Every now and then I see an article published by a well known periodical proclaiming that there is no way to detox through sweating. What planet are they from? Surely not Earth, and those writers are certainly not paying attention to the scientific evidence. The question of whether or not sweating is detoxifying has already been answered over and over again through scientific research. The answer to that question, then, is a resounding yes, sweating does release toxins and toxicants from the body. The real question is how should the process of sweating be formalized into therapeutic detoxification protocols.
Let’s talk about BPA…
Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is a toxic substance to humans. Exposure to BPA is linked to miscarriage, obesity, sexual dysfunction and other health problems.
BPA is widely used as a strengthener for plastics such as liquid containers and straws, etc. It is likely that it bioaccumulates in humans according to data from recent studies. Bioaccumulation occurs when toxic substances build up and are stored by the body faster than they can be detoxified.
BPA is excreted in sweat and BPA concentrations in sweat are consistently much higher than in urine. It is important to note here that infrared sweat is more effective for removing BPA than normal sweating induced from a traditional environment. As for infrared sweat, it is well established that much higher levels of toxic substances are present as opposed to that of sweating from traditional saunas heated by old school convection devices.
We know that significant amounts of toxic substances can be found in human sweat. One such toxicant is BPA. BPA is a chemical toxicant that has been linked to adverse health effects on humans. Currently there is no established detox method to eliminate this contaminant from the body.
Many doctors do recommend infrared sauna exposure for detoxification. But, perhaps doctors should develop more infrared sauna protocols for detoxification of BPA and other toxic substances.
In one study using 20 participants, researchers assessed the concentration of BPA in blood, urine, and sweat. The idea was to see if sweating could be an intervention method for detox of BPA from the human body.
Body fluids were collected from the 20 participants and then analyzed for levels of toxicants including that of BPA. BPA was indeed present at varying levels in blood, urine, and sweat.
The study concluded that, “Biomonitoring of BPA through blood and/or urine testing may underestimate the total body burden of this potential toxicant. Sweat analysis should be considered as an additional method for monitoring bioaccumulation of BPA in humans. Induced sweating appears to be a potential method for elimination of BPA.”¹
Conclusion:
Avoid products with BPA such as plastic water bottles and straws, and avoid touching or even accepting register receipts as both of these have BPA that can be passed on to your body. Of course there are many other sources of BPA that you can come in contact. So, you should also create a weekly detox plan so that your body does not become victim to bioaccumulation of this dangerous toxicant.
What can greatly enhance your detox efforts is a weekly hot exercise program such as one of the infrared workout programs offered by HOTWORX. Take advantage of infrared sauna workouts that can deliver a high level of detox through accelerated sweating.
