In the weight loss and fitness world today, many wearable solutions and programs have been made available to the public; with a few becoming popular for different reasons and amongst various groups of people. With many fitness enthusiasts trying to find new ways to lose weight quickly and enhance physical looks, products like the “sauna suit” have grown in popularity and variety quicker than most anticipated. Although various celebrities have attributed success in their weight loss journeys to such products, the vast majority still view them as gimmicks to make a quick buck (and with good reason too). Up until recently, the information and figures to back up the audacious claims made by the manufacturers of these products were extremely hard to come by; both online and offline. This lead to many drawing premature conclusions and avoiding these products altogether. However, with further research haven taken place, it couldn’t possibly be possible that a product like the neoprene sauna suit could actually be legit for weight loss. Or could it? Let’s find out.
What is a Sauna Suit?
Ever been in a gym full of people and there’s that one guy, trying to lose weight by taking a light jog in what looks like a bin bag? He was most likely wearing a Sauna Suit (be it an older, more homemade version of it). Based on the concept of sauna rooms – from which its name is derived, the suit aims to speed up the weight loss process by removing toxins through sweat and excess fat by generating heat in the suit. Wearing the suit while working out increases the body’s rate of metabolism and burns calories quicker. Although previous plastic iterations of the suit were thought to be cheap and poorly made, the majority of newer designs consist of a higher quality neoprene fabric which is more durable and longer-lasting.
For the many criticisms raised regarding the sauna suit, an equal amount of positives can be mentioned to back up the hype (and case studies too). Let’s start with some negatives.
Dehydration
With the summertime approaching, many will be forced to carry out their cardiovascular exercises in hotter conditions; whether indoors or outside. However doing so with a sauna suit on, could lead to dizziness, dryness of the mouth and even fainting as a result of dehydration. Especially true over longer periods of time, studies show a case in the late 90s in which three college athletes died as a result of not drinking water or eating prior to working out while wearing the suit in a hot environment.
Hypothermia
When training in the suit, the body generates more heat than usual at heightened rates. This affects temperature regulation greatly and increases the risk of illnesses such as hypothermia.
Benefits
Now that that’s out of the way, here are some reasons why you should use a sauna suit when exercising.
The Will to Exercise
For the vast majority of us, exercise can sometimes feel like a chore (especially when you’ve been stuck indoors for a few months). So when you find a tool that makes you look forward to the next cardio session, you grab it with both hands (and a leg). Based on a study by a team at Western State Colorado university carried out on 45 overweight individuals aged between 18 and 60 years, results not only supported claims of the sauna suit’s effectiveness in metrics such as waist size and body weight reduction but also made participants want to adopt regular exercise routines going forward. As well as that, a significant rise in VO2max figures for suit users reflected a significant improvement in cardiovascular health across the board.
Less Weight Long-term
With the suit increasing the body’s rate of metabolism, weight is gone (and gone for good). Although the rate of weight shedding is dependent on individual body characteristics, the study above also confirmed participating suit wearers lost more weight, and at a quicker rate.
Conclusion
With so much false information available online regarding products like the sauna suit, it is important to go out try the product out for yourself before drawing conclusions as everybody is different and unique.
