Hot springs boost altitude training for young athletes?
NCT ID NCT07608887
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether taking hot spring baths (38°C for 20 minutes, three times a week) helps healthy teen athletes adapt to training at 1600 meters altitude. 27 participants were split into three groups: hot spring baths, hot water baths, or standard recovery. Researchers measured heart rate variability, exercise performance, and other markers over 4 weeks. The goal was to see if balneotherapy improves recovery and performance, but the small size and short duration mean results are preliminary.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- balneotherapy (hot spring bathing)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to help athletes recover and perform better during high-altitude training.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage study (27 teens) that only measures short-term effects. Results may not apply to other groups or real-world training.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Macao Polytechnic University
Macao, China
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