Saunas are used for a few different purposes, depending on a person's goals. Some people use saunas to relax their muscles, while others believe the forced sweating is beneficial to the skin and the body by purportedly releasing toxins when they sweat. But many people also use saunas to help lose weight. Although this may produce some immediate results, the effects are deceptive -- in reality, you can't make any weight-loss progress by using a sauna.
Sauna Effects
Saunas work by heating water and creating steam. The steam makes it easier to heat the air in the sauna, and the high temperature and humidity in a sauna room will cause your body to start sweating. This sweating lasts the duration of your time in the sauna and can lead to some significant water weight lost by the time you leave the room.
Water Weight Risks
Although water weight is lost in a sauna room, this is not an effective form of cutting weight. In fact, all you are doing through this process is dehydrating your body. Dehydration itself is a very dangerous condition that can cause damage to your body in numerous ways including possible kidney damage and heat stroke. What's worse is that your body will counteract the weight lost the next time you drink water -- the body will retain water as needed until it reaches its ideal levels.
Body Temperature Effects
Although saunas cause sweating to occur, they also reduce the work your body has to perform to maintain your body's heat. This lowered heat generation in the body can lead to fewer calories burned while you are in the sauna, further minimizing any weight-loss benefits.
Considerations
Some athletes, mainly boxers and wrestlers, attempt to lose weight quickly prior to competition, to make weight and qualify for a match. But this can have very dangerous consequences. Entering into an athletic competition when dehydrated can lead to serious injuries and has resulted in the death of more than one wrestler. Most wrestling and boxing leagues now have hydration tests that are given to competitors to ensure they are not dehydrating themselves through saunas or other methods.
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