Does sauna remove microplastics?
Sweat is one of the body's primary pathways for excreting plastic-bound toxins. Here's what Bryan Johnson's data and peer-reviewed research say about sauna and microplastic elimination.
Contrast Market / Journal
The Journal
Long-form writing on thermal wellness — practice, culture, and the science that informs both.
Sauna for skin: what actually happens to your skin in the heat?
Heat dilates superficial vasculature, activates collagen-stimulating pathways, and triggers the same dermal response as therapeutic heat used in clinical dermatology. Here is what actually happens to your skin in the sauna.
Sauna after workout: does it increase muscle mass?
Heat exposure post-exercise activates HSP70 and IGF-1 pathways associated with hypertrophy. But the timing relative to cold exposure changes the outcome — here is the protocol that supports muscle growth.
Sauna and testosterone: does heat exposure increase T levels?
A single sauna session temporarily elevates testosterone via LH surge — but the protocol determines whether heat exposure is net-positive or net-negative for hormonal output. Here is what the data shows.
Sauna for longevity: what does Bryan Johnson's $4 million experiment show?
Bryan Johnson's Blueprint protocol uses sauna as a core longevity tool — not a recovery add-on. Here is what the data behind his practice shows about heat shock proteins, BDNF, and all-cause mortality.
The Contrast: Wired But Tired
Tired at 3pm, wired at night — it's a cortisol timing problem, not a willpower one. Issue 01 of The Contrast breaks down the caffeine-cortisol cycle and three adjustments that actually fix it.
Sauna for depression: does it actually work?
A UCSF clinical trial found a single sauna session produced antidepressant effects lasting six weeks. Here is what whole-body hyperthermia does to the brain — and what the research actually shows.
How often should you sauna? The dose-response data
The Finnish cohort data shows cardiovascular benefits begin at 2–3 sessions per week and peak at 4–7. Here is the full dose-response breakdown — and what it means for how you structure a practice.
Sauna and Alzheimer's prevention: what does the research say?
A 20-year Finnish cohort study found that sauna use 4–7 times per week was associated with a 66% reduction in dementia risk. Here is the mechanism — and what the data actually shows.
Sauna and sleep: the circadian temperature trick
The post-sauna cooling effect mimics the body's natural circadian temperature drop — accelerating sleep onset and increasing slow-wave sleep. Here is the mechanism and the protocol.
Sauna vs. cold plunge: which one should you do first?
The sequence of sauna and cold plunge isn't arbitrary. Here is what the research on contrast therapy, norepinephrine, and brown adipose tissue activation says about which one to do first — and why it depends on your goal.
Bryan Johnson Sauna Protocol
A structured breakdown of every major claim Bryan Johnson has made about sauna therapy — cardiovascular health, growth hormone, heat shock proteins, mood, and metabolism.
Dr. Andy Galpin Sauna Protocol
A structured breakdown of every major claim Dr. Andy Galpin has made about sauna therapy — cardiovascular health, growth hormone, heat shock proteins, mood, and metabolism.
The Contrast: Optimization is Not Always Optimal
What your wearables aren't telling you + sauna science worth knowing
Dr. Rhonda Patrick Sauna Protocol
A structured breakdown of every major claim Rhonda Patrick has made about sauna therapy — cardiovascular health, growth hormone, heat shock proteins, mood, and metabolism.
Andrew Huberman Sauna Protocol
A structured breakdown of every major claim Huberman has made about sauna therapy — cardiovascular health, growth hormone, heat shock proteins, mood, and metabolism.
