Sauna and longevity — what the Finnish study found
Does sauna bathing add years to your life? A 2015 study in JAMA Internal Medicine followed 2,315 Finnish men for over 20 years.
- Claim
- SAUNA LONGER LIFE?
- Catch
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Verdict
- A CLUE, NOT A CURE
The study: 2,315 middle-aged men (ages 42-60) from Eastern Finland. Baseline exams 1984-1989. Sauna frequency recorded once at baseline. Median follow-up: 20.7 years. 929 all-cause deaths, 190 sudden cardiac deaths.
Men who sauna'd 4-7 times per week had 63% lower risk of sudden cardiac death (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.18-0.75) and 40% lower all-cause mortality compared to once per week. Sessions over 19 minutes cut sudden cardiac death risk by 52% (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.31-0.75) versus under 11 minutes.
The catch: observational cohort, not an experiment. Only Finnish men aged 42-60. Sauna use measured once at baseline, not tracked over 20 years. Sauna users may have healthier lifestyles overall. Cannot prove causation.
SOURCES
- Laukkanen JA, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen T. Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2015;175(4):542-548. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187. PMID: 25705824.
For information only, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor.
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