# Passive heat therapy for lowering systolic blood pressure and improving vascular function in mid-life and older adults

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · 2023 · $375,588

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Aging is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as mild cognitive
impairment (MCI). Above-normal systolic blood pressure (SBP; ≥120 mmHg) further increases risk of
dementias, due, in part, to SBP-associated cerebrovascular dysfunction, i.e., impaired cerebral blood flow
regulation. Accordingly, midlife and older adults with above-normal SBP are at the highest risk for cognitive
decline driven by vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementias in this age group.
Excessive reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress and reductions in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability
within the cerebral vasculature likely mediate cerebrovascular dysfunction with aging and contribute to MCI
and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in those with above-normal SBP.
Passive heat therapy (regular short-term increases in body core temperature) is an established lifestyle
practice in certain cultures (e.g., sauna bathing in Finland; hot spring bathing in Japan) and may be effective
for decreasing risk of dementias. Epidemiological research suggests regular sauna use is associated with
~65% lower incidence of dementias, supporting heat therapy as a powerful candidate approach to significantly
reduce risk of dementias. However, randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to establish the causal
link between passive heat therapy and risk factors for MCI, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Results from our pilot trial show that 8-10 weeks of heat therapy (hot water immersion 3x1 h/week) lowered
SBP (-10 mmHg) and improved cognitive performance and cerebrovascular function vs. sham
(thermoneutral water immersion). Heat therapy also reduced vascular markers of oxidative stress and
increased NO bioavailability.
Our parent award is a randomized clinical trial assessing 3 months (36 x 1 h sessions) of passive heat therapy
vs. sham immersion for lowering SBP and improving peripheral vascular function in midlife and older adults
with SBP 120-139 mmHg. This proposal will extend the work of our parent grant by assessing the efficacy of
heat therapy for: 1) increasing key domains of cognitive performance; 2) improving cerebrovascular blood
flow and other measures of cerebrovascular function and health that are closely linked to MCI and
dementias; and 3) decreasing oxidative stress and increasing NO-bioavailability, important mechanisms likely
underlying cognitive impairment and dementias. This research is highly relevant to MCI and Alzheimer’s
disease and related dementias, as it will evaluate a novel lifestyle-based therapy for improving key risk factors
for these disorders. Leveraging our existing clinical trial, we will provide the first evidence for the efficacy of
passive heat therapy for enhancing cognitive and cerebrovascular function in older adults at risk of developing
MCI and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Lastly, the proposed research will also stimulate future
research pr...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10712162
- **Project number:** 3R01AG073117-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- **Principal Investigator:** DOUGLAS R SEALS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $375,588
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-04-01 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10712162

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10712162, Passive heat therapy for lowering systolic blood pressure and improving vascular function in mid-life and older adults (3R01AG073117-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10712162. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*