Settling into your airplane seat on your way home from a relaxing tropical vacation can be among the best feelings in the world. You bring home a relaxed body, calm mind, and glowing skin, and hopefully, leave the parasites behind, but what happens if you don’t? Whenever traveling to warm exotic destinations it is critical to come home healthy and parasite free.
Unfortunately, not all travelers arrive home parasite free, and many may not even know that during that romantic walk on the beach watching the setting sun that they may have been infected with leishmaniasis from a sand fly. There are several forms of parasites that can be contracted both abroad and at home. Many of these parasites do have unintrusive and easy treatments; however, some may not be so easy to treat.
Novel research demonstrates that in combination with other treatments thermal therapy can be an excellent way to treat drug-resistant parasites. Studies have demonstrated that heat from a hot bath, sauna, or even exposure to infrared light, as well as cold immersion, can effectively eliminate some parasites. Treating parasites with thermotherapy is a non-invasive and clinically proven method to kick tropical parasites to the curb before they wreak havoc to your health.
Discover the most common parasites that affect humans today, and what the data teaches us about using temperature in their treatment. Furthermore, find out the details of the clinical trials that tested various methods of treatment for parasites using either heat, infrared light, or cold. Finally, find out how you can use temperature treatments at home, such as a sauna, to help eliminate any parasites that may be lingering in your body and stealing your life force.
What are Parasites and How Do They Trick the Human Immune System?
Parasites come in many different shapes and sizes. They pose a serious global health threat and many parasites are difficult to treat with pharmaceuticals. Parasites depend on their host for survival and while they may not be deadly at first, they will eventually degrade the health and vitality of their host over time.
While there are parasites in colder climates, they do remain an issue t primarily affecting tropical and subtropical regions. There are several different types of parasites and according to a publication by the .National Library of Medicine entitled ‘Parasites: what are they good for?’ (1) they can be broken down into three primary sub groups.
“Parasites gain entry into their host through three major routes: fecal-oral (e.g. roundworms, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Toxoplasma), direct penetration of the skin (e.g. schistosomes and hookworms), and transmission into the skin by the bite of an insect vector (Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypansoma, and filarial worms).” (1)
Most people in northern climates are well aware of the hazards of a run in with a tick and the consequences of contracting Lyme disease from this unfortunate event. In addition to antibiotics many medical professionals recommend using a sauna as a portion of your Lyme disease prevention or treatment.
While it may be impossible to avoid certain parasites altogether, it is possible to find treatments that not only get rid of the parasites but also enhance immunity to strengthen the body.
The frightening aspect of parasites is that many of them avoid detection from the body’s natural immune system. While the body is often very good at recognizing viruses and summoning the forces of the immune system, this is not always the case with parasites. The authors of ‘Parasites: what are they good for?’ write the following regarding the challenges that the immune system faces when dealing with parasites.
“Parasites can avoid immune recognition by varying the expression of surface antigens (e.g. African trypanosomes and Plasmodium falciparum), changing its developmental form or tissue tropism, replicating within leukocytes, or in the case of worms, through expression of surface tegument that prevents antibody or complement from binding.” (1)
The goal in treating individuals with parasites is to both eliminate the parasites, and also strengthen the immune system. Amidst a variety of treatments for parasites includes the use of saunas, not only because a very warm body can help eliminate the parasites, but also because saunas can help bolster the immune system.
The fact that parasites are able to trick the immune system seems like an intrinsic aspect of what they are. Coming in under a disguise to latch on to the host without being recognized by the normal defense system of the body is in keeping with the nature of the parasite.
A peer reviewed paper published by the National Library of Medicine focuses on the parasite Leishmania, and the possibility of using temperature based therapies to eliminate this parasite from the body.
How Can Saunas Potentially Eliminate Parasites-A Detailed Analysis of Leishmania Species Response to Temperature Therapies
There are many different species of parasites, but the one well studied for its interaction with temperature based therapies is Leishmania. This very recent study collected data on the parasitic reaction to both heat, infrared light, and the cold. Ultimately, the study found that all three modalities successfully eliminated the Leishmania parasite, but it is unknown if it was a direct result of the temperature, light, or if it was the result of a strengthened immune response.
In 2023 the National Library of Medicine published this paper entitled ‘Alternative Non-Drug Treatment Options of the Most Neglected Parasitic Disease Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Narrative Review’. (2) This ground breaking research heralds good news for the treatment of tropical parasites with non-pharmaceutical means.
There are more than 12 million known cases worldwide of Leishmaniasis making it a leader in tropical parasites. It is possible to contract this parasite on beaches while traveling to some of the most beautiful tropical places in the world. Sitting on a beach watching the sunset or sunrise is a prime time to contract this parasite through the simple bite of a sand flea. (2)
Despite the freakish nature of this parasite and its ability to degrade human health once contracted, the good news is that research has found that through heat, infrared light, and the cold it may be possible to eliminate this disease. (2)
According to the authors of this study, Leishmania species are sensitive to temperature.
“Leishmania species that cause cutaneous illness cannot survive, grow, or multiply within the host’s macrophages in environments hotter than 39 °C.” (2)
(39 degrees celsius is equivalent to 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit)
This temperature is noteworthy for sauna users. While it may be difficult to elevate internal temperatures to 102 degrees without a natural fever, it is possible to do so with the aid of a sauna. The goal is to create an artificial fever while taking a sauna to create an inhabitable place for Leishmania species to live. Infrared saunas are more effective at increasing internal temperatures in a way that is tolerable for the user. To reach such a high internal temperature in a traditional sauna could be problematic for the skin, deeply uncomfortable, and potentially unsafe.
The authors continue to describe the results of their study on thermotherapy and Leishmania species when they write this.
“Thermotherapy was found to be safe and effective and provided better treatment outcomes for CL than chemotherapeutic drugs, according to previous research, which is covered in more detail in the following.” (2)
The authors of the research state that it is unknown if temperature increases work to eliminate Leishmania, or if the byproduct of the heat is an enhanced immune response, perhaps a combination of the two are at play.
“According to some theories, infrared therapy works by either inhibiting the parasite or stimulating an immune response.” (2)
Even if patients living with specific parasites have all of the possible pharmaceutical therapies at their disposal, it was found in this research that heat therapy combined with infrared light may be even more impactful in resolving cases of Leishmania species in the body.
“Thermotherapy has fewer side effects than other CL therapies and should be encouraged whenever feasible. More significantly, the heat impact effectively inhibited several Leishmania species and was useful for CL cases whose chemotherapy treatments had failed.” (2)
If you have returned home from time abroad in a tropical environment and have discovered that you are living with Leishmania species, it is best to work with a medical professional to treat this parasite in a multilateral way that may potentially include infrared sauna therapy as well as cold plunges.
Boosting Your Immune Response With Sauna Therapy
- Artificial Fever
- Increased Heat Shock Proteins
- Elevated presence of T-Cells
- Improved Sleep and Lowered Stress Hormones
While it remains to be determined whether a boosted immune response from sauna use improves cases of parasitic infection or if the heat itself eliminates the parasites, it is worth investigating how saunas can help improve overall immunity.
Saunas improve the immune system by working with both the adaptive immune system and the innate immune system, both of which are fooled by many parasites. (4)
Fevers are typically a symptom of the body’s immune system working to ward off a foreign invader and are necessary in many cases to heal the body from viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Saunas are able to raise internal body temperatures to create what is known as an ‘artificial fever’, and as the ancient Greek father of medicine Hippocrates said “Give me a fever and I can cure any disease”.
Any kind of sauna that can increase internal body temperatures to the point of creating an artificial fever will help improve the immune system by mobilizing the biochemical responses available during a fever, namely the production of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs).
HSPs are varied in their function but are all responsible for the healthy delivery of proteins in the intracellular space. Specifically, HSPs are responsible for allowing T-Cells to become more available for the immune system.
T-Cells are created in the bone marrow and need to travel throughout the body in order to become biologically available, and it is specifically HSP 70 that is responsible for this action. (3)
According to the National Library of Medicine’s article ‘In brief: The innate and adaptive immune systems’ (4) T-cells have three major functions.
“T-cells have three main jobs:
- They use chemical messengers to activate other cells of the immune system, starting the adaptive immune system response (T helper cells).
- They detect tumor cells or cells that have been infected by viruses and destroy them (cytotoxic T cells).
- Some T helper cells become memory T cells after the infection has cleared up. They “remember” the germ that was fought off, and are ready to activate the adaptive immune system quickly if the body is infected by the same germ again.” (4)
Ensuring that there are many more T-Cells available for the body is a pivotal role that intentional heat exposure has on improving the immune system. Included in this, is the body’s ability to react to the stress of parasitic infection.
The National Library of Medicine published a paper entitled ‘The effects of a single and a series of Finnish sauna sessions on the immune response and HSP-70 levels in trained and untrained men’ (3).
The authors of this publication write this about the objective of their study.
“The hypothesis was that hyperthermia would improve the immune system’s functioning by changing the proportion of lymphocyte subpopulations and would activate heat shock proteins.” (3)
The study involved men between the ages of 20 – 25 who were subject to 10 saunas over the course of the study. Biomarkers were measured before the study began, after each sauna session, and finally after the final sauna session was taken. It was observed that HSPs increased in population, including HSP 70, and that T-cell counts were also elevated.
“The serum levels of cortisol, Il-6, HSP70 were measured with use of ELISA method, IgA, IgG and IgM by turbidimetry. White blood cells (WBC), leukocyte populations counts: neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, and basophils were determined with use of flow cytometry as well as T-cell subpopulations.” (3)
It is important to note that a single sauna session was not enough to create long lasting changes in the body, and the authors stress the importance of habitual sauna use to effect change in the immune system. The authors conclude the study with this statement.
“Sauna bathing can be a way to improve the immune response, but only when it is undertaken as a series of treatments.” (3)
Finally, saunas work directly with the autonomic nervous system and the vagus nerve to allow the body to withdraw from states of stress response and retreat into states of relaxation. States of stress response, or sympathetic dominance, are immune suppressants. For example, if you have ever been working really hard on a project, finally found time to take a vacation, then immediately got sick while on vacation, you have experienced the marvel of the transition from states of high stress where immune responses are suppressed back into states of parasympathetic dominance where the immune system becomes active. ‘Getting sick’, is actually symptomatic of the immune system getting to work on much needed bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections, and is in fact the response of the autonomic nervous system heading into states of relaxation. (5)
So, as long as the body remains in a state of hypervigilance it will continue to suppress the immune system. By using a sauna with the explicit purpose of relaxing the body and drawing it into states of parasympathetic dominance, then activation of the immune system will occur each and every time you take a sauna.
An enhanced immune system can be evoked with both temperature increases as well as with exposure to infrared light. While it may be true that parasites can often fool the immune system, once activated the immune system will begin to fight against the parasites.
What is the Best at Home Sauna Protocol in the Treatment of Parasites?
If you have the unfortunate experience of arriving home from a tropical trip abroad only to find yourself infected with a parasite then remember the value that a sauna can bring to your treatment plan. Work with a medical practitioner and use a variety of treatment methods to expel the parasite from your body and to improve your immune system.
If you plan to use a sauna for the treatment of parasites, it is important to follow specific protocol. As learned from the studies explored in this article it is important to remember that the positive effects of a sauna are cumulative. This means that it may take a minimum of ten saunas to effectively treat parasites. Furthermore, it is important that the body’s internal core temperature is reaching at least 101.5 degrees, and that the individual is able to maintain this increase for at least 20 minutes at a time. Given that the core temperature must be raised it may be easier and more efficient, as well as comfortable, to use an infrared sauna over a traditional sauna.
Traditional saunas rely on very high temperatures to heat the atmosphere of the sauna and this simply may not be as effective in increasing internal temperatures when compared to the radiant heat of an infrared sauna.
Sauna Parasite Protocol to Follow:
- Work with a medical practitioner who specializes in parasite treatments
- Use a sauna for at least ten sessions or more
- Ensure that core temperature reaches levels that mimic an artificial fever
- Consider the use of an infrared sauna over a traditional sauna to ensure that internal body temperatures rise, as well as to benefit from the therapeutic effects of both the heat and infrared light
Contracting a parasite can be very dangerous and should not be ignored. Like metaphoric parasites, when left untreated, they can slowly erode the life force of its host. As soon as you know that you have a parasite, or even if you suspect that you have one, begin a treatment plan immediately.
Work with a specialist to help heal your body from foreign or domestic parasites. Remember that saunas are not for everyone, and that if you do use a sauna, proper levels of hydration must be maintained at all times especially when dealing with a parasite.
Sources Cited:
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3969036/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24911-parasites
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36813265/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279396/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11546738/
- https://www.cdc.gov/leishmaniasis/about/index.html
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10223966/