Sauna, Heat Shock Proteins and Longevity

This is more from the Tim Ferriss podcast with Rhonda Patrick.

A video on this topic at her website here.

Heat shock proteins (HSP) can improve longevity.

Purpose of HSP’s is to help all other proteins keep their structure, and delays protein degradation. Protein degradation can lead to damaging molecules and to an accumulation of toxic protein aggregates. Toxic protein aggregates are associated with neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease.

A Scandinavian study looked at 2000 male sauna goers, men who used a sauna 2 to 3 times per week and found thy were 22% less likely to develop dementia and 20% less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease than med who sauna’s once per week. Men who used the sauna 4 to 7 times per week had up a 60% reduction in Alzheimer’s disease compared to men who took a sauna one per week.  Sauna also improves cardiac capacity which also great for longevity.

Her recommendation is to take a sauna 2 to 3 times a week at 179′ F, 20 minutes, or getting your heart rate up to 140, if possible.  You may get more benefit if you use the sauna 4 to 7 times a week even more robust effect.

Update:  New video here.