# Editorial policy: how every page is researched and checked

Source: https://saunabenefits.uk/about/editorial-policy/
Author: Kit Ellery · Updated 2026-11-04

**Short answer:** Every health claim on Sauna Benefits is based on published human research where it exists, linked to its source and graded. We prefer randomised trials, systematic reviews and large long-term cohort studies, use NHS and RNLI guidance for safety, check each number against its source before publishing, and correct mistakes openly.

## What sources do we rely on?

From most to least weight:

1. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.
2. Individual randomised trials in people, including small physiology trials that measure blood pressure or blood vessel function directly.
3. Large prospective cohort studies, such as the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease study in Finland, which followed people for decades. These show what goes with regular sauna use, not what it causes, and we say so each time.
4. Surveys and uncontrolled studies, clearly marked as weaker.
5. Official guidance from the NHS, the RNLI and other UK bodies, for safety, pregnancy and cold water.

Animal and cell studies only appear when they explain why something is being studied. They never count as evidence that it works in people. We do not use sauna makers' websites or marketing as sources.

## How are claims graded?

With four grades, from strong to no good evidence, set out on [how we grade evidence](/about/evidence-grades/). The grade is about the quality of the human evidence, not how many people swear by it.

## Why do so many pages cite the same Finnish team?

Because most of the long-term evidence on saunas comes from one study population in eastern Finland, analysed by an overlapping group of researchers. That is a real limitation. The findings are consistent and the follow-up is long, but they have not yet been repeated in other countries on the same scale. We grade them with that in mind.

## How do we deal with industry funding?

Some studies of infrared saunas and cold-water products were paid for by the companies that sell them. We say so when we describe those studies. Funding does not make a result wrong, but independent replication counts for more.

## Do we use AI?

Yes. AI tools help us search the literature, summarise papers and draft text. A person then checks every temperature, time, percentage and result against the original source before a page is published. If we cannot trace a claim to a source, it does not go on the site.

## How often are pages updated?

Each page shows when it was last updated. Health pages are reviewed at least once a year, and sooner if an important study or a change in UK guidance comes out.

## What if we get something wrong?

We correct it, update the date and, if the correction changes the meaning, add a note at the end of the page. Please email [hello@saunabenefits.uk](mailto:hello@saunabenefits.uk) with the page and a link to the evidence.