Advantages & Disadvantages of a Sauna Suit

The sauna suit, or sweat suit, is a rubber suit that individuals such as athletes can wear while exercising to encourage their bodies to produce larger volumes of sweat. This sweating results in almost instantaneous weight loss, as the body sheds water weight. Boxers and wrestlers originally used the suits to lower their weights before weigh-in.

Promotes Sweating

Sauna suits motivate the body to sweat more than it would in other apparel, to promote weight loss and burn calories. A person will see immediate results after wearing a sauna suit because he quickly loses water weight. This may be especially significant if a person must meet a certain weight limit by a specific time and date. Athletes who have scheduled weigh-ins may utilize a sauna suit to quickly shed water weight before the weigh-in to meet regulations.

Weight Loss

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Because sauna suits cause a person to lose water weight, a person will regain the weight as soon as she replaces the water in her system by consuming more water and liquids. The weight loss that a person experiences from wearing a sauna suit during exercise tends to be temporary, for this reason. While retailers advertise the fact that long-term use of a sauna suit can increase metabolism and increase weight loss, this may not be the case. According to the Diet Spotlight website, there is no evidence that sauna suits actually increase the rate at which the body metabolizes and burns fat.

Availability

Sauna suits are available in a variety of sizes, so people of most shapes and weights can find a sauna suit that will fit their body comfortably. Furthermore, consumers can purchase sauna suits from a variety of online retailers and health specialty stores. Department stores and gyms may also provide the suits for sale.

Discomfort

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Rubber sauna suits may stick to the skin and cause discomfort or restrict movement, especially when combined with excess sweat. Some individuals may experience uncomfortable chafing from wearing a sauna suit.

Dehydration

It is important for sauna suit users to remain properly hydrated before and after using a sauna suit. Failure to hydrate can result in symptoms of dehydration, including dry mouth, the inability to produce tears, sunken eyes, headaches, lethargy, dizziness, or confusion. Google Health advises contacting a doctor or emergency medical services, such as "9-1-1" in the United States, if a person experiences dizziness, confusion or lethargy because of dehydration. Furthermore, the website warns that severe dehydration may result in seizures, permanent brain damage, or death.

Toxin Release

The Sauna Relaxation website advises that sweating can release harmful toxins from the body. Bonita Carol explains, in an article about sweat, that our sweat contains "metabolic and other waste products," similar to the toxins found in urine. However, an article from the Los Angeles Times about the purported benefits of sweating from sauna use quotes Dr. Dee Anna Glaser as saying, "Sweating for the sake of sweating has no benefits. Sweating heavily is not going to release a lot of toxins."