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Hydrogen sulfide and the physiology of "totonou": a hypothesis on sauna-induced vascular recovery
Ryosuke Shinkai1, Takashi Tomita2
1School of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare, 4-3 Kozunomori, Narita, Chiba, 286-8686, Japan; Department of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital, 854 Hatakeda, Narita, Chiba, 286-8520, Japan.
Abstract:
Sauna bathing, a traditional health practice in Finland and Japan, has been associated with reduced cardiovascular and neurological risks. Circulatory recovery, marked by a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance, underlies the relaxation state known as "totonou." Traditionally attributed to nitric oxide (NO), this effect may also involve hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gaseous mediator with vasodilatory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesize that H2S facilitates sauna-induced circulatory recovery and that environmental exposure may modulate this process. This perspective highlights H2S as a novel regulator and calls for basic, clinical, and epidemiological studies to test this hypothesis.
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