Yet another area of study where health applications in the 1800’s and 1900’s resulted in elite sport applications which then resulted in discovery of far more science oriented applications to the general population for long term health, slower aging, etc, etc.
I got interested in the subject of use of jacuzzi, hot whirlpools, hot springs, sauna, etc in the mid-to late 1980’s when info on the subject went throught its first research explosion in the U.S.. Largely driven by the era of East German and Soviet interest in “adaptogens” and workout recovery modalities. Aside from being exposed to not-so-science oriented stuff published track coaches journals, in the late 80’s I flew out to Colorado Springs, Colorado for a week to attend the first World Congress On Sport Sciences. Several researchers there presented their data on various workout recovery modalities. Identifying what to do and what not to do.
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In the mid-to-late 1980’s, as a high school track and cross-country coach at West Potomac high school Alexandria Virginia I took advantage of a county recreation center located about a 3 minute drive down the street from the school at the corner of Fort Hunt rd and Belleview blvd. It had a Jacuzzi, sauna, and swimming pool. I designated one day each week where I took my runners there for 10 to 15 minutes sitting in the sauna, followed by 10 minutes in the Jacuzzi. That was followed by a few minutes of floating or swimming slowly on one’s back in the pool.
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So research explosion number 1 focussed on the macro level. As a species we established for certain that use of sauna and Jacuzzi provided stimuli for production of the major players in enhancing changes to cells induced by workouts [a.k.a training adaptations] such as brain derived neurotrophic factor, various other forms of neurotrophins including the isoforms of nerve growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 and various isoforms of growth hormone.
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Research explosion number 2 is currently underway.
This time the focus on use of heat related modalities is on the effects of heat on things called “heat shock proteins” and their impact on far broader subjects such as slower aging, longevity, epi-gentics, improving general health. Everything from reduction in blood pressure to lengthening of gene telomeres.

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TheETG protocols….

TheETG recovery, restoration, adaptation —–

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— Hot Jacuzzi 10 minutes [98 – 105 degrees F]
— Epsom salt bath = 10 minutes hot bath in epsom salts [magnesium absorbed through skin].
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“After initial pilot studies, all volunteers took baths (temperatures 50-55°C) and stayed in the bath for 12 minutes.”
“….soaking in Epsom salts therefore increases blood magnesium concentrations…”
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“…..all individuals had significant rises in plasma magnesium and sulfate at a level of 1% Epsom salts. This equates to 1g MgS04/100ml water; 600g Epsom salts/60 litres, the standard size UK bath taken in this project (~15 US gallons). However, most volunteers had significantly raised Mg/S0 levels on baths with 400g MgS0 added. Above the 600g/bath level, volunteers complained that the water felt ‘soapy’.”
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“The values obtained suggest that most people would find maximal benefit by bathing 2 or 3 times/week, using 500-600g Epsom salts each time.”
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“Bathing in Epsom salts is a safe and easy way to increase sulfate and magnesium levels in the body.”
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R.H Waring
Report on Absorption of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) across the skin
School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom