Cold Plunge: What Does the Science Tell Us?
You’ve probably heard of the latest health trend and Biohack around the cold plunge. Since this is gaining in popularity and I receive dozens of emails weekly on its benefit, I thought it timely to discuss the science and rationale behind cold exposure. Since I have personal experience around the cold plunge, I can speak from my own personal response as well as the science surrounding the experience.
I’ve been studying the human body and its physiology now for more than 30 years. I am still fascinated and even surprised at times at how resilient our body is. The ability of our own physiology to adapt is not only amazing but once we understand the mechanisms, we can subject the body to brief periods of shock or stress and control the adaptation to our own benefit. The idea of ice baths is not new. Athletes have used ice baths for post-exercise recovery for decades. The use of ice baths dates back to 3500 BC and was used by the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks for medicinal purposes. Any modality that stands the test of time must work. Otherwise, it would work its way out of practice. The observed clinical benefits can now be partly explained by sound science and clear mechanisms of action.
Our body operates at an internal temperature of 98 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius. Our body has many regulatory mechanisms to maintain that temperature. Obviously, when we have an infection, our body will naturally increase our body temperature to help mobilize an immune response and lead to enhanced killing of any infection. This is fever. Too high temperature can be dangerous and fatal. Too low temperature can be dangerous and fatal. Therefore, a healthy body always has ways to maintain normal core temperature.
When we expose ourselves to cold water, our body responds by massively constricting all peripheral and superficial blood vessels in order to prevent heat loss from the cold-water exposure. This also causes and increase in the depth and rate of breathing. It causes heart rate to increase and combined with the vasoconstriction, consequently causes an increase in blood pressure. This is also the same response of increased heart rate, breathing and blood pressure we experience when we begin to exercise. The vasoconstriction remains as long as you remain in the cold environment. I have found that the first 30-45 seconds is the most uncomfortable. Once you come into your breath and adapt it gets easier, not easy, but easier. As little as 2-3 minutes exposure to cold can provide enormous benefit. Doing this routinely has been shown to improve glucose control, activate brown fat which increases thermogenesis improving metabolism and calorie burning, improve energy and improve cardiovascular health just to name a few.
What are the benefits of cold plunge?
- Decreased inflammation
- Activation of brown fat to increase thermogenesis
- Activation of the regulation of blood flow (production of vasoconstrictor and vasodilator molecules)
- Strengthen the immune system
- Help reset the autonomic nervous system
- Decrease swelling
- Decrease muscle soreness
- Improved glucose control
Just with everything else, a cold plunge is not without inherent risks. The body must be healthy and functional in order to adapt to brief periods of stress and shock. Those that are not healthy and especially those with heart problems should probably avoid the cold plunge. If have a history of cardiovascular disease, previous heart attack, high blood pressure, heart failure, pulmonary disease or on certain medications like beta blockers, I would not recommend cold exposure. If your heart is not strong enough or your coronary arteries cannot produce nitric oxide to dilate the coronary arteries, then the increased stress on the heart from the cold plunge may cause serious medical conditions. This could also activate a vulnerable plaque in your arteries and lead to heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism. These are all biologically plausible mechanisms that could be triggered by cold exposure. This does not mean they will happen but certainly can be explained if they do happen. You should consult your cardiologist just as you would before beginning an exercise regimen to make sure your heart is strong enough to support the stress.
What are the risks of cold plunge
- Heart attack
- Hyperventilation and respiratory alkalosis
- Difficulty breathing
- Hypothermia
Every person is different and some may have additional risks based on their own pathology. As with any decision we make, we should always consider the risk vs benefit based on our own health and physiology.
Personally, I have found that contrast therapy, which is going from hot to cold gives me a feeling of complete invigoration and energy that I do not experience from any other modality. Going from a 170 degree infrared sauna to a 37 degree cold bath is referred to as contrast therapy. This also reminds me how strong our mind is. You have to prepare your mind, come into your breath and overcome the brief discomfort from the cold bath. There is nothing pleasant for me about the ice bath while doing it. However, I feel energized, focused and accomplished once I emerge from a 2-3 minute ice bath. I am healthy and my body can respond and adapt to the changing environment. I think of this as exercising your blood vessels. The heat leads to vasodilation and the cold leads to vasoconstriction. This builds the foundation for maintaining proper blood flow regulation, improving nitric oxide production, improving vascular compliance and elasticity and improving your overall metabolism. Sounds pretty good to me and I feel these effects afterward.
If you want to improve your experience from contrast therapy, consider taking a binder prior to sauna to help bind any toxins released during the sauna. I use an algae product, chorella and spirulina which provide micronutrients as well as binders for toxins. Also take our nitric oxide lozenge prior to sauna and cold plunge to help with the vasoreactivity and the control of perfusion. I also recommend you have a coach with you to help you prepare and help you through the breathing and to tell you how bad ass you are for sitting in an ice-cold tub for 3 minutes. Without that encouragement it is easy to cut the session short and give in to weakness. Remember it is mind over matter. Preparing our mind for a cold plunge trains it to overcome any other stresses or trauma we deal with on a daily basis. It is not what happens to us that defines us, it is how we respond to what happens to us. Train your body to adapt to any stressor and you will live a happier, healthier life.
Dr. Nathan S. Bryan is a biochemist and physiologist that has more than 20 years of basic science and clinical research. His many seminal discoveries have resulted in dozens of issued U.S. and International patents. He is an international expert in nitric oxide and molecular medicine. Dr. Bryan is an innovator and successful entrepreneur who product technology is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue worldwide. This content is not intended to replace medical advice from a physician.
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