SIRT1, Nrf2 and Saunas

Many physicians endorse the use of sauna as a useful therapy for chemical detoxification. While some believe that the benefits of sauna are because they "sweat out the toxins" there is no evidence to support this claim. On the other hand, sauna therapy and Waon therapy may improve endothelial function because they upregulate SIRT1, Nrf2 and HO-1. Mastushita wrote in 2008 that Waon therapy which is the use of far-infrared sauna and warm wraps afterward were useful for relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia. Umehara demonstrates that Waon therapy
improves vascular endothelial function and cardiac function in patients with heart failure and improved symptoms in patients with COPD. Survival of fistulas in hemodialysis patients has been attributed to the use of far-infrared therapy (FIR) by the up-regulation of HO-1 which reduces inflammation. Lin demonstrated that HO-1 induction from heat stress was dependant on the induction of Nrf2 which as we have discusses previously in other blogs acts on H2S, CO and NO through HO-1. In addition, he found that FIR downregulated Tnf-a mediated expression of several inflammatory proteins including MCP-1, selectin, cellular adhesion molecule-1, Il-8 and others. He showed that this process was indeed elicited by HO-1 through HO-1 knock-down experiments and concluded that FIR therapy reduces inflammation and improves blood flow in hemodialysis patients.


Full article: Lin, C.-C. C., Liu, X.-M. M., Peyton, K., Wang, H., Yang, W.-C. C., Lin, S.-J. J., and Durante, W. (2008). Far infrared therapy inhibits vascular endothelial inflammation via the induction of heme oxygenase-1. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 28(4):739-745. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6608328

• Crinnion, W. (2007). Components of practical clinical detox programs-sauna as a therapeutic tool. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 13(2).http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/4411547
• Matsushita, K., Masuda, A., and Tei, C. (2008). Efficacy of waon therapy for fibromyalgia. Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 47(16):1473-1476. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/4411411
• Umehara, M., Yamaguchi, A., Itakura, S., Suenaga, M., Sakaki, Y., Nakashiki, K., Miyata, M., and Tei, C. (2008). Repeated waon therapy improves pulmonary hypertension during exercise in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of cardiology, 51(2):106-113. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/4411345
• Lin, C.-C., Liu, X.-M., Peyton, K., Wang, H., Yang, W.-C., Lin, S.-J., and Durante, W. (2008). Far infrared therapy inhibits vascular endothelial inflammation via the induction of heme oxygenase-1. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis & Vascular Biology, 28(4):739-745. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/4410526