Cholesterol is a number people would love to move without a pill or a diet. So the question comes up: does sitting in a sauna do it?
Unlike most sauna claims, this one has controlled trials behind it. Their answer is a qualified yes, with limits that matter. This article sits under our overview of sauna health benefits. This is general information, not medical advice.
Short answer: trials in younger adults found small drops in total and LDL cholesterol during a course of sauna sessions. The effect faded within weeks of stopping, and trials in adults over 60 found no significant change. A sauna doesn’t replace diet, exercise, or medication.
The 2025 review
A systematic review published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2025 screened 127 studies on hot spring and sauna use and blood lipids. Seven randomized controlled trials made the cut.
The findings split by age.
“Four RCTs in younger adults (mean age < 60 years) demonstrated that hot spring and sauna use resulted in reductions in serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.”
“Three RCTs in older adults (mean age ≥ 60 years) showed no significant blood lipid changes.”
The expert panel gave these therapies “a weak expert recommendation.” Its conclusion is that hot spring and sauna use, “particularly when combined with exercise therapy, may contribute to improved lipid profiles” in younger adults.
Weak recommendation, may contribute, younger adults only. Those three qualifiers are the review’s own.
Two of the underlying studies
A 2014 study put 16 young, physically active men through 10 Finnish sauna sessions over about three weeks. Total and LDL cholesterol fell during the sessions.
Then the researchers kept measuring. They reported “a gradual return of these levels to the initial level during the 1st and the 2nd week after the experiment.”
A 2010 study of 20 young women found a similar pattern after seven sessions: lower total and LDL cholesterol, and in one group a rise in HDL. The authors called the changes possibly good signs for heart disease prevention, “but further research on the influence of sauna on fat metabolism is needed.”
What the trials show at a glance
| Study | Who | Sauna | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamasaki et al., 2025 (review) | 7 trials | Sauna and hot springs | Lower total and LDL cholesterol under 60; no change at 60 and over |
| Gryka et al., 2014 | 16 young active men | 10 Finnish sauna sessions | Total and LDL fell, then returned within 1 to 2 weeks |
| Pilch et al., 2010 | 20 young women | 7 sessions of 30 or 40 minutes | Lower total and LDL; HDL rose in one group |
What this doesn’t tell you
Here’s what a headline version leaves out.
The people studied were young and mostly fit. People that age rarely have the cholesterol problem the question is about. In the age group where high cholesterol is common, the trials found no significant effect.
The effect didn’t last. Two weeks after the last session, the 2014 group was back where it started. To keep the change you would need to keep going, indefinitely.
The abstracts I read don’t give the size of the drop in a form I can compare with medication, so I won’t put a percentage on it.
And none of these trials measured heart attacks or strokes. They measured a blood test.
How it fits with the heart research
The best-known sauna study, a 20-year follow-up of 2,315 Finnish men, found that frequent sauna use was associated with fewer fatal heart events. A 2018 review lists “beneficial changes in circulating lipid profiles” among several proposed explanations.
That is a hypothesis about mechanism. It isn’t proof that cholesterol is why.
What to do with this
If you already use a sauna, this is a small possible bonus. If you are thinking of buying one to treat high cholesterol, don’t. The things with strong evidence are the ones your doctor already told you about.
My rule of thumb: no number from a sauna study should change a prescription. If your cholesterol is high, that conversation belongs with your doctor, and a sauna can sit alongside the plan, not replace it.
The review’s note about combining sauna with exercise is the practical takeaway. A sauna after a workout is a habit some people find easier to keep.
Safety
The usual limits apply: about 15 to 20 minutes, water before and after, no alcohol. People with heart conditions should check with a provider first, which matters here because high cholesterol and heart disease often travel together.
If you are choosing a sauna for other reasons, the home sauna buying guide covers the options. The studies above used traditional Finnish saunas. A cabin such as the Almost Heaven Salem ($4,176) is that type and needs a 240V, 30-amp circuit.
Bottom line: a course of sauna sessions nudged cholesterol down in young adults, briefly. It did nothing measurable in older adults. Enjoy the sauna, and treat cholesterol the way your doctor advises.
Sources
- Yamasaki S, Tokunou T, Kashiwado Y, Makishi M, Horiuchi T, “Hot spring and sauna use for improving blood lipid profiles: A systematic review and expert consensus on efficacy and recommendations,” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2025 (abstract): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Gryka D, Pilch W, Szarek M, Szygula Z, Tota Ł, “The effect of sauna bathing on lipid profile in young, physically active, male subjects,” International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2014 (abstract): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Pilch W, et al., “Changes in the lipid profile of blood serum in women taking sauna baths of various duration,” International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2010 (abstract): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Laukkanen T, et al., “Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events,” JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015: jamanetwork.com
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK, “Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence,” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, August 2018 (abstract): mayoclinicproceedings.org
- Almost Heaven Salem listing at Select Saunas (price, power), checked October 2026