Whole body hypothermia is a fancy term for freezing your butt off. I was first exposed to this biohack in the form of standing in a cryo-chamber that blows nitrogen cooled air on your body at a temperature of (-) 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes you read that right, NEGATIVE 160 DEGREES. These shops are popping up everywhere now and are based on science that shows some amazing results from cooling the body down to sometimes painful temperatures.
The cryo tanks focus on drastically cooling the temperature of the skin which causes a cascade of physiologic and biochemical changes in our bodies. Ice baths on the other hand will actually cool down your core temperature and provides a much more robust response.
Ice baths have been used for years by athletes to help with exercise recovery and injury healing. There is a new movement that also incorporates mindfulness into the ice bath experience as a way to improve mental toughness. I can tell you from experience that if there is a ways to test your will, this is one of them.
Wim Hoff is a pioneer in this field and is known as, “The Iceman,” for his research and exploits in the field of cold exposure. He got started in the field because he was interested in human potential and believes that we possess what is mostly an untapped potential to push the boundaries in human physiology which he tests through cold exposure. What the research has shown us however, is that along with these sometimes crazy exploits comes a supercharging of our immune system and changes in our makeup that make us less susceptible to the ravages of aging.
Exposing our bodies to extreme cold actually increases the expression of certain genes that increase something called cold shock proteins. One of the side effects of these proteins is that it actually causes the regrowth of nerve synapses in the brain. We lose these synapses as we age which is a component of the the brain degeneration we experience over time and diminishes our ability to recall information. Another benefit is a marked increase in dopamine production which is one of our main, “feel good,” hormones or endorphins. As you would also expect, cold exposure drastically reduces inflammation which studies are revealing more and more is the single most important factor in longevity, particularly in the brain.
Other benefits of cold exposure include:
- Increase in white blood cell counts
- Increase in sex hormones and human growth hormone (HGH)
- Increased circulation
- Improved mood and reduction in depression
- Pain reduction
As far as my personal experience with cold exposure, I continue to experiment with the cryo tanks and ice baths. The tank is easy and convenient. You are only in it for 3 minutes so even though it is challenging, you know it will be over soon. If you are short on time and don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up an ice bath this is the way to go. The ice baths are in another stratosphere of discomfort. I have done as little as 3 minutes and as long as 15 depending on the temperature of the water. The colder the water, the less time you need to reach the threshold of benefit with some studies suggesting benefit with only 20 seconds of exposure.
With both modalities, there is a clear endorphin rush much like the “runner’s high.” There is also a clear resetting of energy and mental clarity as I come out energized in body and mind. I have noticed that I always sleep better on the nights that I have done cold exposure and there is of course the reduction in the aches and pains that are associated with a body that has been ravaged by 30 years of triathlon training.
In terms of exercise recovery there are the expected findings of improvement in recovery when done right after exercise but there are some unexpected findings as well. Specifically, there is an improvement in physical performance on the day following cold exposure but when done directly following a weight training session it seems to inhibit hypertrophy of muscles. So if your goal is to gain muscle mass, you should probably wait a few hours after a weight training session to do cold exposure.
Cold exposure is a very interesting addition to the biohacking realm that I plan to continue to experiment with. If you are interested there are multiple locations locally with the cryo tanks. The staff at Chill Therapy in south Tampa are great and very accommodating. They also have a first time special of two sessions for $39.00.
A word of caution if you are going to try ice baths, never do them without someone nearby to come to your aid if needed.
Until next time, Stay Healthy and Live Well…
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