If you've been exposed to and tested for high levels of heavy metals and toxins, and you're wanting to exponentially increase the detoxification process, the niacin protocol may be the solution you're looking for.
The niacin sauna protocol is an extreme measure to boost the infrared sauna detoxification prowess, and therefore it's important that before beginning, you talk to your health physician about this protocol and any pre-existing medical conditions.
How niacin vitamin B3 works for sauna detoxification is very similar to how far-infrared wavelengths work. Just like the infrared, niacin targets the fat cells and causes them to disperse, releasing heavy metals and toxins that have been stored, back into the bloodstream, allowing the detox method of the body to occur. Before we talk about the niacin protocol, it's important to know what exactly niacin is.
What is niacin?
Niacin is another name for vitamin B3 and has many different functions in the human body. Niacin helps convert food into energy and is commonly found in a range of food sources such as whole grains, nuts, meat, and fish. More interestingly, another function of niacin is to increase detoxification, and the body's physiological response to taking niacin is skin flushing, known as the niacin flush.
What is the niacin flush?
A niacin flush is a physiological response after ingesting niacin that occurs due to the niacin reaction to cells in the body that induces vasodilation in capillaries (widening of blood vessels), causing blood to flow to the surface of the body and causing red, sometimes sore, or itchy irritations on the skin usually in the face and upper body. Reaction times differ from person to person and will usually occur between 5-10 minutes after ingesting and last for about 20-30 minutes, although it can sometimes last up to an hour.
Is the niacin detox protocol safe?
Controlled doses of niacin between 50mg - 200mg are safe to ingest and may cause the niacin flush response. Amounts of up to 5000mg have been used in studies to detoxify soldiers in the Gulf War, sufferers of Agent Orange, and even first responders to 9/11. For your everyday sauna user, we recommend staying within the 50-200mg range depending on your results and responses. Let's take a look at the niacin sauna detox protocol.
What is the niacin detox sauna protocol?
What you will need to do in the niacin detox sauna protocol is:
- Niacin
- Activated Charcoal
- Purified Water
- Electrolyte Drink
- Towel
- Multi-vitamins
- Access to a Clearlight Infrared® Sauna
- Access to a shower
- Access to an exercise area
Step 1: Niacin Protocol
Ensure you have been eating and will continue to eat a nutritional and healthy diet a few days before you begin the protocol, during the length of time you continue the protocol, and after you finish the protocol. During your session, toxins will be released at many different places throughout your body. If you’ve eaten fibre-rich foods in the last 16 to 24 hours, the body has a better ability to remove different toxins through your digestive system. Not all toxins are thus removed through your sweat, but the digestive system is sometimes even more important as a detoxification pathway.
Removing toxins from your body is essential. Different types of toxins play a major role in many different lifestyle-based diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and blood vessel and heart conditions. In the best case, avoiding the ingestion of toxins and heavy metals in your foods will lower your overall toxic load and in conjunction with the protocol, will have you as toxic-free as can be.
Step 2: Niacin Protocol
Pre-heat your Clearlight Infrared® Sauna to your desired temperature. Your intention here is to sweat, so put it to a temperature you are using to, enjoy, and get the best results out of. Your sauna will be pre-heating for about 20-30 minutes before you get in, so make sure you set aside ample time for the entirety of the protocol.
Step 3: Niacin Protocol
Take a small dose between 50mg - 100mg of niacin, ground up, on an empty stomach with about 4-8oz of purified water. The amount of niacin you take will be determined by the niacin flush reaction you have, so starting slowly and monitoring your reaction is important.
If you do not flush within 10-30 minutes, that may mean you need to have more to first get a response. It's important to note that some people may not flush until they are in the sauna, so always start slow and monitor how you feel.
For niacin to have its effect, you’ll need to ingest it 20-30 minutes prior to your infrared sauna session. This gives ample time to begin step 4.
Step 4: Niacin Protocol
While your sauna is warming up, and you're awaiting the niacin flush response, you need to engage in 20-30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise to begin moving the blood, activating your lymphatic system, and inducing a sweat before you get into your sauna. If you cannot engage in moderate to high-intensity exercise, just perform a slow-cardio exercise.
If you’re in good shape, you can push yourself quite hard. Do keep in mind though that exercise before your infrared sauna session places more stress on your body, so only combined the two when you’ve adequately recovered. If not, then a relaxing gentle walk or bike ride does wonders.
- Slow-cardio exercise might include walking/jogging.
- Moderate exercise might include riding/running.
- High-intensity exercise might include a HIIT workout.
Step 5: Niacin Protocol
Take a quick, warm shower after your workout to rinse off any sweat. Do not put anything on your skin other than water. The niacin will have begun and the metals and toxins will have begun to detox through your skin. Make sure you are clean from water and dry off with a towel.
Step 6: Niacin Protocol
Enter your Clearlight Infrared® Sauna after 20-30mins of exercise. Your sauna will be at your desired temperature and you should be red to the skin from the niacin flush response. If you're tired, light-headed, or too dizzy from your workout, rest before entering your pre-heated sauna and always stay in your means of safety.
While in your sauna, use your towel to gently remove the sweat from your skin as often as possible. Be careful not to hurt your skin as it may be tender from the niacin flush.
Throughout your sauna session, it's essential to ask yourself, "What should I drink during a sauna?" The answer is to consistently hydrate by consuming water or an electrolyte-rich beverage, replenishing vital minerals and maintaining optimal hydration levels.
Stay in your sauna for 25-60 minutes depending on your tolerance.
Step 7: Niacin Protocol
After your sauna session, wipe yourself down with a clean towel, find somewhere to rest, and take 2-4 capsules of activated charcoal.
Step 8: Niacin Protocol
Rinse off in a cold shower. Taking a 1-minute cold shower allows the toxins that weren’t taken up by the towel to be removed from your skin. You can learn about how the use of cold after a sauna raises the body's ability to detox in a recent article.
Step 9: Niacin Protocol
Relax in a calm and safe space, rehydrate yourself with your electrolyte drink, and ensure you take your multivitamins. The excessive sweating in the protocol will deplete you with many salts, electrolytes, nutrients, and minerals, so it's extremely important to replenish your levels. Be careful that some multivitamins may be harsh on your empty stomach, so take some healthy food before having them. Avoid proteins for a 1-2hrs after your sauna sessions.
Step 10: Niacin Protocol
Make sure to measure your responses, both of the niacin on a session-by-session basis, but also your overall heavy-metal and toxin levels over a long period of time. Conducting a niacin protocol twice a week will provide you with sufficient results if you can monitor and measure them. Otherwise, your evidence for the results will only be anecdotal based on how you feel and not quantifiable.
Remember, the reason to embark on this protocol is because of a high level of heavy metals and toxins in your system. The goal should be to detoxify, and the best measure to remain toxin-free is to lower your exposure through lifestyle choices.
Repetition, measuring, and building a healthy lifestyle is the most important part of the protocol.