Have you noticed the incessant promotion of cold water exposure on social media lately? It seems like every scroll on Instagram or TikTok brings up another post about the benefits of cold exposure, but is this trend legitimate, or is it just another ploy by companies to sell expensive cold tubs? Determined to find out, I delved into the topic, gathering as much information as possible to sift through what's real and what's not.

 

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

A Brief History Lesson

      The use of cold water for therapeutic purposes has a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations. Most notably the Greeks practiced cold water immersion for healing and health benefits. Hippocrates, known as the "Father of Medicine," extensively discussed the potential benefits of cold water therapy in his writings, suggesting its ability to “allay lassitude”, or  alleviate physical and mental weariness.

     This tradition continued into Roman times, with physicians like Galen advocating for cold water immersion to treat feverish illnesses. However, interest in cold water therapy declined over the years, until the 1700s when physician James Currie reignited curiosity in the subject. Currie was one of the first to explore the connection between body temperature and illness, conducting various experiments at his "water cure establishment" to revive the practice of cold water therapy for various medical conditions.

Typically, you emerge yourself into ice water for about 5-15 minutes. This has been proven to help with “reducing muscle soreness, reducing pain, and improving mood.”

​

Anatomical Effects

Anatomical effects of cold baths include muscle recovery, Brown fat, and increased blood flow. 

 

1. Muscle Recovery

     One of the most common reasons many choose to do ice baths are for muscle recovery. When the body encounters injury, it triggers the release of leukocytes, or white blood cells, to the affected area, initiating an inflammatory reaction. These leukocytes prompt the narrowing of blood vessels by inducing contraction in the vessel walls. This contraction reduces the release of leukocytes, thus dampening the inflammatory response. Numerous studies suggest a correlation between leukocyte activity and enhancements in muscular fatigue, pain relief, and overall well-being following intense physical exertion.

1. Brown Fat 

     Exposure to cold water awakens brown fat activity in the body. When subjected to cold, our bodies instinctively strive to uphold a constant internal temperature. This effort entails burning calories to generate warmth, thereby kickstarting the activity of brown fat cells. “The body's response to cold is a survival mechanism that has evolved over thousands of years. It's a process controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the release of norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that activates brown fat cells and increases their heat production.”

1. Increase blood flow

     While you are inside the cold bath your blood flow decreases due to the vessels constricting. However, after you get out, blood flow increases by moving your blood towards the center of your body as your skin and body begins decreasing in temperature. Exiting the cold water leads your blood vessels to increase oxygen in your tissue and muscles through expansion.  The benefits of this include a decrease in soreness after working out by reducing inflammation along with increased blood flow to your lungs, heart and brain.  Disclaimer: “Long-periods of blood flow restriction is not good for your body, the practice of cold immersion therapy is to apply cold blood flow restriction, in short periods of time, to encourage the rapid return of blood flow once the immersion is completed.” 

 

Neurological Effects

Some of the common neurological benefits of ice baths include mood enhancement, and dopamine boosts. 

 

1. Mood enhancement

     Many claim cold water plunges can enhance your mood to feel more calm and less anxious afterwards. One 2023 study looked into this correlation and found ice baths to be an extremely effective way to moderate mood. The participants of the study first took a mood exam to establish their mood prior to the cold bath. Next they all underwent a 5 minute ice bath at 20℃, and subsequently retook the exam. 

The results indicates an increase in every single positive emotion and a decrease in all negative emotions, including a notable increase in alertness and a large decrease in distress. 

 

1. Dopamine Boosts

     Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts on areas of the brain that give you a sense of pleasure, satisfaction, and reward. Known as the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, dopamine has gained widespread recognition, with various online sources offering tips and tricks to boost its levels. “Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures” is an scientific article from March of 2000 that is often cited for its extravagant claims of dopamine increase due to cold immersion. The article asserts that dopamine levels increase by 250% an hour after exposure to cold, surpassing the effects of using recreational drugs like cocaine. This assertion has been widely cited to support the practice of Cold Water Immersion.

​

So Are Ice Baths Really Worth the Discomfort? 

     Yes! My overall conclusion is that ice baths have both anatomical and neurological enhancement and the benefits are worth the discomfort. Cold water immersion is a relatively recent topic in terms of scientific research, especially when researching the cognitive benefits opposed to the anatomical ones. Although the research yields valuable insights, there remains a notable gap in the literature. While existing data on mood, albeit somewhat restricted, tends to be conclusive, additional data could further strengthen the argument and reveal nuances overlooked in prior studies. Cold water exposure, whether through ice baths, cold showers, or cold swimming, is not another dismissible health trend. Instead, it emerges as one supported by substantial evidence for mood enhancement and meaningful evidence for the increase of dopamine and positive neurological pathways.

​