Infrared Sauna Therapy For Detox Of Heavy Metals- ( It Works! )

We hear a lot about the importance of detoxing heavy metals, and of metals that may contaminate our food and water; but what are the facts? Recent international research has revealed more details about the way our bodies react to these substances and how they can contribute to poor health.

In this article, I will go over some information such as: What are heavy metals? Where do heavy metals come from? Why do our bodies react to heavy metals? What are possible exposures to heavy metals?  What are the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity? And how to use an infrared sauna at home to detox and restore health?

What Are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals are any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Heavy metals can have biological negative consequences either in our bodies or in the environment. 

The most commonly known and studied toxic metals include:

• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Chromium
• Lead
• Mercury
• Aluminum
• Cobalt
• Lithium
• Iron
• Copper
• Zinc
• Molybdenum

You may see some elements on this list that surprise you. We know that some of these are essential minerals that we need to support healthy living. They are often included in vitamins and supplements and have beneficial roles in our whole-body health.

However, while small or average amounts of these substances are good for our health, large amounts of exposure can lead to problems.

How Do Toxic Heavy Metals Impact Our Health Negatively?

Excess exposure to these dangerous toxic metals can damage your DNA, interfere with critical enzyme activity, and interrupt hormone cycles. Additionally, they disrupt the function and health of our brain, nerves, and neurotransmitters.

Damaged DNA - puts you at a greater risk of developing cancer ( 1, 2, 3 )

Interference of enzymes - Example: aluminum-induced anemia has been studied since 1985 and researchers think that aluminum interferes with the activity of enzymes used to build red blood cells. ( 4 )

Disruption of hormone balance - The disruption of hormone balance from exposure to heavy metals has been widely studied in human and wildlife research. It is known, for example, that cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury, and lead are associated with changes in estrogen activity. ( 5 )

Side Note - As an example of another toxin, which is not a metal, but still interferes with our hormone balance is BPA. We have all heard of BPA and its association with a higher risk of breast cancer. BPA is in the lining of canned foods and it is also found in most types of plastic. It is in high concentrations in food wrappers and in ink on receipts. Sauna therapy has been found to decrease BPA levels by 90 percent after 30 - 60 days of sauna therapy. 

Heavy metals also affect our brains as well as our whole nervous system. In 2016 a study showed there is an association between toxic metals lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury with cognitive dysfunction and dementia. ( 6 ) 

Multiple researchers have published data on heavy metal toxicity and its association with Parkinson’s Disease.

These metals include; mercury, lead, manganese, copper, iron, aluminum, bismuth, thallium, and zinc. ( 7, 8 )

As individuals, we may not know exactly what toxins ( and in what quantity ) contribute to symptoms or illness. And it's probably pretty complex. But we can definitely see the need for detoxing heavy metals in order to support a healthy mind and body.  

At a quick glance, these are a few of the common symptoms associated with metal toxicity.

Lead Toxicity: 

• Headaches
• Loss of memory
  
• Inability to concentrate
  
• Infertility
  
• Joint and muscle pain

Copper Toxicity: 

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Muscle spasms
• Fatigue
• Weak muscles

Lithium toxicity:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Hand tremors
• Dry mouth
• Increased thirst
• Twitching
• Shaking
• Spasms

Arsenic toxicity:

• Thickening of the skin on feet and palms
• Irregular heartbeat
• Numbness in hands and feet
• Nausea
• Headaches

Mercury Poisoning:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Memory Problems
• Anxiety
• Trouble concentrating
• Poor coordination
• Muscle weakness

Sources Of Heavy Metal Toxicity

Where are all of these toxins coming from? We come into contact with heavy metals in all sorts of ways. Foods can be one source. An example is the potential of mercury poisoning from eating lots of fish. Water sources can also be a problem. For example, the recent toxic levels of lead in Flint Michigan. We are exposed through our medicine, food containers, and many through industrial types of work. 

Who Needs Heavy Metal Detox?

I recommend infrared sauna therapy for people with high exposure to heavy metal toxins. You may benefit from it if you receive vaccines or prescription medications. Others may have high levels of exposure at their job, while others get bombarded by toxic heavy metals from recreational drug addiction. Women who are planning to become pregnant would benefit significantly from a detox program. 

Additionally, anyone who uses antiperspirants also needs a boost of detox. Did you know most commercially sold big brands of antiperspirant use aluminum as the active ingredient?

Storing Toxic Metals In Our Body

As toxic metal levels start to increase in your body, the body works hard to eliminate them. But sometimes they can't keep up and our immune system wants to sequester them, kinda like burying barrels of toxic nuclear waste. The most common place that our body shuts these substances away is in fat tissue. It's one thing to think about toxins in our stubborn body fat, but also remember that most of our nervous system cells are made out of high concentrations of fat. That means that these toxic metals can be stored away in our brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. 

How To Detox Heavy Metals

One of the most effective and safest ways to detox heavy metals is by using sauna therapy. And this type of detox is best done with an infrared sauna. Traditional saunas heat up your body through the steam in the air. When your skin starts to get hot, you start sweating. But this heat transfer comes from the outside of your body to the inside. 

A much better way of using a sauna to detox metals is by using an infrared sauna. An infrared sauna uses non-visible infrared light to heat you up from the inside. As the internal tissues heat up, your body moves fluids out and away from those hot areas. This results in a slightly different type of sweat and the movement of sequestered toxins.

Data To Prove Heavy Metal Detox From Sauna Therapy

It has been shown in multiple research studies that the sweat from infrared sauna sessions contains high amounts of toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Testing done on individuals by hair or by blood samples shows significantly reduced levels of these substances after undergoing infrared sauna therapy. ( 9 )

How Long Does Infrared Sauna Therapy Take To Detox Heavy Metals

The exact amount of time that infrared sauna therapy takes to remove heavy metals varies widely. We all face different issues and we all respond differently to sauna therapy. The time suggested by doctors indicates that the detox of heavy metals may take anywhere from 2 months to 2 years.

Safety Of Heavy Metal Detox With Infrared Saunas

Sometimes the detoxing process can be risky, as it can lead to large amounts of toxins all being released at once. This huge rush can damage your filtration organs such as your liver and kidneys, or even drive heavy metals further into your brain tissue. 

People undergoing Infrared sauna therapy do occasionally have large “healing reactions”. Healing reactions are events that may happen during sauna therapy and may look like the disease is worsening. This is the body pulling out toxins and metabolizing them for excretion. 

In Asian medicine, this is sometimes referred to as “it gets worse before it gets better”. These symptoms indicate that indeed large amounts of substances are being detoxed and released into your body systems. If this happens with you, I recommend cutting back sauna sessions to just 5 minutes per session, twice a day. Do this until you feel better. I also recommend drinking large amounts of water to flush things through.