Getting older comes with gray hair and wrinkles for many of us, but for women, hormonal changes and a slowing metabolism also contribute to accumulating fat during menopause. But new research finds that sitting in a sauna every day could be the key to controlling their blood sugar better and gaining less weight.
For the study, the ovaries of older female mice were removed to simulate life after menopause, which generally happens in women between the ages 45 and 55.
- The mice were fed a Western diet with 45% of calories from fat.
- One group of mice spent 30 minutes a day in a heat chamber at 104-degrees Fahrenheit, while the other group didn’t.
- After 12 weeks, the mice that had the heat treatment had less aging-related tissue damage and better insulin sensitivity.
- The heat therapy also seemed to lower weight gain from the high-fat diet.
- Researchers conclude that heat kicks-starts processes that help the body use energy more effectively and burn fat.
“Our study suggests that whole-body heat therapy could serve as an effective, noninvasive solution for managing weight gain and insulin resistance associated with menopause,” explains research team leader Soonkyu Chung, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Source: NY Post
Scott's Thoughts:
- Guess it’s time to put in a sauna!
- A steam room or Sauna is the only place you can sweat on purpose doing nothing.
- Beats one of them ice baths. Whoa. Cant do that!