is a medical treatment in which a care team heats body tissue to as high as 113°F under close monitoring, almost always alongside radiation therapy or chemotherapy. A wellness sauna delivers gentle, passive heat and does not reproduce those controlled, tumor-directed temperatures.
The Science Behind It
Traditional saunas heat the surrounding air, which warms our bodies. Infrared saunas, on the other hand, use infrared wavelengths to penetrate the skin, offering a deeper and more direct form of warmth. Unlike their traditional counterparts, infrared saunas operate at a lower temperature. This lower temperature can be more tolerable for individuals who struggle with the intense heat of a regular sauna. As a result, your core temperature rises without needing to sit in a room with a temperature of around 200℉. This temperature is more pleasant for some people than a typical sauna.
Types of Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some of the most common you can come across include:
Far Infrared Saunas
These are the most common type and are used mainly for warmth and relaxation. Far infrared waves are the longest wavelength and penetrate the body, reaching the muscles and tissues. These wavelengths help to increase circulation, promote relaxation, and reduce inflammation. Far infrared saunas are also associated with sweating; while sweating is the body’s normal cooling response, current evidence does not show that it removes meaningful amounts of toxins.
Near-Infrared Saunas
These promote wound healing and cellular health. Near-infrared waves are the shortest wavelength and penetrate the shallowest into the body, reaching the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Near-infrared light stimulates collagen production, improves circulation, and reduces inflammation. This can help promote wound healing, improve skin health, and aid in overall muscle recovery.
Full-Spectrum Saunas
A mix of both, offering the best of both worlds. Full-spectrum saunas emit all three wavelengths of infrared light: near, mid, and far. This combination is marketed for detoxification, circulation, and comfort, though the strength of the evidence varies from claim to claim.
How Does Infrared Sauna Therapy Help Treat Cancer?
Numerous research studies support the idea that infrared therapy has a significant impact on human health. Its potential benefits include effects at the cellular level, increased circulation and oxygenation, and detoxification.
Hyperthermia and Cancer Treatment
- Infrared sauna therapy’s hyperthermic action confronts poisonous and cancerous cells while also restoring and regenerating the body at the cellular level.
- Hyperthermia is an infrared sauna cancer treatment in which bodily tissue is subjected to high temperatures.
- High temperatures attack weaker cells while leaving healthy tissue unharmed, making infrared an ideal cancer combatant.
Increased Blood Circulation and Oxygenation
Regular use of an infrared sauna increases blood circulation:
- Thermal radiation penetrates deep into the body, altering it at the cellular level.
- Freshly oxygenated hemoglobin then rushes throughout the body as ATP generation rises.
- Because cancer cells can’t live in highly oxygenated conditions, the benefit of using an infrared sauna on cancer is also linked to reversing malignant cell growth.
Detoxification Benefits
In addition to oxygenation, people are drawn to infrared saunas for the tremendous detox benefits they provide.
Infrared saunas have various detoxification effects, including:
- Producing cutaneous flushes
- Removing toxins from internal organs
- Producing substantially more sweat than conventional heating options because infrared heat permeates the human body directly
Accessibility and Longer Sessions
Infrared heating also:
- Enables individuals to stay in the sauna for extended periods
- Allows at-risk groups to participate in this therapy
Health and Wellness Benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy
Regular sessions of infrared sauna therapy offer numerous health benefits to promote overall well-being. By gently heating the body, infrared saunas enhance circulation, support immune function, and help reduce inflammation, all while promoting deep relaxation.
- Detoxification: The heat in infrared sauna therapy encourages sweating, helping the body flush out toxins, heavy metals, and impurities that may accumulate during cancer therapies.
- Improved Cardiovascular Function: Studies show that people who regularly use infrared saunas can experience lower blood pressure and improved heart function, including relief from symptoms of heart failure.6
- Enhanced Circulation: Infrared radiation increases blood flow and oxygenation, improving tissue repair and promoting better metabolic activity.
- Immune Activation: Localized hyperthermia produced by infrared sauna therapy stimulates “heat shock” proteins on the surface of cancer cells, making them more recognizable to the immune system. This triggers macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells to attack and destroy abnormal cells.
- Pain Relief and Relaxation: Regular sauna use can help alleviate chronic pain, reduce muscle tension, and promote relaxation to lower stress levels. A study7 found that saunas help alleviate muscular aches and pains after strenuous exercise.
- Skin Rejuvenation: Infrared saunas utilize red light to stimulate collagen and elastin production, thereby enhancing skin tone and elasticity.
- Inflammation Reduction: Regular infrared sessions can help reduce inflammation associated with chronic diseases and improve comfort during recovery.
- Weight and Metabolism Support: While not a quick fix for weight loss, infrared sauna therapy can complement a healthy lifestyle by improving circulation and metabolism.
What Are the Risks of Infrared Sauna Therapy?
Most researchers looking into the health advantages of infrared sauna therapy report that they have few adverse effects. However, there are a few things to remember to stay safe. A key question for anyone in treatment is: Is sauna safe for cancer patients? The answer depends on the individual, diagnosis, treatment stage, medications, hydration, heart health, and ability to handle heat, so medical clearance should come first. Common precautions include:
- Dehydration: You can get dehydrated if you do not drink enough water. To keep hydrated, drink lots of water before and after your workout.
- Lightheadedness: Even if you drink plenty of water, lightheadedness might happen. Walking gently inside and outside the sauna is best to avoid falling or collapsing.
- Overheating: If you’ve never used a sauna before, there’s a chance you’ll overheat. That’s why, when you first start, it’s crucial to keep sessions brief. If at all feasible, choose the lowest heat setting.
If you start to feel any of these adverse effects, leave the sauna immediately. Drink lots of water and take a cold plunge shower to chill down. To lower your core temperature, drape a cool towel over your head. Seek immediate medical help if your heart is thumping and you still feel lightheaded.
Safety and Precautions
The appeal of infrared sauna therapy is undeniable, especially given its numerous potential health benefits. However, like with all treatments or therapies, it’s crucial to understand all the dos and don’ts. Ensuring safe and effective sessions is paramount and can significantly enhance the overall experience. Moderation is key when delving into infrared sauna therapy. Experts suggest starting with a shorter sauna session of around 10 to 15 minutes, especially if you’re new to the experience, and then gradually increasing the duration as your body acclimates. It’s essential to gauge your body’s response after each session and make adjustments as necessary.8 Infrared saunas may also present unique challenges to those battling or recovering from cancer. If you’re undergoing treatment or have a history of cancer, always consult with healthcare professionals like ours at Immunity Therapy Center before starting infrared sauna therapy sessions. Their insights will be invaluable, ensuring the therapy advances rather than complicates your health journey. If you are receiving cancer treatment, coordinate sauna use with your oncology team as well, so it fits safely around your other therapies.
Infrared Sauna Cancer Treatment Research and Studies
Several studies and research have been carried out to show the impact of infrared sauna therapy on cancer cells. In a clinical trial published in 2009 in the Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy, researchers explored the effects of infrared heat treatment on mice cancer cells. The study found that, in just 30 days, the mice tumor volumes decreased by 86 percent. In another study9 Japanese researchers found that whole-body infrared hyperthermia significantly slowed the development of breast cancer tumors in mice with no adverse side effects. According to researchers, whole-body infrared hyperthermia is a viable noninvasive brain cancer therapy.9
Is Infrared Sauna Therapy Worth it?
So, is an infrared sauna for cancer worth it? For some people, yes, but for comfort and quality of life, not as a way to destroy cancer cells. A gentle, medically cleared session may offer warmth, relaxation, and a temporary sense of well-being during a hard stretch of treatment.
What an infrared sauna should not be described as is a way to selectively kill cancer cells, shrink tumors, or “sweat out” cancer-causing toxins. Current evidence does not support those claims for ordinary sauna use, and relying on them in place of proven care can be harmful.
Poor blood circulation is often associated with cancer, and an infrared sauna can help by promoting improved blood flow and oxygenation throughout the body. At Immunity Therapy Center, our alternative cancer treatments may include infrared sauna therapy as one supportive, comfort-focused element of a personalized plan when our physicians confirm it is appropriate for you. If you’re exploring non-invasive options for your cancer treatment, contact us today to learn how infrared sauna therapy and other therapies can become part of your personalized plan, reviewed and guided by our medical team.
FAQ
Can an infrared sauna kill cancer cells?
No. Clinical hyperthermia, a supervised medical treatment, can damage and kill cancer cells at tightly controlled temperatures, usually alongside radiation or chemotherapy. A wellness infrared sauna does not reproduce that and has not been shown to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors on its own.
Is an infrared sauna safe during cancer treatment?
It can be for some people, but only after a clinician reviews the diagnosis, treatment, medications, hydration, and heart health. Very high heat can, in rare cases, affect the heart or blood vessels, so personalized clearance matters.
Is an infrared sauna the same as clinical hyperthermia?
No. Clinical hyperthermia uses specialized equipment and monitoring to heat tissue to a defined therapeutic range. An infrared sauna provides gentle, passive warmth for comfort and relaxation.
How is red light therapy different from an infrared sauna?
Red and near-infrared light therapy (photobiomodulation) delivers specific wavelengths at controlled doses and does not rely mainly on heat, while an infrared sauna is designed to warm the body. Evidence from one should not be assumed to apply to the other.
How long should a sauna session last?
There is no universal number for people with cancer. If cleared, many start with a brief session of around 10 to 15 minutes at a lower temperature and adjust based on how they feel, hydration, and their care team’s guidance.
Sources:
- NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. Definition of hyperthermia. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/hyperthermia
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- Urban float. BUS Study: How Infrared Saunas Can Help You Detox Heavy Metals. https://www.urbanfloat.com/blog/bus-study-infrared-saunas-are-a-powerful-detox-tool
- PubMed. The Cardiometabolic Health Benefits of Sauna Exposure in Individuals with High-Stress Occupations. A Mechanistic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7908414/
- American Cancer Society. Hyperthermia to Treat Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/hyperthermia.html
- PubMed. The multifaceted benefits of passive heat therapies for extending the healthspan: a comprehensive review with a focus on Finnish sauna. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38577299/
- PubMed. Non-acute effects of passive heating interventions on cardiometabolic risk and vascular health: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12490526/
- Cancer active. Whole-body hyperthermia helps kill cancer cells. https://www.canceractive.com/article/whole-body-hyperthermia-helps-kill-cancer-cells
- Linkedin. Permanently cure chronic fatigue with infrared saunas and lifestyle modifications. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/permanently-cure-chronic-fatigue-infrared-saunas-lifestyle-mearns
- PubMed. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5941775/
- Clearlight. How Long Should You Sauna For Detoxification Benefits? https://infrared-sauna.com.au/blog/benefits-of-a-sauna-detoxification
- Hilaris. Non-Thermal Effects of Far-Infrared Ray (FIR) on Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells HepG2 and their Tumors. https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/nonthermal-effects-of-farinfrared-rayfir-on-human-hepatocellular-carcinoma-cells-hepg-and-their-tumors-1948-5956.1000012.pdf
- Astrophysics Data System. Electromagnetic wave emitting products and “Kikoh” potentiate human leukocyte functions. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993IJBm…37..133N/abstract
- SpringerNature. Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-008-0977-y
- PubMed. Prophylactic Effects of Sauna on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness of the Wrist Extensors. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592767/
- Amy Myers MD. Sauna Detox: The Toxin Connection to Autoimmunity. https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/sauna-detox
