Sauna use associated with reduction of heart disease and all-cause mortality | Jari Laukkanen
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The Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, an ongoing prospective population-based cohort study of health outcomes in more than 2,300 middle-aged men from eastern Finland, identified strong, dose-dependent links between sauna use and reduced death and disease. Compared to men who used the sauna once weekly, men who used the sauna two to three times per week or four to seven times per were 27 percent or 50 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular-related causes, respectively. These findings held true even when considering age, activity levels, and lifestyle factors that might have influenced the men's health. In this clip, Drs. Rhonda Patrick and Jari Laukkanen discuss findings from a study that identified links between sauna use and lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Jari: Our study is based on middle-aged population from Eastern Finland. And at baseline, we measured the use of sauna, how many times per week and how long time per one session and what was the temperature, and on the basis of this information, we have studied the association between the use of sauna and fatal cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. And in this study, we found, really, that sauna use was inversely associated with the risk of fatal coronary heart disease events and all-cause mortality. And, after adjustment for other risk factors which have been also measured in this big population-based study, there were still significant association between the use of sauna and these outcomes.
Rhonda: Yeah. So if remember correctly, your study showed that men that used the sauna two to three times a week had a 27% lower cardiovascular-related mortality compared to men that used it one time a week. And men that used the sauna four to seven times a week actually had a 50% lower cardiovascular-related mortality than men that used the sauna one time a week, and that is very robust. So you followed these men for 20 years?
Jari: Yeah, yeah. The total follow-up time was 20 years, and we have annually measured new outcomes, and we have followed carefully from baseline until the end of the follow-up. And, yes, the risk reduction was really, really obvious and clear, yeah.
Rhonda: And you said you adjusted for other risk factors meaning, like, obesity, you looked for people...like obesity, smoking, alcohol, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, these sort of factors?
Jari: Yeah.
Rhonda: If I remember correctly, you also looked at socioeconomic status and physical activity, which is important. So these were all...the data's reflective really of sauna use not, you know, because people that use the sauna tend to also exercise more so, you know, you have to correct for all those other possible confounding factors, which you did.
The death rate from all causes of death for a population in a given time period.
A large class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels, including stroke, hypertension, thrombosis, heart failure, atherosclerosis, and more. Cardiovascular disease is often caused by lifestyle factors. As such, up to 90 percent of cardiovascular disease may be preventable.[1]
A waxy lipid produced primarily in the liver and intestines. Cholesterol can be synthesized endogenously and is present in all the body's cells, where it participates in many physiological functions, including fat metabolism, hormone production, vitamin D synthesis, and cell membrane integrity. Dietary sources of cholesterol include egg yolks, meat, and cheese.
A variable that is related to one or more of the other variables in a study. A confounding factor can mask an association that exists between variables or demonstrate an association that does not exist. If confounding factors are not measured and considered, the findings of the study may be biased.
In statistics, a confounder (also confounding variable or confounding factor) is a variable that is correlated (directly or inversely) to both the dependent variable and independent variable.
A prospective cohort study is a type of study, e.g., in sociology or medicine, that follows participants for a particular future time period.
A metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar and insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition and is typically associated with overweight and low physical activity. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, increased hunger, fatigue, and impaired healing. Long-term complications from poorly controlled type 2 diabetes include heart disease, stroke, diabetic retinopathy (and subsequent blindness), kidney failure, and diminished peripheral blood flow which may lead to amputations.
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