Cold Therapy: Fight colds, Decrease Inflammation, and Burn Fat
You probably have heard about and seen dozens of Instagram models and influencers posting and promoting cryotherapy. While cryotherapy gets all the attention, most people already have access to the materials needed to achieve the same result: a bathtub full of water and ice. Yes, you heard correct — you can reap all the benefits of cryotherapy chambers in the comfort of your own home.
Ramp up Immunity
Cold therapy has been shown to trigger an immune response that will increase the number of natural killer (NK) cells in circulation via leukocytosis[3]. NK cells are a type of white blood cell and are a trivial part of the innate immune system; they contribute to killing virally infected cells and tumor cells. This can be attributed to the increase in norepinephrine — a hormone and neurotransmitter produced by the adrenal glands — when exposed to cold therapy. When the flu and cold season are upon us, this provides a method of ramping up our immune system to evade illness or feel healthier quicker.
Improve Recovery
Recovery is a well-known benefit of cold exposure after a hard workout or high-intensity physical activity. Cold exposure has been shown to decrease muscle soreness and pain after high-intensity exercise[4]. Additionally, cold exposure can be an efficacious remedy to decrease musculoskeletal pain[6]. This is due to the anti-inflammatory response that occurs with cold exposure. Cold therapy has established the benefits of NSAIDs, without the pitfalls. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs have shown to inhibit muscle growth[7] as well as a decline in gut integrity[8] (i.e. it can lead to a leaky gut).
Burn Fat
The human body contains three different types of fat: white, beige, and brown adipose tissue. White adipose tissue is the BAD fat we all aim to discard with exercise. However, glucose stores must be emptied during exercise before mobilization of white fat as an energy source can occur. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is characterized as a GOOD fat that possesses thermogenic properties — it can convert chemical energy into heat. Cold thermogenesis has been shown to provide an efficient method of stimulating the “browning” of white fat[5]. Instead of using solely exercise as a method of burning fat, cold therapy can be used as an effective method for directly targeting white fat by using the thermogenic effect of BAT[1].
The Devil is in the Dose
An important note worth mentioning about cold exposure is that it is beneficial with acute exposure and can be detrimental in chronic amounts. This biphasic response is called hormesis. Physical exercise and saunas are other examples of biological stressors that have shown to possess the characteristics of hormesis. Thus, cold therapy should only be exposed via acute amounts.
Takeaways
Cold therapy has shown to provide several benefits that range from fighting off the common cold to burning that belly fat you’ve been trying to get rid of for weeks. These results can be obtained as easily as filling your bathtub with water and ice or turning down the temperature during your daily shower. I can not make recommendations for the duration, but it is strongly encouraged to limit exposure since it can be harmful to chronic exposure. It has been reported that even 2–5 minutes of exposure can be sufficient[9].
