According to a new study, taking a hot bath regularly is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular diseases, diseases affecting the heart and blood circulation, are the first cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Several risk factors are known such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, overweight, obesity or even stress. Avoiding tobacco, alcohol abuse, regular physical activity and a balanced diet have also been found to reduce risk. According to a new study published in the journal Heart, taking a hot bath regularly would also be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
To reach these conclusions, researchers from seven Japanese institutions and the University of Minia, Egypt, analyzed data from a study cohort from the Public Center of Japan. The latter included more than 61,000 participants aged 45 to 59. At the start of the study, in 1990, approximately 43,000 participants had completed targeted questionnaires, providing information on their bathing practice, their sports habits, food habits, their alcohol consumption, their BMI, their average sleep duration or their medical history. Participants were then followed until their death or until the end of the study in 2009.
Between 1990 and 2009, researchers counted 2,097 deaths from cardiovascular problems, of which 275 were related to heart attacks, 53 to sudden cardiac death and 1,769 to strokes. After analysis, they found that people who took a hot bath daily had a 28% and 26% lower overall risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, respectively, compared to those who bathed twice a week or less frequently.
Effects similar to those of physical exercise
Although this study is based on observation and therefore cannot prove that there is a direct causal relationship, the authors suggest the possibility of an underlying mechanism. “Heat exposure increases core body temperature, cardiac contractility, heart rate, and blood flow, and decreases endothelial shear stress of vessels,” they write. “These effects are similar to those of physical exercise and are thought to improve long-term vascular function,” they continue.
However, this study has some limitations. This is because the researchers could not take into account factors such as potential changes in bathing frequency or bathing styles, which can vary between people and cultures. In Japan, for example, the country from which the study cohort hails, people often bathe up to their shoulders.
Finally, while hot baths could have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease, they still carry certain health risks. In an editorial accompanying the report, Dr. Andrew Felix Burden thus recalls that “the potential dangers of hot baths are beyond doubt and the resulting deaths increase with age and the temperature of the water”. Because bathing in water that is too hot can lead to states of confusion that can lead to drowning, he warns.
“Caution is required”
He therefore encourages researchers to conduct further studies on the associations between hot baths and cardiovascular health, urging people to remain cautious about the conclusions of this study. “Studies of the potential cardiovascular benefits of headless immersion in hot water are needed. In the meantime, caution should be exercised due to the higher mortality associated with this type of bathing in an unselected population,” he concludes thus.
In June 2018, a study published in Scientific Reports had already proven the benefits of hot baths for the hearts of the elderly. According to this work, one hour of hot bath (with a temperature above 41 degrees) would have similar effects to one hour of cycling. “This study shows a clear association between having regular hot baths and certain indicators of better heart and circulatory health,” noted the researchers recommending at least five hot baths per week. “However, this is simply an observation, which could be linked to other lifestyle factors, such as the fact that people who take regular baths may also be more likely to lead low-stress lives. “, they qualified.
In France, cardiovascular diseases are the second leading cause of death (the first among women) just after cancers. They are responsible for approximately 140,000 deaths per year.
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