Menopause study: Sweating against belly fat

Wellness instead of dieting? Sounds almost too good to be true. But the results of a US study at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst suggest this possibility – at least for women of a certain age. Animal studies with mice showed that whole-body heat therapy, such as saunas, counteracts age-related insulin resistance and the associated obesity.

"Compared to men, women are more likely to become obese or overweight," explains study leader Prof. Soonkyu Chung from the university's Department of Nutrition. "This is especially true after menopause, due to the loss of estrogen in the body."

Those affected gain weight despite eating no differently than before, and at the same time, proven methods for losing weight are no longer as effective (see also Weight Gain During Menopause ). The scientist continues: "Our study suggests that whole-body heat therapy could serve as an effective, non-invasive solution for managing weight gain and insulin resistance associated with menopause."

Mice in the sweat lodge

To simulate postmenopausal conditions for the study, older mice had their ovaries removed and were fed a high-fat, high-calorie diet. One test group received daily heat therapy in a special heat chamber for 12 weeks, while the control group received no treatment.

Despite the high fat calories, only the sauna group failed to experience the expected weight gain. In comparison, the mice in the heat chamber also showed improved insulin response, showed no age-related tissue damage, and also had less fat accumulation in the liver and a better brown fat content.

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Properly heated burns more fat

This is interesting because brown fat tissue is metabolically active and helps the body burn more energy. Experience shows that the proportion of brown fat decreases with the onset of menopause . White fat is merely an energy store. Its proportion increases during this phase of life because muscle mass decreases with age.

Daily heat treatment appears to trigger various molecular processes that help the body burn more fat with the available energy. The key player is a protein called TRPV1, which is activated by heat and triggers a calcium response, causing the body to use more energy, stimulating metabolism and boosting fat burning.

"This series of events suggests that regular application of heat can mimic the effects of calorie burning and fat loss," says Rong Fan, a doctoral student in Prof. Chung's team, who presented their work to the American Society of Nutrition in Chicago. She concludes: "Heat therapy could be a practical option for people with increased abdominal fat and a higher risk of metabolic diseases triggered by hormonal changes during menopause."

This could be particularly interesting for people who can only manage minimal physical activity in their daily lives. "It could easily be integrated into routine healthcare practices, through regular sessions in saunas, heated baths, or with special heat wraps," says Fan.

Before this vision can become reality, however, further research is needed to prove its effect in the human body. Until then, we simply enjoy sauna visits for wellness reasons, and the warm-cold stimuli also support our immune systems, that's for sure.

Brigitte

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