Effect of a Single Finnish Sauna Session on White Blood Cell Profile and Cortisol Levels in Athletes and Non-Athletes

• Authors: Wanda Pilch , Ilona Pokora , Zbigniew Szyguła , Tomasz Pałka , Paweł Pilch , Tomasz Cisoń , Lesław Malik , Szczepan Wiecha
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Finnish sauna bathing on a white blood cell profile, cortisol levels and selected physiological indices in athletes and non-athletes. The study evaluated 9 trained middle-distance runners and 9 male non-athletes. The subjects from both groups participated in 15-minute sauna sessions until their core temperature rose by 1.2°C (mean temperature in the sauna room was 96° ± 2°C; relative humidity was 15 ± 3%) with a 2 minute cool down with water at a temperature of 19-20°C. Body mass was measured before and after the session and blood samples were taken for tests. Rectal temperature was monitored at five-minute intervals during the whole session. Serum total protein, haematological indices and cortisol levels were determined. Sauna bathing caused higher body mass loss and plasma volume in the athletes compared to the group of non-athletes. After the sauna session, an increased number of white blood cells, lymphocyte, neutrophil and basophil counts was reported in the white blood cell profile. Higher increments in leukocyte and monocyte after the sauna bathing session were recorded in the group of athletes compared to untrained subjects. The obtained results indicated that sauna bathing stimulated the immune system to a higher degree in the group of athletes compared to the untrained subjects.

Keywords

EN

sauna bath; white blood cell profile; cortisol; immunology

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 127-135

Dates

published

1 - 12 - 2013

online

31 - 12 - 2013

Contributors

author

Wanda Pilch

• Institute of Biomedical Science, University School of Physical Education, Cracow, Poland.
• The State Higher Vocational School, Nowy Sącz, Poland.

author

Ilona Pokora

• Department of Physiology, University School of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.

author

Zbigniew Szyguła

• Institute of Biomedical Science, University School of Physical Education, Cracow, Poland.
• The State Higher Vocational School, Nowy Sącz, Poland.

author

Tomasz Pałka

• Institute of Biomedical Science, University School of Physical Education, Cracow, Poland.
• The State Higher Vocational School, Nowy Sącz, Poland.

author

Paweł Pilch

• Rydygier Memorial Hospital, Cracow, Poland.

author

Tomasz Cisoń

• Institute of Biomedical Science, University School of Physical Education, Cracow, Poland.
• The State Higher Vocational School, Nowy Sącz, Poland.

author

Lesław Malik

• Rydygier Memorial Hospital, Cracow, Poland.

author

Szczepan Wiecha

• Institute of Biomedical Science, University School of Physical Education, Cracow, Poland.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/hukin-2013-0075