Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men

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Table 2 Measured variables in STS and FIRS bathing 30 min or in STS and sitting in a normal room (NO SAUNA) 30 min and in both cases during recovery sitting another 30 min (mean ± SD)

Variable	Before STS	After STS	Recovery 30 min	Recovery 60 min
Isometric bench press (kg)
FIRS	96.6 ± 14.6	78.9 ± 12.4^a	83.7 ± 13.2^a	–
NO SAUNA	97.2 ± 15.9	80.3 ± 12.7^a	84.6 ± 13.1^a	–
Isometric leg press (kg)
FIRS	428 ± 79	374 ± 70^a	383 ± 78^a	–
NO SAUNA	424 ± 70	362 ± 69^a	372 ± 83^a	–
Heart rate (beats/min)
FIRS	68 ± 10	129 ± 16^a	87 ± 10	77 ± 10
NO SAUNA	67 ± 8	125 ± 8^a	76 ± 8	67 ± 8
Blood pressure (mm Hg)
FIRS systolic	130 ± 13	158 ± 15^a	129 ± 13	128 ± 12
FIRS diastolic	74 ± 9	75 ± 18	76 ± 6	78 ± 12
NO SAUNA systolic	132 ± 15	163 ± 13^a	129 ± 10	129 ± 12
NO SAUNA diastolic	74 ± 9	75 ± 18	76 ± 6	78 ± 12
pH
FIRS	7.41 ± 0.02	7.32 ± 0.06^a	7.42 ± 0.02	7.41 ± 0.02
NO SAUNA	7.41 ± 0.02	7.34 ± 0.02^a	7.40 ± 0.03	7.41 ± 0.02
Lactate (mmol/l)
FIRS	1.8 ± 0.9	13.2 ± 1.7^a	4.4 ± 1.6	2.4 ± 0.9
NO SAUNA	2.6 ± 1.7	12.1 ± 1.9^a	3.8 ± 0.8	2.5 ± 0.7
Testosterone (nmol/l)
FIRS	18.1 ± 5.2	22.7 ± 6.5^b	20.3 ± 5.4	20.1 ± 5.9
NO SAUNA	18.5 ± 7.5	22.3 ± 6.4^b	20.5 ± 7.5	19.8 ± 7.4
Cortisol (nmol/l)
FIRS	471 ± 162	449 ± 159	435 ± 213	368 ± 242^b
NO SAUNA	467 ± 197	441 ± 216	401 ± 219	320 ± 189^b
Growth hormone (µg/l)
FIRS	0.2 ± .0.2	43.3 ± 36.6^a	16.6 ± 12.2^b	6.5 ± 7.0
NO SAUNA	1.3 ± 3.5	40.5 ± 41.9^a	13.5 ± 17.3^b	6.6 ± 8.8
Body mass (kg)
FIRS	81.1 ± 6.3	80.8 ± 6.2	80.7 ± 6.2^c	80.6 ± 6.2^c
NO SAUNA	80.9 ± 6.6	80.6 ± 6.6	80.5 ± 6.6	80.5 ± 6.6
CMJ (m)
FIRS	0.37 ± 0.05	0.33 ± 0.05^a	0.34 ± 0.05^a	–
NO SAUNA	0.37 ± 0.06	0.33 ± 0.07^a	0.33 ± 0.08^a