Should you be taking ice baths like celebs? How do they impact your fitness levels, insulin sensitivity and longevity?

The most popular method of cold therapy is CWI, commonly practised by athletes to accelerate post-training recovery and reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). As the name suggests, in CWI, an individual immerses his whole body in ice-cold water. Within CWI, we have two variants known as “head out immersion”, which refers to a submersion fundamentally to the sternum or neck; the other variant is submersion to the waist only.

Another form of CET is whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). However, one is unlikely to do this, as owning a cryo chamber and nitrogen gas tank at home is pretty expensive. Typically one would use a commercial facility with a cryogenic chamber. In a cryogenic chamber, one would stand in a tube wearing non-thermo-conductive footwear to avoid freezing up the feet. In the tube, liquid nitrogen gas is blasted, and the temperatures are pretty cold, anywhere between -110°C and -160°C. Of course, at this point, you would wonder how a person can tolerate that. Well, it is essential to remember that gas and liquid thermal conductivity are distinct. The gas coming at you goes away so quickly that it’s not nearly as capable of extracting heat from your body as ice-cold liquid water.

Nonetheless, in a cryo chamber, one would typically expose their body to cold for about 2-3 minutes. So it is worth noting that cold water immersion subjectively feels much colder than whole-body cryotherapy. Research studies demonstrate that WBC can also reduce muscle pain and inflammation. However, more research is required to confirm the magnitude of its efficacy compared to other CET methods, such as ice baths.

In the remainder of today’s article, we will be discussing ice bath/cold plunge in detail for two practical and academic reasons:

1. CWI is much more accessible to us than WBC because setting it up is as simple as buying ice from the shop and dropping it into a bathtub, so there are more questions about CWI that you might have than WBC, which would be comprehensively answered in this article.

2. The other reason we will spend the rest of the article addressing CWI is that there is simply much more literature available and studies done on it than on WBC.

The Science Behind the Chill

Cold exposure therapy operates on the principle of hormesis. This means when the body is exposed to mild to moderate stress, the body super compensates to overcome this stress. It becomes more resilient to the said stress level, thus eliciting a beneficial response. Cold exposure (CET) causes the peripheral blood vessels in arms and legs to constrict, also known as peripheral vasoconstriction, leading to the redistribution of blood towards your core and thus conserving heat. This process induces physiological adaptations that could potentially improve health and improve performance.

One such adaptation is the generation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) or brown fat. Unlike its infamous counterpart, white fat, the BAT burns calories to produce heat and maintain homeostasis of internal core temperature—a process known as non-shivering thermogenesis. Increased BAT activity has been linked to enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing obesity risk, potentially offering longevity benefits.

Not just that, but as per a meta-analysis published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, cold exposure also reduces the symptoms of depression. As explained in the journal European Journal of Applied Physiology, this depression-reducing effect transpires through two plausible mechanisms;

1. Reduction of inflammation.

2. An increase in potentially favourable neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine is responsible for mood elevation.

On the performance side, CET can help boost recovery from exercise and physical stress, such as muscle inflammation and injury.

Cold Exposure and Longevity

Besides aiding weight management, BAT activation can also impact longevity. Though no long-term human trials exist in the scientific literature about cold exposure and longevity, various animal studies have linked BAT activity to extended lifespan. While human research is still preliminary, these findings suggest a promising connection between CET and longevity.

Common CET Protocols

One popular protocol is the Wim Hof Method (WHM), combining controlled breathing, meditation, and regular ice baths or cold showers. Hof, known as “The Iceman,” attributes his remarkable feats of endurance in ice baths with sub-zero temperatures to this method, supported by research showing improved immune response and reduced inflammation among WHM practitioners.

Another protocol is post-exercise cold water immersion. The most common protocol athletes use is submerging their body in ice water at 0°C; however, if you find immersing your body in 0°C frightening and intimidating, then immersing your body in ice cold water at 4°C to 15°C range is also beneficial for a specific population like us. The variability of temperature that we observe boils down to the duration of immersion. If the immersion is in the cold intensity of 0°C to 9°C, it typically involves 2-3 minutes of immersion. However, when the water temperature is between 10°C and 21°C, the exposure can be up to 30 minutes. This method may improve recovery, reducing inflammation and muscle soreness after intense physical training.

Caveats and Contraindications

While the potential benefits of CET are impressive, it’s crucial to realise that this practice isn’t for everyone. If CET protocols are not executed scientifically, it can shock the system, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. People with cardiovascular conditions or Raynaud’s disease should consult a healthcare professional before engaging in CET.

Additionally, the effectiveness of CET is based on various factors, such as duration, frequency, and cold intensity. Overdoing it may cause hypothermia or frostbite. It’s essential to listen to your body and finetune your cold exposure accordingly.

Finally, CET is an emerging area of wellness with exciting potential benefits. From improving recovery to possibly boosting longevity, the cold holds a fascinating appeal. However, CET isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Consult with a healthcare professional, start gradually, and respect your body’s signals to explore this icy world of wellness safely.

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(Vijay Thakkar is a functional medicine expert and celebrity fitness coach in Mumbai. He is author of the best-selling book “Eating Less is Making You Fat,” aimed at dispelling misinformation about nutrition, calorie-deficit diets, metabolism and how hunger and satiety work)