Ah, the many claims about the health benefits of saunas. Lose weight, cleanse the body of toxins, relieve arthritis symptoms, improve respiratory problems, etc. Snake oil or scientific fact? You be the judge. Lose Weight When you are in a sauna your heart rate increases as your body works to cool itself. 300 to 500 calories are burned during a 30-minute sauna session. True, but in a sauna the heart is the only muscle being exerted. Building and toning muscles from regular exercise gives the equivalent calorie burn with additional toning benefits. For optimal weight loss, do some exercise, then take a sauna afterwards. Eliminate Toxins “Saunas rid the body of toxins” is a claim made by many sauna sellers, and it is a commonly-held belief among sauna enthusiasts. However, there is no scientific evidence that heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) or other serious toxins are eliminated from the body by sauna use. There is also no evidence that sauna use is useless is…