From yoga studios to boutique gyms, workouts performed beneath infrared heating panels have become a visible fitness trend. Studios often claim that infrared heat improves circulation, flexibility and recovery, reduces inflammation and helps the body to “detoxify”.
Author
- Lee Brown
Senior Lecturer, Strength and Conditioning, University of East London
It is an appealing idea. Exercise already provides substantial health benefits , so could infrared heat make a workout more effective? At present, direct evidence is scarce. But a recent review of hot-yoga research found no clear evidence that exercising in heat provides greater health benefits than comparable exercise at ordinary temperatures.
Many commercial classes use far-infrared panels, which transfer heat to the skin and other surfaces in the room. This differs from photobiomodulation , sometimes called red-light therapy. Photobiomodulation uses selected red or near-infrared wavelengths at controlled doses with the aim of influencing cells, rather than mainly heating the body.
Most relevant research has examined passive sauna bathing, heat applied to one part of the body or photobiomodulation. Findings from those studies cannot automatically be applied to people exercising beneath far-infrared panels.
1. Does infrared help the body detoxify?
There is no convincing evidence that infrared workouts improve health by “detoxifying” the body.
The primary purpose of sweating is temperature control. As sweat evaporates from the skin, it helps prevent the body from overheating. Researchers have detected metals and other substances in sweat, and one review suggested that sweating may contribute to their excretion. However, those studies did not show that sweating meaningfully reduced the amount stored in the body or produced a health benefit.
Finding a substance in sweat does not establish useful detoxification. Exercising in heat makes people sweat more, but heavier sweating should not be presented as proof that more “toxins” have been removed.
2. Does infrared improve circulation?
Exercise increases blood flow to working muscles. Heat also causes more blood to flow near the skin so the body can release heat, while sweating and heart rate usually increase .
Regular sauna use may have cardiovascular effects of its own. In an eight-week trial , 47 physically inactive adults with cardiovascular risk factors were assigned by chance to exercise alone, exercise followed by a 15-minute traditional sauna, or no intervention.
The exercise-plus-sauna group showed greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, meaning the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen during exercise. They also showed greater improvements in systolic blood pressure, the upper number in a blood-pressure reading, and total cholesterol.
This was a small study of traditional sauna bathing after exercise. It did not test infrared panels during a workout. An infrared class will increase skin blood flow while participants are hot, but whether it produces additional lasting cardiovascular benefits remains unknown.
3. Can infrared reduce inflammation or improve recovery?
Heat can reduce the discomfort of sore muscles. A review combining 32 trials found that heat and cold treatments reduced pain from delayed-onset muscle soreness, the aching and stiffness that can appear after unfamiliar or strenuous exercise. The treatments varied widely and did not include infrared fitness classes.
In a 2023 study , 16 male basketball players each tried an infrared sauna and ordinary rest after strength training on separate occasions. The sauna reduced reported soreness and limited the decline in jump performance. It did not improve sprint performance or the maximum force produced by the leg muscles.
A 2025 review of 14 studies involving 194 participants concluded that the evidence for improved short-term recovery after heat exposure was uncertain. Feeling less sore also does not prove that inflammation throughout the body has fallen or that damaged tissue has repaired faster.
Infrared warmth may make recovery feel more comfortable, but evidence that exercising beneath infrared panels speeds it up is insufficient.
4. Can infrared improve flexibility?
Warmth can make stretching feel easier, but evidence for a special infrared effect is lacking.
In a small study of 24 healthy adults , researchers used shortwave diathermy, a clinical treatment that uses high-frequency electromagnetic energy to warm tissue beneath the skin. It increased ankle dorsiflexion – the movement used to bring the top of the foot towards the shin – by an average of 1.8 degrees immediately after treatment.
The treatment was not infrared heating, the improvement was small and immediate, and the study did not show lasting changes. Longer-term flexibility is developed through regular stretching or strength exercises performed through an appropriate range of movement.
5. Are infrared workouts safe?
Direct safety research on commercial infrared workouts is limited, so the risks should be considered in the same way as other exercise performed in heat .
During a heated workout, the body must deliver blood to working muscles while also sending more blood to the skin and producing sweat. This extra effort to keep internal temperature within a safe range can make a familiar session feel harder and increase the risk of dehydration and heat illness.
Participants should begin reasonably hydrated, drink in response to thirst and avoid treating extreme sweating as evidence of a better workout. Drinking excessive amounts can also be dangerous. It can cause exercise-associated hyponatraemia , in which too much fluid dilutes the sodium in the blood.
Anyone who develops dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache or unusual weakness should stop exercising and move somewhere cooler. People with heart or circulatory disease, conditions that affect sweating or temperature control, or a history of heat illness should seek medical advice before taking part.
Some medicines can make it harder for the body to control its temperature , so anyone who is uncertain should ask a doctor or pharmacist.
6. Are infrared workouts worth trying?
Infrared workouts may suit people who enjoy exercising in warmth. Heat can temporarily increase skin blood flow, reduce feelings of soreness and make movement feel more comfortable. These effects may improve the experience of a class, but they have not been shown to transform its health or fitness benefits.
Regular exercise improves health. Infrared panels may change how a workout feels, but robust evidence does not currently support claims that they provide additional benefits for detoxification, recovery, flexibility or cardiovascular health.
