Sauna Therapy Benefits Chemical Sensitivity By Altering Nutrient Toxicity!

Background: We have suggested over the past few months that multiple chemical sensitivity may result from an imbalance of metabolic processes the detoxify ammonia. This may be caused by overwhelming exposure from SIBO or genetic or environmental influences that inhibit the proper excretion of ammonia in urea. Several MCS experts, as well as patients, have found that dry sauna can be of benefit although thus far, there is no explanation of why this is so. In the past, we have written that sauna therapy is based on an ancient therapy called Waon therapy and past studies of this technique suggest it may increase the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 and possibly influence the expression of PGC-1a. Both Nrf2 and PGC-1a have been implicated as having primary or secondary roles in mitochondrial biogenesis which of course, has benefits for health conditions where  mitochondrial respiration may be impaired. Also, Nrf2 has a role in neuroprotection and may modulate the ornithine pathway which is protective against ammonia toxicity.

A recent study has demonstrated that sauna/sweat therapy may lead to the reduction of nicotinamide. Nicotinamide overload has recently been implicated as a factor in causing insulin resistance, oxidative stress by H2O2 and possibly type 2 diabetes and other studies have shown that pollution may influence the development of this disease.  Other findings show skin damage and certain chemicals may reduce nicotinamide excretion. In general, nicotinamide is generally considered anti-inflammatory but at higher doses may be toxic to the liver. Nicotinamides are active inhibitors of SIRT proteins which are not only important for a number of metabolic processes but they also play a role mitochondrial biogenesis. On the other hand, higher ammonia levels can inhibit the TCA cycle which are a major producer of nicotinamides. Taking these conditions into account, we see a potential for sauna (via sweat therapy) to positively reduce the  production of toxic levels of nicotinamides while reducing ammonia toxicity through elevations in Nrf2 and the ornithine pathway.   The reduction of MCS symptoms could be a consequence of one or the other or both...!

For further reading:

• SIRT1, Nrf2 and Saunas -- September 6, 2009

Zhou, S.-S. S., Li, D., Sun, W.-P. P., Guo, M., Lun, Y.-Z. Z., Zhou, Y.-M. M., Xiao, F.-C. C., Jing, L.-X. X., Sun, S.-X. X., Zhang, L.-B. B., Luo, N., Bian, F.-N. N., Zou, W., Dong, L.-B. B., Zhao, Z.-G. G., Li, S.-F. F., Gong, X.-J. J., Yu, Z.-G. G., Sun, C.-B. B., Zheng, C.-L. L., Jiang, D.-J. J., and Li, Z.-N. N. (2009). Nicotinamide overload may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG, 15(45):5674-5684. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6885712
Whitaker, M. J. and Steinhardt, R. A. (1981). The relation between the increase in reduced nicotinamide nucleotides and the initiation of dna synthesis in sea urchin eggs. 25(1):95-103. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6885757
Smith, D., Wang, T., Španěl, P., and Bloor, R. (2006). The increase of breath ammonia induced by niacin ingestion quantified by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry. Physiological Measurement, 27(6). http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6885842
Katunuma, N., Okada, M., and Nish, Y. (1966). Regulation of the urea cycle and tca cycle by ammonia. Advances in Enzyme Regulation, 4:317-335. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6885732

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