The majority of studies included above indicate that while heat from hot tubs, saunas, and baths does negatively impact sperm, the effects are usually temporary. There is no hard proof that going to a spa can directly raise testosterone levels, but the heat and the state of relaxation may stimulate the body to produce more of this vital hormone. However, spa therapies’ heat and stress relief tools have been considered to increase testosterone levels.
Keeping stress and worry at bay in this manner may benefit a man’s mental, cardiovascular, and reproductive health. The good effects will be felt throughout the body, not just in one spot. If you’re worried about low testosterone, a massage therapist can help you boost your levels naturally by adjusting your eating, sleeping, and life style changes.
Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to a temporary decrease in testosterone production. The question of whether hot baths affect testosterone levels is a subject of ongoing interest. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm the effects of repeated sauna-induced thermal stress on specific hormones and the relationships between different hormones (such as the T/C ratio). An increase in COR concentrations is considered a sensitive indicator of a stress reaction and intolerance of heat, which is most frequently reported in infrequent or first-time sauna users (Follenius et al., 1982). In the present study, a significant decrease in COR levels could suggest that users who regularly use the sauna (twice a week) are accustomed to extreme changes in temperature.
The hormone-receptor complex then binds to DNA and activates the genes responsible for the production of specific proteins and enzymes (Jaskólski & Jaskólska, 2006). The group of hormones that regulate physiological processes during thermal stress involves steroid hormones that are fat-soluble and can easily cross cell membranes. Kosunen et al. (1976) and Lammintausta et al. (1976) observed an increase in the plasma concentrations of renin, angiotensin II, and aldosterone during a single sauna session. The production of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone is intensified to normalize blood pressure (Hannuksela & Ellahham, 2001; Kauppinen, 1989). Some of these changes resemble the processes that occur in response to other stressors, whereas other changes are typical of sauna-induced stress (Kukkonen-Harjula & Kauppinen, 1988). In the cited study, sauna bathing significantly contributed to the psychological and physical well-being of the vast majority of the participants, leaving them refreshed and relaxed. Emerging evidence suggests that sauna bathing delivers numerous health benefits by lowering the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and neurocognitive diseases, as well as nonvascular conditions, including pulmonary diseases such as the common flu.
Testosterone and COR levels can increase significantly even during low intensity exercise that is sufficiently prolonged (Brownlee et al., 2005; Väänänen et al., 2002). In men, the increase in TES is particularly important for resistance-induced adaptations (Vingren et al., 2010), but a very high and rapid increase in serum TES and COR levels was reported immediately after high-intensity endurance exercise (Kreamer et al., 1995). According to Foss and Keteyian (1997), TES concentrations increase with the duration of physical effort, but training-induced changes in TES levels have not been fully elucidated. The relationships between different hormone concentrations before and after sauna and changes in these relationships in view of the participants’ PA levels (expressed in MET units) are presented in Table 2.
Much of the vast research on cold exposure and testosterone has been dedicated to male physiology. A side effect of this process is the increased production of testosterone, the hormone crucial for muscle growth. In simpler terms, while resistance exercise typically leads to a surge in testosterone, introducing cold-water immersion into the recovery process may temper this rise. The research focused on the effects of cold-water immersion following resistance exercise.
Stable levels of body water (approximately 60% of body mass in adult men) and stable body temperature are required for healthy circulation and many physiological processes (Mayer & Bar-Or, 1994; Sawka, 1992). The production of some hormones increases during physiological stress when physical effort exceeds the body’s regulatory capabilities and induces an excessive response that triggers neurohormonal changes (Jaskólski & Jaskólska, 2006). One of the best studies on the recovery of sperm after heat exposure was done in 1963 by Tokuyama. Submerging the body in ice-cold water, typically in a tub or natural body of water. Short-term, more frequent cold exposures may be more effective for testosterone optimization than prolonged sessions.
Additionally, it can enhance insulin sensitivity, contributing to better hormone balance, improved body composition, and overall well-being. This activation not only helps regulate hormones but also improves energy expenditure and supports metabolic health. Exposing your body to cold, such as through a cold plunge, can activate brown fat. Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue (BAT), plays a key role in managing testosterone and estrogen levels by ramping up metabolic activity and energy usage.
Cortisol affects metabolism by maintaining blood glucose levels at a sufficiently high level during physiological stress. Plasma TES concentrations during the sauna bath did not change in the studies conducted by Leppäluoto et al. (1986) and Kukkonen-Harjula et al. (1989). They found that high-intensity strength exercise followed by sauna exerted a greater strain on neuromuscular performance than high-intensity endurance exercise or combined endurance and strength exercise followed by sauna. No significant relationships were found for the remaining hormones (COR, PRL, and DHEA-S) or their changes during the sauna treatment. Men with higher PA levels were characterized by significantly higher TES concentrations both before and after sauna. Only male students with moderate and high levels of PA (energy expenditure over 600 METs per week) were chosen for the study.