Cold therapy or cryotherapy is gaining popularity in the last few years. Though we may think it’s a new method, it’s actually existed since the early Egyptian times. They’ve been already using a cold compress to treat trauma and muscle inflammation due to sports injuries and other types of muscle discomfort. And more of its effects were discovered throughout time¹  

Fast forward to today, cold therapy methods still evolve and even became a part of everyday life for some. That’s the case for Wim Hof, a Dutch athlete and the pioneer of the Wim Hof Method. It is a popular approach for cold therapy that requires bare and full-body immersion to cold temperatures while settling to meditation. This is believed to trigger bodily functions to produce beneficial effects to health.²

We know cold therapy can be very beneficial for our well-being, but what exactly makes it effective and how does it affect our bodies? With that said, let’s understand the basics.

What is Cold Therapy

Cold therapy is a method of exposing the body to cold temperatures. Its main reaction is to shut down other tissue functions and activate the Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), a type of fat that converts other unhealthy fats to energy. This causes the body to release its internal heat to lower the heart rate and normalize organ functions.

This state can be achieved through common ways such as taking a cold shower, plunging into an ice bath, or entering a cryo chamber. Normally, this is practiced by athletes to maximize game performance and can also be done by anyone to ease body pains and muscle inflammation.³

The Science and Benefits of Cold Therapy

The science behind cold therapy once revolved only around its anti-inflammatory effects. A study proves that putting a swelling or sore muscle under cold therapy activates the mast cells, the ones responsible for regulating the inflammation. This makes the swelling more manageable and faster to heal.⁴

As its use popularizes through time, experts found out a much beneficial effect of cold therapy to the body, and that is the activation of BAT to trigger fitness gains. Because of this, it has become a part of numerous health regimens and not just about curing inflammation. But what does it do to your body? Here are some health benefits:^5,6,7

• Improves insulin sensitivity – the BAT in your body relates to a better insulin response to blood sugar. Studies claim that a 10-degree drop in body temperature through cold therapy equates to 43% insulin sensitivity for type 2 diabetics
• Activates natural antidepressants – it stimulates cold receptors in the skin that send electrical impulses coming through the peripheral nerve endings to the brain, causing an antidepressant effect.⁸
• Strengthens lymphatic and immune system – the contraction of lymphatic vessels through cold therapy allows it to secrete lymph fluids all over the body to wash away the toxins. This will then alert the white blood cells of the immune system to fight those toxins, waking your antibodies to protect you from illnesses.
• Improves blood circulation – through the sheer cold being experienced, the blood surrounds the organs to regulate the temperature. This pushes the heart to pump blood throughout the body, bringing the necessary nutrients to keep the whole body healthy.
• Reduces muscle soreness, inflammation, and arthritis – the wear and tear caused by physical activities can cause inflammation in the joints and muscles. Cold therapy solves this by numbing the nerve endings to relieve discomfort.
• Regulates body temperature – you can correct your body’s temperature regulation through cold therapy. If you’re feeling cold, this therapy resets your body thermostat and allows the natural body heat to adjust your temperature.
• Aids weight loss – when undergoing this therapy, your BAT burns your white fats to produce body heat. This speeds up your metabolism by about 16%, allowing your body to burn calories faster and help you lose weight. This also activates adiponectin, a hormone that breaks down fat to glucose and enhances muscle repair rate and performance.^9,10

Aside from these known benefits, cold therapy also can also improve focus and sleeping quality, slow down aging, elevate energy levels, increase libido, and fertility rate.^11,12,13

When Not to Undergo Cold Therapy

The health benefits of cold therapy are really enticing. Bad news is, it is not for everyone. So before you indulge in it, consult your physician first for more accurate advice. We’ve also listed some health conditions that are risky for cold therapy/cryotherapy:^{14, 15}

• Pregnancy
• Arrhythmia
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Have a pacemaker or metal implants
• Acute or recent myocardial infarction
• Severe hypertension
• Anemia
• Claustrophobia

While highly beneficial for those who can under cold therapy, risks are still present. Some of these are:¹⁶

• Unusual muscle sensations like tingling or numbness
• Integumentary damage, or worse frostbite
• Weak vital signs after the therapy
• Hypothermia (for excessive exposure to ice bath)

Cold Therapy Techniques

Through the course of its popularity, various cold therapy techniques were created to amplify its effectiveness. Here are some known methods that you can try out. Note that each might have a specific target for a health benefit, so asking an expert would be really helpful:¹⁷

• Cold shower - this is the most common technique for cold therapy which you can do in two ways: the first one is taking a straight 2 to 5-minute cold shower, and the second one is taking a hot-cold contrast shower for 5 minutes that alternate 20 seconds of cold and 10 seconds of hot. For best results, start with a cold shower to build up stress resilience and activate the mammalian dive reflex to help you handle stress better.¹⁸
• Wim Hof Method – it is named after the man who started a healthy lifestyle through consciously influencing the body under extremely cold temperature while meditating. It strictly follows three core disciplines: breathing, mindset, and cold temperature—to unlock the natural wonders of the human body.
• Ice Bathing – as straightforward as what it is called, ice bathing is the technique of plunging into a tub or a vessel filled with ice. If you’re looking for a deeper cold exposure, this is the best method that you can take.
• Shallow Water Blackout Technique – this method replicates a person who is experiencing under-water faint but on a shallow vessel filled with cold water or ice. Warning: do not do this unsupervised.
• Exercise and Cold – this technique uses ice baths or cold showers in conjunction with workout or training. This aims to improve muscle performance and lessen muscle tissue inflammation while doing strenuous physical activities
• Cryotherapy chamber – from the term itself, it is a cold therapy technique that uses a chamber where you will be exposed to dropped temperatures as low as -160°C while in a lying or sitting position for few minutes.¹⁹

Though really doable and would surely trigger health benefits, it is still best to ask an expert’s advice in choosing the right cold therapy technique for you.

Conclusion

Cold therapy has come a long way and stood the test of time because of its promising effects, and will surely be a part of future popular health regimens. If you decide to practice this method, seek professional advice first, start small, and proceed with caution.