A team from Loughborough University recently investigated the effects of a hot bath on blood sugar control and energy expenditure.

Blood sugar control is a measure of metabolic fitness. Investigators were interested in determining the difference between taking a hot bath to warm up your body (passive heating) compared to exercise, and its effects on blood sugar. Ultimately, they were interested in determining if hot baths could affect people with diabetes to the same extent as exercise.

What they found is exciting. While exercise burned more calories than taking a hot bath, blood sugar did reduce in those who took the bath. Also, and most interesting, is that people who took a hot bath showed an inflammatory response similar to that following exercise, i.e. a beneficial response.

Other studies have shown that passive heating from saunas or baths can reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, and lower blood pressure. Likewise, researchers found that heating raises levels of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure.

The implications are many. First, passive heating may help treat type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorders, high blood pressure and related cardiovascular disorders. Second, passive heating may affect systemic inflammation which has broad and important implications for many disorders including autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and inflammatory based reproductive disorders.

Chinese medicine and other forms of medicine practice from Europe to Asia, have long touted the benefits of passive heating. Finally, the science looks to explain what has been known for a millennium. 

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