Do Sauna Suits Work As Claimed?

My Instagram algorithm knows me pretty well. As an avid gym-goer, I can’t spend more than 5 minutes on reels without stumbling upon some kind of fitness-related content.

And trust me, when I saw sauna suits for the first time, I instantly rolled my eyes — here we go again, another bogus health trend. But being skeptical does not prevent you from digging deeper; thus, I decided to learn all the nitty-gritty details behind these sauna suits.

What is a sauna suit?

“Sauna suits are heat-trapping garments made from non-breathable materials, such as PVC or neoprene. When worn during exercise, they prevent your body from cooling down by retaining the heat,” explained Dr. Krutika Nanavati to WellnessPulse.

Being a registered nutritionist and dietitian, she works closely with athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and individuals navigating weight management; thus, she also deals with questions about sauna suits.

While she agrees that wearing a sauna suit can lead to an illusion of weight loss, this is most likely not what you are aiming for.

“What's happening physiologically is that your body is shedding water through sweat, not actually burning fat at a higher rate,” she explained to our readers.

In addition, the elevated temperature might also make the exercise feel more intense. As a result, postulates Dr. Krutika Nanavati, people often mistakenly believe they are burning more calories.

Do sauna suits help you lose weight?

“Nearly all of the weight loss achieved by using sauna suits is due to water weight. Your body is dehydrating itself rapidly, and once you drink fluids, the weight tends to come right back,” highlights Dr. Nanavati.

This type of ‘loss’ is unsustainable and doesn't reflect actual fat loss or metabolic improvement.

However, Dr. Krutika Nanavati does point out some benefits of sauna suits.

For instance, sauna suits may be used as a short-term temporary water weight loss method. While most people do not need it, some athletes, like boxers, wrestlers, and bodybuilders, could benefit from it.

Moreover, as mentioned by Dr. Nanavati, some people might find using a sauna suit motivating as they may increase the perceived intensity of a workout.

The science behind sauna suits

While some studies have been done on sauna suits for working out, the research on this topic is very limited. Both of the studies mentioned in this section are extremely small, making it difficult to draw any conclusions about sauna suits.

May be beneficial for heat acclimation

A study with 10 participants found that wearing a sauna suit may cause greater physiological strain and increase sweat losses compared to exercising in similar conditions without using heat-retention apparel.

Keep in mind that the authors of this study did not mention such health benefits as potential weight loss or increased metabolism. The main target of the study was to see if exercising in a sauna suit could be beneficial for heat acclimation — the process during which the body adapts to increased temperature.

In other words, working out in a sauna suit might help you prepare for activities in high temperatures.

May contribute to increased VO2 max and support weight loss

VO2 max is a biometric tracked to evaluate aerobic endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness. Improving it can be a great achievement — which is what was seen in one study with 45 obese or overweight participants.

The study divided participants into two groups. While both groups trained similarly, one trained in a sauna suit instead of regular apparel. In the end, the study concluded that the sauna suit-wearing group improved their VO2 max more than those who used no special apparel.

During the same study, participants wearing sauna suits improved other health parameters as well, including body mass, body fat, blood glucose levels, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and fat oxidation.

However, besides being a rather small study, it has another vital drawback worth mentioning. The study did not track dietary intake, other activities, or behaviors outside the training program.

Are there risks to wearing a sauna suit?

Yes, it can be dangerous to wear a sauna suit while working out. Dr. Krutika Nanavati shared some of the things to watch out for:

• Dehydration and dizziness
• Loss of essential electrolytes, causing fatigue, muscle cramps, and irregular heart rhythms
• Increased risk of heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, especially during cardio-based workouts
• Delayed recovery, as over-sweating can impair physical performance and lead to longer recovery times

“Some individuals also report skin irritation or rashes due to the lack of ventilation. And for anyone with cardiovascular issues or blood pressure concerns, raising body temperature artificially like this is not recommended without medical clearance,” she highlights further.

Final thoughts

Sauna suits are definitely not the trend I am jumping into, and it seems like the promise behind them is built on relatively thin research studies. While they can increase sweat production, if your goal is to reduce body fat percentage, sauna suits offer no benefits.

“The goal should be sustainable health, not chasing short-term visual results,” highlights Dr. Krutika Nanavati, since all the weight lost from working out in a sauna suit seems to be from water.

In her practice, she always recommends focusing on nutrient-dense meals, strategic hydration, sleep hygiene, and strength-based training. Those are the pillars that lead to long-term change.