Infrared workouts are gaining traction, but what sets them apart?
They use infrared heaters that warm your body directly rather than heating the air around you.
Commonly proposed benefits include:
- Detoxification through deeper sweating, flushing out toxins, heavy metals and impurities
- Improved recovery and relaxation, reducing muscle soreness, joint pain and inflammation
- Better circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to muscles
- Easier breathing due to cooler air, helping you stay focused and energised throughout the workout.
However, some of these claims warrant scepticism. Take detoxification – arguably the most inflated benefit and just marketing dressed up as science:
- Detoxification claims seldom specify which ‘toxins’ are supposedly removed or to what degree. Without clear definitions, the claim can’t be properly tested.
- Sweat plays only a minimal role in removing substances from your body; your liver and kidneys do the heavy lifting.
- Infrared can make you warm, sweaty and relaxed, but there’s no robust evidence it meaningfully enhances detoxification.
My hypothesis is that most benefits attributed to infrared workouts stem from the ‘workout’ itself – not the ‘infrared’ component. Whether it’s a HIIT, Pilates or infrared group session, the common thread may simply be movement, enjoyment and community.
Popularity isn’t proof of effectiveness. History is full of widely adopted practices that haven’t held up under scientific scrutiny. And while anecdotes can be encouraging, they’re prone to bias and confounding – someone feeling better after an infrared workout may have achieved the same outcome through other forms of exercise.
It’s also worth mentioning that hot environments aren’t appropriate for everyone, including those who are pregnant or have certain medical conditions.
If you enjoy training in a heated space and it’s safe for you, infrared workouts can be a good fit. But based on current evidence, the heating component doesn’t seem to offer unique or clinically meaningful advantages.
I’m an advocate for physical activity in whatever shape or form, but I’m also an advocate for good science.
TL;DR:
- If you like infrared workouts and they suit your health and goals, then go for it. The best exercise is usually the one that gets done.
- There’s currently no strong evidence that infrared heating adds significant benefits to exercise, especially for detox claims. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
