June 21, 2018

expert reaction to study looking at hot baths and heart health

A new study, published in Scientific Reports, presents findings that state regularly bathing in hot water reduces atherosclerosis and cardiac loading.

Prof Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director, British Heart Foundation, said:

“We can all appreciate the benefits of a hot bath for soothing achy limbs and unwinding.  However, there are also plausible reasons for why a long soak could be beneficial for a person’s heart health.  This study shows an association between having regular hot baths and some indicators of better heart and circulatory health.  However this is just an observation and might be related to other lifestyle factors, such as people who have regular baths may also be more likely to live a low-stress lifestyle, or have a healthier diet.  Far more research is needed to understand the link before doctors start prescribing a hot bath to the elderly.”

* ‘Habitual hot water bathing protects cardiovascular function in middle-aged to elderly Japanese subjects’ by Katsuhiko Kohara et al. will be published in Scientific Reports on Thursday 21 June 2018.

Declared interests

None received.