Integrative Physiology of Aging Lab at CU Boulder logo

TRIAL DESCRIPTION   |   TRIAL LOCATION   |   FAQ

Clinical Trial:

Heat Therapy to Lower Blood Pressure

The Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder is investigating if using a hot tub 3 times per week for 3 months can lower blood pressure and improve vascular function.

CONTACT US: (970) 460-8970  or  hottubstudy@colorado.edu

Woman with high blood pressure in hot tub

Do you qualify?

High blood pressure icon

1.

Your top blood pressure number is 115 mmHg or higher

Over 40 years old icon

2.

You are age 40+

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3.

You can come to our lab for tub sessions 3 times/week (~90 minutes each) for 3 months

How to participate:

Please contact us directly or fill out a screening form by pressing the “ENROLL HERE” button below and we will get back to you.

What you get out of participating:

Woman with high blood pressure in a hot tub

Health Information

We will share and briefly explain health information we collect during the study. This includes results from your physical exam, including body composition, blood panels, exercise stress test, and vascular function assessments and blood pressure measurements, all of which you can share with your physician.

Monetary compensation

We appreciate your time and effort volunteering with us. We will provide monetary compensation for your time.

Where is the trial taking place?

All study visits, including tub sessions, will take place at the University of Colorado Boulder campus.

Our laboratory is located at 1805 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80309. You can find our laboratory by clicking here. Because of the frequency of visits, it would be best if you lived within 30 miles of Boulder (shown in the map). We will provide you instructions for free parking on campus nearby our offices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will it take me to complete the study?

A: Completing the study will require ~75-80 hours of your time over the course of the 7-8-month study period. This includes screening visits to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria, baseline testing, tub sessions (3 tub sessions a week for 12 weeks) and post-intervention testing.

A: We will do our best to work with you and schedule tub sessions at a time convenient for you, but sessions can occur anytime between 7am and 6pm Monday through Friday as well as weekends, if needed.

A: We understand that life happens, so we do have some flexibility regarding the frequency of sessions and period they’re completed. That said, our project is funded and approved to assess the effects of 36 sessions of tub sessions over the course of 12 weeks. We can accommodate for travel, illness, and other life events; however, if you think you cannot consistently come in for 3 times/week, you may be too busy to participate.

A: Yes, we can potentially adjust the timing of your sessions to allow for you to still participate. For example, if you are planning to go on a week-long vacation around week 6 of the 12, we can do extra sessions before and/or after to ensure we complete the sessions around week 12.

A: After you have put on equipment we will use to monitor you throughout the session, you will get in the tub for 60 minutes. After the 60 minutes, we will have you sit outside of the tub for ~10 minutes to ensure you are properly recovering. You will then be free to change back into your clothes and use our shower, if you would like. If you would like to learn more about the tub sessions, please contact us.

call us: (970) 460-8970
email us: hottubstudy@colorado.edu