The impact of sauna suits on body fluid loss, body temperature, and energy expenditure in athletes

This study aims to evaluate the impact of sauna suits compared with regular training clothing on body fluid loss, body temperature, and energy expenditure among elite athletes. A sample of 15 male university athletes from weight-class sports, such as Taekwondo and Wrestling, participated in the study. Using a counterbalanced measures design, participants were randomly assigned to wear sauna suits and regular training clothing in two separate sessions. Measurements of body mass, body temperature, and calorie expenditure were recorded pre- and post-exercise. The results demonstrated that sauna suits significantly increased body fluid loss, elevated body temperature, and enhanced calorie expenditure compared with regular training clothing. Specifically, the results indicated that body mass varied significantly by timing and clothing with a p-value of 0.001, body temperature also showed significant differences based on timing and clothing with a p-value of 0.001, and caloric expenditure differed by type of clothing with a p-value of 0.019. These findings suggest that sauna suits are effective tools for rapid weight reduction and performance enhancement in weight-class sports, though caution is advised to mitigate risks of dehydration and overheating. Future research should investigate the long-term effects and safety of sauna suit use.