Fever—a Protective Mechanism
We know scientifically that fever is a protective or defense mechanism.[10] When body temperature reaches 101.3oF (38.5oC), the immune system shifts into a state of alarm. At this temperature, the level of immune chemicals in the bloodstream doubles, and immune defenses throughout the body increase. Within 6 hours, almost every major defense within the immune system doubles its efforts.[9]
Heat by itself has an antiviral effect. When a container of human cells and rhinovirus was immersed in a 113oF hot water bath, the heat suppressed the multiplication of the virus by 90%, but did not kill the human cells.[11]
Fever is usually triggered when monocytes meet pathogens and this results in an increase of IL-1,[12] which is what triggers the fever response since IL-1 is a pyrogen.[13] IL-1 is also involved in the activation of the cellular and humoral immune response against the pathogen.[12]
Fever promotes migration of leukocytes and neutrophils to the area where the pathogen is[10] and it activates T Cell function.[14] Genes involved in the activation of the interleukins have been identified. The most important pathway is the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), which is responsible to activate IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 and it has an effect on two other pathways—the p53 protein and the heat-shock factor protein 1 (HSF1).[15]
Traditional Heat Therapies
- Ancient Greek medicine
- Roman hot sulfur baths
- Finnish saunas
- Japanese hot tubs
- Native American Indian sweat lodges
- Turkish hammam
- Bhutan's unique hot stone baths
The usual duration of the sauna among adults is between 5 and 20 min followed by a quick cool-down to stop sweating, studies show that the cool down stage increases WBC count.[19]Children also take a sauna once a week with their parents, at which time the baths tend to be shorter in duration (5–10 min) and with lower temperature.[20]
Potential Health Benefits
SARS-CoV-2 is a dangerous virus that has caused a world-wide pandemic. This virus, however, is susceptible to elevated body heat and elevated body heat also enhances the immune system. In [6], the researchers thus hypothesize that frequent treatments of heat followed by cold could be the effective first line approach in the prevention and treatment of mild coronavirus 2 infections.
In Finland and Estonia, sauna is part of the culture in these countries and it is practiced at least once a week among the population. There were lower number of cases or deaths reported in both countries than the rest of Europe. For example,
The average reported deaths from COVID-19 per 100,000 population were 18.3 ±23.4 in Europe without Finland and Estonia, 5.9 in Finland, and 5.2 in Estonia.[6]
It would be hard to compare worldwide data with other countries due to limited testing and reporting in other countries.[8] Nevertheless, the community use of heat treatments is consistent with a lower prevalence and a lower death rate from COVID-19.[6]
Based on an observational study, researchers found that compared with people who took saunas once a week, those who took them two to three times weekly were 12% less likely to have a stroke. People who took saunas four to seven times a week reduced their risk for stroke by 62%.[3]
May be beneficial to heart failure patients
Although sauna bathing causes various acute, transient cardiovascular and hormonal changes, it is well tolerated by most healthy adults and children. Some studies have suggested that long-term sauna bathing may help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension and improve left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF).[16]
The Gorter Model[9] is designed to restore and enhance cancer patient's immune function, enabling the immune system to aggressively and effectively combat cancer cells throughout the body. It is created by Dr. Gorter, who himself is a cancer survivor, and used to treat cancer patients at the Medical Center Cologne in Germany.
In its cancer treatment protocol, therapeutic fever is used in combination with immune therapies that include interleukin, interferon, and various other treatments.
To reactivate the immune system in these patients, the Gorter Model uses a process of controlled fever referred to in the scientific literature as fever-range, total-body hyperthermia—a form of treatment in which the entire body is heated to a moderate fever temperature of approximately 101.3oF (38.5oC).
Japan has a high temperature at the hot spring area, after bath stroke is particularly high.
There are plausible reasons saunas might be protective. “Temperature increases, even of 1 or 2 degrees Celsius, can limit inflammatory processes in the body and reduce arterial stiffness,” said the senior author, Dr. Jari A. Laukkanen, a professor of medicine at the University of Eastern Finland. “It’s possible that steam rooms or hot tubs could produce similar results.”
It also seems that sauna treatment may help improve clinical symptoms and hemodynamic parameters secondary to an improvement in the endothelial function of patients with CHF whose endothelial function is impaired.[18]
"May help to treat cancer patients
"May help to treat cancer patients
The Gorter Model[9] is designed to restore and enhance cancer patient's immune function, enabling the immune system to aggressively and effectively combat cancer cells throughout the body. It is created by Dr. Gorter, who himself is a cancer survivor, and used to treat cancer patients at the Medical Center Cologne in Germany.
In its cancer treatment protocol, therapeutic fever is used in combination with immune therapies that include interleukin, interferon, and various other treatments.
To reactivate the immune system in these patients, the Gorter Model uses a process of controlled fever referred to in the scientific literature as fever-range, total-body hyperthermia—a form of treatment in which the entire body is heated to a moderate fever temperature of approximately 101.3oF (38.5oC).
Warnings
Japan has a high temperature at the hot spring area, after bath stroke is particularly high.
Studies have shown that bath water temperature exceeds 42 ℃, decomposing enzyme inhibitors increase blood clots (plasminogen activator inhibitor) content, thus reducing the activity of enzymes break down blood clots, likely at midnight three to six infarction accidents.Contraindications to sauna bathing include unstable angina pectoris, recent myocardial infarction, and severe aortic stenosis.[16]
Sauna bathing is safe, however, for most people with coronary heart disease with stable angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction. Very few acute myocardial infarctions and sudden deaths occur in saunas, but alcohol consumption during sauna bathing increases the risk of hypotension, arrhythmia, and sudden death, and should be avoided.[16]In a Finnish sauna study on children aged from 0 to 15 years, symptoms were rare and were not serious. One of the commonly found disorder is atopic dermatitis. In half of the cases of atopic dermatitis, it became worse in the sauna.
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| Photo Credit: 艾軒 |
References
- 泡湯小常識
- Cancer: The mysterious miracle cases inspiring doctors
- Saunas May Reduce Stroke Risk
- Sauna Therapy May Reduce Risk of Dementia and Boost Brain Health
- 11 AMAZING ARIZONA HOT SPRINGS
- Hydrothermotherapy in prevention and treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19
- Coronaviruses are vulnerable to heat, basic pH and acid pH. The virus seems to like lower temperatures as it is more stable at 39.2◦F
- COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA and the UK. European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
- Del Rio C, Malani PN. COVID-19—new insights on a rapidly changing epidemic. JAMA 2020;323(14):1339–40.
- Fighting Cancer — A Nontoxic Approach to Treatment by Robert Gorter, MD, PhD and Erik Peper, PhD.
- Bartfai T, Ottoson D. Neuro-immunology of fever. Pergamon Press; 1992.
- Conti C, De Marco A, Mastromarino P, Tomao P, Santoro MG. Antiviral effect of hyperthermic treatment in rhinovirus infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1999;43(4):822–9.
- Dinarello CA, Conti P, Mier JW. Effects of human interleukin-1 on natural killer cell activity: is fever a host defense mechanism for tumor killing? Yale J Biol Med 1986; 59(2):97.
- Banet MA. Fever in mammals: is it beneficial? Yale J Biol Med 1986;59(2):117.
- Hanson DF, Murphy PA, Silicano R, Shin HS. The effect of temperature on the activation of thymocytes by interleukins I and II. J Immunol 1983;130(1):216–21.
- Perkins ND. Integrating cell-signaling pathways with NF-κB and IKK function. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2007;8(1):49–62.
- Hannuksela ML, Ellahham S. Benefits and risks of sauna bathing. Am J Med 2001; 110(2):118–26.
- Tsonis J. Sauna studies as an academic field: a new agenda for international research. Literature Aesthetics. 2017;26(1).
- Blum N, Blum A. Beneficial effects of sauna bathing for heart failure patients. Exp Clin Cardiol 2007;12(1):29.
- Markkola L, Mattila KJ, Koivikko MJ. Sauna habits and related symptoms in Finnish children. Eur J Pediatr 1989;149(3):221–2.
- Symptoms were rare and were not serious. Transient symptoms (dizziness, nausea etc.) were the most common.
- The Truth About Robert Gorter, MD - Jeannine Walston
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| Photo Credit: 艾軒 |
