Does being cold healthy for you?

[Heaven]

It’s winter now in my country and I feel great. Energized, sharp and productive.

Also less sick.

Is it scientifically proven?

Should I start to embrace cold therapy/showers?

 

[Schizophonia]

Ephedrine.

 

[Yimpa]

Sure, look up Wim Hof. Dude is obsessed with the cold. 
 

 

[Heaven]

1 hour ago, Schizophonia said:

Ephedrine.

 

It’s a drug..What about it?

[Heaven]

1 hour ago, Yimpa said:

Sure, look up Wim Hof. Dude is obsessed with the cold. 
 

 

Thanks. I know him unfortunately I live in a warm country 

[undeather]

We have mixed evidence regarding ice baths/cold water immesion and health outcomes. 
There seems to be a consistent anti-inflammatory component to it - which could have many benefits down the line.
You can find hundreds of case reports from people treating various ailments with ice baths/immersion protocols, sometimes - but not always combined with breathing exercises (like Wim Hof does). I am sure that those people really do objectively better with that kind of routine in their lives. There is even some decent evidence that supports this claim in rheumatologic patients. For treating muscle issues in athletes, cold immesion has shown to drastically improve recovery after the training. It's basically part of the game for high intensity performers like tennis players or martial artists.'

Funnily enough, ice baths REDUCE muscle growth/hypertrophy. If you do an intense workout with the aim to develop as much muscle-mass as possible, then you should not take an ice bath afterwards or even in general. This makes sense since you suppress the inflammatory response which is crucual for this process. WE have known for years that you can suppress muscle synthesis by inducing anti-inflammatory processes. If you give a young guy an aspirin or ibuprofen (antiinflammatory drug), they will build less muscles than a control group after a workout. There seems to be an optimal level of inflammation for building muscle. In older people, you see the opposite effect!

I guess at the end of the day, you need to find out what's right for you! 
If cold showers/ice baths make you feel great and you are not wanting to compete in the Mr. Olympia-competiton in the near future, then there is really nothign that should stop you from doing that. I would not expect any magical healing properties as it's often potrayed in the online-health world though. 
 

 

[Schizophonia]

43 minutes ago, undeather said:

We have mixed evidence regarding ice baths/cold water immesion and health outcomes. 
There seems to be a consistent anti-inflammatory component to it - which could have many benefits down the line.
You can find hundreds of case reports from people treating various ailments with ice baths/immersion protocols, sometimes - but not always combined with breathing exercises (like Wim Hof does). I am sure that those people really do objectively better with that kind of routine in their lives. There is even some decent evidence that supports this claim in rheumatologic patients. For treating muscle issues in athletes, cold immesion has shown to drastically improve recovery after the training. It's basically part of the game for high intensity performers like tennis players or martial artists.'

Funnily enough, ice baths REDUCE muscle growth/hypertrophy. If you do an intense workout with the aim to develop as much muscle-mass as possible, then you should not take an ice bath afterwards or even in general. This makes sense since you suppress the inflammatory response which is crucual for this process. WE have known for years that you can suppress muscle synthesis by inducing anti-inflammatory processes. If you give a young guy an aspirin or ibuprofen (antiinflammatory drug), they will build less muscles than a control group after a workout. There seems to be an optimal level of inflammation for building muscle. In older people, you see the opposite effect!

I guess at the end of the day, you need to find out what's right for you! 
If cold showers/ice baths make you feel great and you are not wanting to compete in the Mr. Olympia-competiton in the near future, then there is really nothign that should stop you from doing that. I would not expect any magical healing properties as it's often potrayed in the online-health world though. 
 

 

Let's take a step back and admit that it's basically about causing your cortisol and adrenaline levels to explode by putting yourself into hypothermia on purpose.
I'm skipping my turn.

[undeather]

8 hours ago, Schizophonia said:

Let's take a step back and admit that it's basically about causing your cortisol and adrenaline levels to explode by putting yourself into hypothermia on purpose.
I'm skipping my turn.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18382932/

[Schizophonia]

7 hours ago, undeather said:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18382932/

The study says that for some reason adrenaline has replaced cortisol as the main hyperglycemic hormone, and increased.
It's still a stress, probably even worse.

[undeather]

32 minutes ago, Schizophonia said:

The study says that for some reason adrenaline has replaced cortisol as the main hyperglycemic hormone, and increased.
It's still a stress, probably even worse.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make. 
I posted this study to show that you previous point is not really correct.

Edited February 1 by undeather

[Schizophonia]

2 hours ago, undeather said:

I have no idea what point you are trying to make. 
I posted this study to show that you previous point is not really correct.

I mean it's an incredibly stressful practice and probably, potentially potentially harmful from a holistic perspective.
I don't see why stressing over any life problem would be harmful by causing oxydative damages and this kind of stuff, but putting yourself chronically in hypotermia would not be.

Despite gender there are benefits in certain contexts, such as athletes.

[undeather]

1 hour ago, Schizophonia said:

I mean it's an incredibly stressful practice and probably, potentially potentially harmful from a holistic perspective.
I don't see why stressing over any life problem would be harmful by causing oxydative damages and this kind of stuff, but putting yourself chronically in hypotermia would not be.

Despite gender there are benefits in certain contexts, such as athletes.

You know what other activity increases both the level of oxidative stress and measured reactive oxygen/nitrogen species as well as an tomporary increase in katecholamins and cortisol? Exercise! In fact, the bodies response to cold exposure is really similar in both quality and degree.

A holistic perspective would take into account the complex system nature of the body - the benefits of exercise and you could argue potential benefits from cold baths are primarily based on the hormetic/antifragile properties of the human system. Your body builds back broken stuff stronger and with more tenacity in the domain of biological equilibrium.

That said, I would side with you that most benefits are propably a bit overblown...

Edited February 1 by undeather

[Cosmic-Resplendence]

Not sure if this was brought up yet, but look into “Cold Plunging”… I was just reading about this today. Some claim its incredibly good for your physical health.