Sauna Use as a Treatment For Fatty Liver Disease

A healthy liver is paramount to a thriving body and overall wellness. From liver cleanses to intricate detoxification protocols it seems as if everywhere someone or some business is touting the need to clean up your liver. After all, a strong, high functioning liver translates into healthy blood!

Fatty liver disease is the most common liver issue affecting humans today with a staggering 25 % of the world’s adult population living with this disorder. Evidence suggests that lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise can help treat fatty liver disease, but now new research published in the journal ‘Nature’ reveals that exposure to infrared light may also be a key factor in improving this disease.

In addition, the liver is a vital organ and without it humans simply cannot live. So, any additional lifestyle adjustments that can be made to support the liver directly or indirectly are crucial. Studies involving firefighters as well as law enforcement officers demonstrate the efficacy of sauna use to detoxify the body from harmful substances through the action of perspiration.

If you have ever heard that you cannot detoxify the body through sweat, then buckle your seat belts as this myth is debunked through scientific research and evidence. Finally, find out if sauna use can be harmful to your liver. If so, what precautions should you take to ensure safety while using your sauna.

It is important to note that most studies suggest that there is a particular style of sauna that should be used in support of the liver, so you will also find out what this is and how you can sauna to protect one of your most vital organs.

What is the Function of Your Liver?

The liver is a vital organ in the body and without it is impossible to stay alive. This unique organ that is as intricate a part of the body’s health as the heart is responsible for over 500 different functions. (1)

Cleaning the blood from poisons and other harmful substances is one of the most important roles that the liver plays. Since the industrial revolution our planet has changed dramatically and with this has come a significant amount of toxins and pollutants that the body, namely the liver, must process and ultimately remove from the body.

Never before in known human history has there been such a high demand on the liver. From airborne pesticides to nanoplastics, the liver is inundated with toxins putting an enormous amount of stress on the liver. When the liver is overworked the whole body and brain will feel the effects. Given that it is difficult to roll back the clock and undue some of the ways in which society has evolved, it may be best to consider different protocols to follow to relieve the liver from overwork by removing toxins from the body in other ways.

The liver is not only a waste management system responsible for cleaning the blood, but it also supplies necessary hormones, vitamins, enzymes, and bile, a fluid that plays an intrinsic function in digestion. According to Columbia University’s Center for Liver Disease and Transplants the primary roles of the liver can be broken down into these 8 categories.

“Albumin Production: Albumin is a protein that keeps fluids in the bloodstream from leaking into surrounding tissue. It also carries hormones, vitamins, and enzymes through the body.
Bile Production: Bile is a fluid that is critical to the digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine.
Filters Blood: All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver, which removes toxins, byproducts, and other harmful substances.
Regulates Amino Acids: The production of proteins depend on amino acids. The liver makes sure amino acid levels in the bloodstream remain healthy.
Regulates Blood Clotting: Blood clotting coagulants are created using vitamin K, which can only be absorbed with the help of bile, a fluid the liver produces.
Resists Infections: As part of the filtering process, the liver also removes bacteria from the bloodstream.
Stores Vitamins and Minerals: The liver stores significant amounts of vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, as well as iron and copper.
Processes Glucose: The liver removes excess glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream and stores it as glycogen. As needed, it can convert glycogen back into glucose.” (1)

A high functioning liver affects every area of the body, and unlike the past when certain lifestyle habits could be avoided to protect damaging the liver, all humans alive today regardless of how ‘clean’ their diet may be, or how much exercise they do, are all susceptible to an overworked liver, and potentially liver disease.

Typically it is recommended to avoid excessive alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, or contracting diseases that live in the liver such as Malaria or Yellow Fever to protect the liver. Now, however, just being alive and exposed to air pollutants, or artificial additives to food can put anyone at risk for developing liver disease, the most common of which is fatty liver disease.

Find out how regular sauna may improve the overall function of the liver before it develops any type of specific disease.

Can Sauna Use Improve Overall Liver Health?

The liver is working on overdrive for almost all human beings alive today. For those individuals who are exposed to higher levels of toxins due to the work environment, such as firefighters or law enforcement officers, their need to relieve the work load from the liver is even higher. Some illnesses will put a greater stress on the liver, as do high levels of alcohol and drug use.

So whether you are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, work in a toxic area, or perhaps even if you are just alive today, it is important to find ways to relieve the liver from being overburdened with a toxic load.

The liver is responsible for bile production, storing minerals, producing the protein, albumin, filtering the blood, as well as protecting the body from harmful bacteria. All of this is an enormous amount of work for one organ, so by relieving the body of harmful toxins via sweat, it is possible to relieve some of the stress that the liver is under and thereby prevent serious liver diseases later on in life.

Saunas, particularly infrared saunas, are a viable way to detoxify the body, and therefore aid in overall liver health.

Debunking the Myth that Perspiration Cannot Detoxify the Body Detoxification Via Sweat is an Effective Means of Cleansing the Body of Burdensome Toxins

Sadly, there is a significant amount of literature available that boldly states that it is impossible to detoxify via sweat. In fact, the internet is riddled with such articles, and this proposition could not be further from the truth. Humans have several different mechanisms for ridding the body of toxic substances,through urine, the stool, sweat, and even exhales. In fact, sweating is such an effective means of detoxification that in some parts of the country firehalls have started bringing infrared saunas in as a portion of the mandatory post fire call wash down. (2)

Firefighters are exposed to exponentially more toxins in their line of work than the average citizen and are at a much higher risk of developing serious illness as a result. It is for this reason that infrared saunas have been incorporated into many firehalls. For the very simple reason that humans can effectively detoxify from harmful substances via the sweat glands.

Furthermore, so effective are saunas at the process of detoxification that law enforcement officers in Utah have begun using them to rid the body of toxic substances from exposure to illicit substances such as methamphetamine. (3)

For both firefighters and law enforcement officers the sauna of choice has been infrared saunas due to their ability to penetrate into the soft tissues of the body and induce a profound session of perspiration and detoxification.

In fact, the unique human ability to sweat out substances from the body is so real that during sessions of heavy sweating electrolytes, essential minerals, and even the smell of last night’s dinner leaves the body. Rehydration and remineralization is important after a sauna session because along with the toxins other healthful substances leave the body via sweat. One of several detoxification mechanisms that the human body has is to leverage the internal temperature regulation system to detoxify the body as it cools itself through sweat.

So, the next time you read or hear someone say that it is impossible to detoxify via sweat please refer back to all of the excellent and reputable studies that have demonstrated otherwise. If the individuals in our society that are exposed to the highest levels of carcinogens and other toxins turn to sauna as a means of detoxification, then the likelihood of it working for everyone else is high.

Fatty Liver Disease and Regular Exposure to Infrared Light

Fatty liver disease is a serious condition and is the most common liver disease worldwide today. The full name of this condition is Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). For the purposes of this article we will simply refer to it as its colloquial name Fatty liver disease. (4)

A study was published in the reputable journal Nature entitled ‘Far-infrared radiation alleviates steatohepatitis and fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease’ (4) and examines the effect that infrared light as transmitted via heaters has on fatty liver disease.

There is a keen need to address the issue of fatty liver disease as it has become a growing concern for nearly one quarter of the adult world’s population.

“In recent years, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease has emerged as the most prevalent chronic liver disorder, afflicting approximately 25% of the global adult population. MAFLD has now swiftly ascended to become the leading cause of liver-related mortality worldwide, emphasizing the pressing need for effective therapeutic measures.” (4)

When considering the overall health of the liver it is impossible to separate it from fatty liver disease.

The study performed by the authors of this article found that the use of infrared light appears to be an effective treatment for fatty liver disease in rodents. The authors of the article write this about their objective in endeavoring on this study.

“Far-infrared radiation (FIR) has demonstrated evident therapeutic efficacy across various diseases, and novel nanomaterial graphene patches can emit it through electric heating. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of FIR against MAFLD.” (4)

While this study was limited to mice, and not humans there still remains further research to be done to determine the efficacy of infrared therapy for humans living with fatty liver disease. That being said, the findings in this study were staggeringly positive. Some improvements include the observable diminishment of biomarkers indicating the presence of fatty liver disease as well as overall reduction of inflammation in the liver.

Here is what the authors write in their concluding remarks.

*** FIR stands for Far Infrared Light

“FIR has found extensive application in medical and healthcare domains…In this study, we observed that FIR treatment resulted in the reduction of hepatic lipid deposition, inflammation, fibrosis and liver damage in mice induced by the MCD diet. It also alleviates MAFLD in hepatocytes in vitro. The effects may be caused by the activation of AMPK and inhibition of the TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway. Collectively, the possible potential of FIR as a novel therapeutic approach for MAFLD has been illustrated.” (4)

While the full story of how infrared light affects fatty liver disease is yet to be told. The authors of the study demonstrate the possibility of very positive results from its use. Furthermore, it should be noted that fatty liver disease should be treated in the early stages with lifestyle adjustments to include more exercise, a healthier diet, and now possibly infrared sauna use.

So, even if you have not been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, it is well worth considering using an infrared sauna to help prevent its development in the future.

Before you begin using a sauna to help protect your liver, find out what happened in the cases when sauna use led to liver damage.

Can Sauna Use Cause Liver Injury?

While saunas are typically considered highly beneficial for numerous aspects of health, there are some cases when sauna use has damaged the liver. This is tied to acute dehydration during heat stroke. (5) By exploring the details of what led to liver injury from sauna use it becomes possible to avoid this occurrence, as well as shine a light on what could develop into an ill informed fear surrounding saunas.

Given that the use of saunas offers so many widespread health benefits, and indeed its use reduces all cause mortality. It is worth investigating instances when saunas were harmful so that they can continue to be used responsibly. An article published by the National Library of Medicine entitled ‘Acute liver failure due to non-exertional heatstroke after sauna’ (5) discusses in detail the cause of this serious condition.

Acute Liver Failure (ALF), occurs in individuals without any previously known liver disease. It is extremely rare, as the authors of the article write.

“Acute liver failure due to non-exertional heatstroke has rarely been reported.”

Nevertheless, all sauna users ought to be aware of the potential risk of this occurring. The main focus needs to be on maintaining high levels of hydration and avoiding heat stroke by keeping the temperature low, and slowly acclimating yourself to the heat of the sauna.

Here are the details of the case explored by the authors of this article.

“We reported here an unusual case of heat stroke induced acute liver failure (ALF) after sauna. A 63 year old man without previously recognized liver and other systemic disease was admitted for loss of consciousness and impaired liver function after sauna.” (5)

All of the details of this individual’s lifestyle prior to his admission to the hospital following a sauna session are unknown; however, it is known that dehydration was present alongside the heat stroke. In order to safely use a sauna for anyone a well hydrated body is necessary. This means moving beyond water consumption into supplementation of electrolytes and intrinsic minerals such as magnesium.

While ALF is extremely rare, it can occur. That being said, regular use of a sauna when well hydrated can actually improve liver health, and help to prevent the development of liver disease.

How Can You Use a Sauna in a Way that Protects Your Liver?

If you plan to use a sauna to improve the health of your liver you will want to ensure that you maintain healthy levels of hydration at all times. This means hydrating with healthy fluids that contain electrolytes and minerals as well as ensuring that the consumption of this fluid occurs throughout the day, not only around the time of sauna use.

During the study on fatty liver disease the researchers only had the infrared thermal heaters set to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and still noticed positive changes for the liver of the subjects. This suggests that it is likely possible to benefit the liver without setting the temperature of the sauna to an extremely high degree. It also suggests that the use of an infrared sauna is more effective in treating fatty liver disease due to the effect that infrared light has on important biomarkers. (4)

If you plan to use a sauna for the purpose of detoxification, there is evidence as seen with the law enforcement officers and firefighters that the use of an infrared sauna is more effective than a traditional sauna. (2,3)

That being said, it is possible to induce detoxification via perspiration with the use of a traditional sauna as well, though it may not be as effective.

Though rare, sauna use can cause heat stroke and therefore be very detrimental to the liver. One must use extreme caution anytime a sauna is used, with special attention on the maintenance of hydration before, during, and after sauna use.

If you are living with any kind of liver disease and are unsure about using a sauna as part of your treatment protocol,please consult your medical practitioner before using a sauna. Always maintain excellent hydration to protect your body and to ensure you are benefiting from your time in the sauna.

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