Who doesn’t love the stress relief that accompanies a hot bath? It’s the reason why saunas and spas are so popular. Well, now researchers are suggesting that the passive heat created by a warm bath may be as effective at burning calories as exercise when it comes to helping control blood sugar.
Scientists at Loughborough University in the UK investigating the effects of a hot bath on blood sugar control and energy expenditure. They recruited 14 male volunteers who were assigned to take an hour-long soak in a hot bath 104 degrees or an hour of cycling. The activities were designed to cause the core body temperature from 98.6 to 100 degrees over the course of one hour.
Researchers then determined how many calories the men burned and measured their blood sugar for 24 hours following each session.
Not surprisingly, they noted that the biker-riders burned more calories after their 60-minutes than the bathers did. But, participants who were simply soaking in a bath used up 140 calories over the course of their hour, the equivalent of a half-hour walk. But what is compelling is the fact that the bathers were experiencing less dramatic spikes in blood sugar following meals in the subsequent 24 hours compared to participants who only cycled.
In order to establish the effect of warming the body temperature passively, in a bath, as opposed to through physical exercise, another study duplicated the intensity of heating from water immersion to that of jogging on a treadmill. Immersion in water resulted in a higher increase in body temperature compared with running. It also demonstrated an increased reduction in average arterial blood pressure. This is crucial as a reduction in blood pressure is connected with reduced risk of developing heart disease.
There is no doubt that this is promising news. But if you tend to be a couch potato don’t celebrate. This is not an excuse not to stop exercising as often as you should. Taking a bath is not going to make you buff and more fit. If you have diabetes regular exercise is the key to controlling one’s blood sugar. That said, changing your routine and swapping a bath for a shower can’t hurt and most certainly may help you better manage your blood sugar issues.
