Lose weight by heat, is it possible?
Many misconceptions circulate about heat and its propensity to promote weight loss. They are, among other things, conveyed by the image of the sauna: beneficial, detoxifying, allowing you to get rid of your few extra pounds. But is it really possible to lose weight by heat?
The benefits of heat for the body
The application of heat to the body, and more generally heat, can cure many everyday ailments:
- Heat helps soothe “mechanical” pain, such as muscle contractures, tendinitis, arthritis pain or body aches after sport . This is evidenced by the heat-based physiotherapy treatments: heating lamp, hot water bottle and other patches .
- The vasodilation caused by heat helps to calm stomach pains , whether of digestive or gynecological origin (painful periods). The main benefit of heat is that it acts as an antispasmodic , by activating blood circulation and calming muscle contractions.
- Inhaling hot water vapors can thin nasal and lung secretions (mucus) and thus clear the breath . Ideal when you have a cold.
- Perspiration caused by heat facilitates the emunctory function of the skin . The heat indeed leads to a dilation and unclogging of the pores , as well as a more fluid evacuation of waste and toxins from the body by sudorific. Heat can therefore have a ” detoxifying ” effect, and above all beautiful skin!
However, heat and heat can also have deleterious effects on the body. Burns, swelling, cramps, exhaustion and “heat stroke” are all negative consequences of excessive heat.
Also, we are entitled to wonder if repeated and/or prolonged exposure to heat is really beneficial to health, starting with its alleged effects on weight. But by the way, can we really lose weight by heat?
What are the techniques to “lose weight by heat”?
Hot bath technique
A study published in 2017 (1) by researchers from the universities of Loughborough and Leicester, concluded that taking hot baths, at a temperature of 40 degrees, could make you lose weight . Thus, a hot bath would burn as many calories as a half-hour walk.
However, it is a question of taking the study with a lot of hindsight , for several reasons:
- The results of the study have never been corroborated by other similar analyses.
- The study only covers a sample of 14 people.
- It is based on a comparison of certain organic molecules in subjects doing sports and others taking said bath. Such a comparison cannot make it possible to draw such a categorical conclusion.
Sports practice in the heat
Some rumors have argued that exercising in a hot atmosphere (summer season, heated room) can help you lose weight by increasing the body’s ability to burn calories . A 2010 study (2) actually showed that playing sports in the heat (40 degrees) did not have the same impact on the body as the same sporting activity, practiced at a cooler temperature (20 degrees). Thus, we would have observed:
- An increase in the oxidation of glycogen (from carbohydrate intake from the diet) of the muscles.
- But a reduction in the oxidation of body fat (fatty acids).
Thus, jogging in the heat of the day will not guarantee faster weight loss than running regularly, at cooler times. The body will draw more from its immediate carbohydrate reserves (food), but the fat reserves will be oxidized less quickly. In addition, this practice can be dangerous and lead to harmful consequences for the body, starting with dehydration , dysfunctions of the heart rhythm, increased stress and fatigue (3) .
Hammam and sauna
Heat baths, such as the hammam or the sauna, are also the subject of much speculation. Sweating profusely will make you lose weight. However, it is a question of restoring a truth that is too often ignored: sweating does not make you lose weight . At most, it causes a significant water loss , which will indeed have repercussions on the balance . But this apparent weight loss will be immediately erased, from the moment we rehydrate. And it is highly recommended, because dehydration is bad for your health (cramps, dizziness, tachycardia, etc.), and also accentuates the phenomenon of water retention . Also, it is better to take advantage of the well-being benefits (4)sauna or hammam than to expect a “melting” of subcutaneous fat.
Cosmetic
Slimming cosmetics have looked into the effects of heat on lipolysis.
First of all, we noticed the appearance of so-called “sweating” clothes, with pseudo slimming effects. It must be admitted that these clothes, like heated slimming belts, do not really allow you to lose weight. At most, they will encourage water loss, which is not weight loss per se.
Then, we could see the appearance of heated slimming creams . We are then in the presence of a very specific case: these cosmetics are generally made from extracts of piperine (active substance of pepper), capsaicin (active substance of pepper) or menthol (active substance of mint) . However, its substances cause a pseudo-heat reaction : it is not strictly speaking hot, but a feeling of heat and/or pungency , or a feeling of extreme freshness (hot-cold effect ) caused by oral absorption or dermal application.
These sensations are caused by active substances, whose molecules are able to activate the heat receptors of the mucous membranes and thus, to provoke a physiological response: thermoregulation by shivering or sweating. But what is more interesting is the effect of the consumption of some of these substances on the hormonal response. Indeed, the absorption of capsaicin has been found to stimulate the production of adrenaline and noradrenaline , which can be considered as “boosters” of metabolism . Thereby :
- As early as 1986, it was possible to observe a stimulating effect of capsaicin on the oxidation of adipose tissue and the blood concentration of triglycerides in rats (5) .
- A 2014 meta-analysis found a possible “ fat-burning ” effect of capsaicin, following an absorption of 2 mg after each meal, in certain subjects (6) .
We can therefore conclude that cosmetic products made from natural extracts of capsaicin (such as the Heating Slimming Cream from Cellublue) can contribute to weight loss. Hot (or rather, pseudo-hot) could therefore really make you lose weight.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.