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Heat thermotherapy to improve cardiovascular function and cardiometabolic health: A systematic review and

Ben S Price1,2, Samuel J E Lucas1,3, Ashley P Akerman4

  • 1School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Experimental Physiology
|October 30, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Heat thermotherapy (HT) offers cardiovascular benefits by reducing blood pressure and improving blood flow. Both single and multiple sessions effectively lower diastolic and mean arterial pressure, enhancing overall heart health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Metabolic Health
  • Therapeutic Modalities

Background:

  • Heat thermotherapy (HT) is recognized for its potential to improve cardiovascular (CV) and cardiometabolic health.
  • Understanding the impact of single versus multiple HT sessions is crucial for optimizing therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy of HT in improving CV and cardiometabolic parameters.
  • To compare the effects of single-bout versus multiple-bout HT interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating HT for CV and cardiometabolic parameters.
  • Inclusion of studies with adult participants, passive heating, and control groups.
  • Data synthesis from 51 papers, categorized by single or multiple HT bouts.

Main Results:

  • HT significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure in both single (-2 mmHg) and multiple bouts (-3 mmHg).
  • Mean arterial pressure decreased with HT in single (-5 mmHg) and multiple bouts (-4 mmHg).
  • Single HT bouts improved flow-mediated dilation and peripheral artery shear rate, while systolic blood pressure improved with multiple bouts.

Conclusions:

  • Heat thermotherapy demonstrates efficacy in improving acute and chronic cardiovascular parameters.
  • The benefits of HT on CV health are evident regardless of intervention duration or individual health status.
  • HT represents a viable non-exercise modality for enhancing cardiovascular function.

Keywords:
blood pressurecardiovascular diseaseendothelial functionheat thermotherapy

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