A study on the efficacy of herbal steam therapy on changes in blood lipid profiles in patients with dyslipidemia
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: Dyslipidemia is a major health problem that adversely affects quality of life and can lead to chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. Previous studies suggest that herbal sauna therapy may stimulate metabolism and improve blood circulation.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of herbal sauna therapy for changes in blood lipid levels among individuals with dyslipidemia.
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 participants were recruited and received herbal steam sauna sessions twice weekly for 12 consecutive weeks. Blood lipid profiles and body composition were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study.
Results: The results demonstrated that participants showed a statistically significant reduction (p<0.05) in triglyceride levels, LDL-c levels, and body fat mass compared to baseline values. Furthermore, following the intervention, a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in HDL-c levels, body mineral mass, and thoracic gas volume.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that Thai traditional herbal sauna therapy may have the potential to stimulate lipid metabolism and consequently promote improvement in blood lipid profiles.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Edgington A, Morgan MA. Looking beyond recurrence: comorbidities in cancer survivors. Clin J Oncol Nurs 2011;15(1):E3-12.
Kabakci G, Koylan N, Ilerigelen B, Kozan O, Buyukozturk K. Impact of dyslipidemia on cardiovascular risk stratification of hypertensive patients and association of lipid profile with other cardiovascular risk factors: results from the ICEBERG study. Integr Blood Press Control 2008;1:5-13.
Ballena-Caicedo J, Zuzunaga-Montoya FE, Loayza-Castro JA, Vasquez-Romero LEM, Tapia-Limonchi R, De Carrillo CIG, et al. Global prevalence of dyslipidemias in the general adult population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Health Popul Nutr 2025;44(1):308.
Masilela C, Adeniyi OV, Benjeddou M. Prevalence, patterns and determinants of dyslipidaemia among South African adults with comorbidities. Sci Rep 2022;12(1):337.
Huang C, Zhang WQ, Tang WW, Liu Y, Liu JX, Xu RH, et al. Prevalence and related factors of dyslipidemia among urban adults aged 35 to 79 years in Southwestern China. Sci Rep 2021;11(1):17579.
Pootong A, Kittiteerasack P, Pattarapanitchai P, Chomean S. Prevalence and associated factors of dyslipidemia among university students in Central Thailand: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Associated Medical Sciences 2024;57(1):161-9.
Alvarez Ramirez AA, Pelaez JL, Bermudez IM, Gordon Botero JY. Prevalence of hyperlipidemia and its associated factors in university students in Colombia. Heliyon 2020;6(11):e05417.
Tungsukruthai P, Nootim P, Worakunphanich W, Tabtong N. Efficacy and safety of herbal steam bath in allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med 2018;16(1):39-44.
Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T. Sauna bathing and systemic inflammation. Eur J Epidemiol 2018;33(3):351-3.
Toro V, Siquier-Coll J, Bartolome I, Perez-Quintero M, Raimundo A, Munoz D, et al. Effects of twelve sessions of high-temperature sauna baths on body composition in healthy young men. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18(9):4458.
Singhato A, Rueangsri N, Piyaneeranat P, Worawattananutai P, Yangthaworn K, Khongkhon S, et al. The satisfaction of Thai traditional remedies on using the herbal steamed. Journal of Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital 2025;21(1):24-40. (in Thai)
Patrick RP, Johnson TL. Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Exp Gerontol 2021;154:111509.
Hu C, Yang J, Qi Z, Wu H, Wang B, Zou F, et al. Heat shock proteins: biological functions, pathological roles, and therapeutic opportunities. MedComm (2020) 2022;3(3):e161.
Gryka D, Pilch W, Szarek M, Szygula Z, Tota L. The effect of sauna bathing on lipid profile in young, physically active, male subjects. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2014;27(4):608-18.
Olivecrona G. Role of lipoprotein lipase in lipid metabolism. Curr Opin Lipidol 2016;27(3):233-41.
Henderson KN, Killen LG, O'Neal EK, Waldman HS. The cardiometabolic health benefits of sauna exposure in individuals with high-stress occupations. A mechanistic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18(3):1105.
Wang Q, Liu S, Zhai A, Zhang B, Tian G. AMPK-mediated regulation of lipid metabolism by phosphorylation. Biol Pharm Bull 2018;41(7):985-93.
Gryka D, Pilch WB, Czerwinska-Ledwig OM, Piotrowska AM, Klocek E, Bukova A. The influence of Finnish sauna treatments on the concentrations of nitric oxide, 3-nitrotyrosine and selected markers of oxidative status in training and non-training men. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2020;33(2):173-85.
Xu W, Chen D, Zhou HL. S-nitrosylation: mechanistic links between nitric oxide signaling and atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2025;27(1):78.
Mente A, O'Donnell M, Yusuf S. Sodium intake and health: what should we recommend based on the current evidence?. Nutrients 2021;13(9):3232.
