Regular hot water bathing was also associated with better blood pressure control and weight management. © Shutterstock
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies diabetes as a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the body does not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that plays a central role in controlling blood sugar levels in the body. If your body cannot make or use insulin correctly, it can lead to hyperglycemia or an increased concentration of glucose in the blood. Persistent hyperglycemia can affect your eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart and lead to serious complications.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and it also affects kids and teens, primarily due to childhood obesity. But type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed naturally with a healthy lifestyle, regular physical activity, maintaining normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use. Taking regular hot baths may also help reduce the risk of this type of diabetes, suggested a new study presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).
According to the researchers, taking regular hot baths may help improve blood sugar levels, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a measure of blood sugar control that refers to the blood molecules to which glucose or sugar has stuck to. Higher glycated hemoglobin levels indicate high blood sugar.
Various forms of heat therapy, like hot baths and saunas, are recommended as a way to reduce body fat levels and improve glycated hemoglobin levels. However, so far, there is no strong evidence supporting hot water baths as a reliable form of therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes.
In the new study, the researchers followed the bathing habits of 1,297 patients with type 2 diabetes at the Kohnodai Hospital, Japan, between 2018 and 2019. They compared the frequency of bathing with the metabolic parameters of the patients. Mention may be made here that hot water baths are essential parts of the Japanese culture.
The study found that an increased frequency of bathing was associated with decreasing levels of glycated hemoglobin, after adjusting for age, sex, BMI and insulin use. Precisely, a mean frequency of hot water bathing 4.2 times a week for a mean duration of 16 minutes was associated with a decrease in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure and glycated hemoglobin levels.
Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that daily exposure to heat via a hot water bath can improve the conditions of type 2 diabetes patients as well as help reduce the risk factors associated with it.
In addition, regular hot water bathing was also associated with better blood pressure control and weight management.
What's more, taking a hot bath can improve blood flow and thus reduce blood pressure and stiffening of the blood vessels. It can also kill bacteria, improve immunity and relieve the symptoms of cold and flu. If you have sleep problems, taking a hot bath before going to bed may help too.
