Are Ice Baths Good for you? Unveiling the Cold, Hard Facts.
Ice Bath Benefits
An icy dip is more than just a shiver-inducing experience. In fact, ice baths are increasingly becoming a go-to wellness practice, embraced by athletes and health enthusiasts alike. But are ice baths good for you? The answer lies in understanding the numerous health benefits they offer.
Firstly, ice baths are renowned for aiding in recovery post-exercise. By immersing your body in cold water, the blood vessels constrict, thereby reducing inflammation and muscle soreness. It's no surprise that many professional athletes are advocates of this cool-down strategy. However, at Fire and Ice we do not recommend those who are chasing a hypertrophy goal to take ice baths immediately post-training. Certain inflammation markers in the body are useful for your body to help direct nutrients to where the body needs them most, we don’t want to be blunting these markers post workout if the goal is specifically hypertrophy. If muscle growth is the goal, we recommend leaving 4-5 hours post training or taking your ice bath in the morning on waking.
Improved Circulation
Moreover, regular ice baths can contribute to improved circulation. When your body is exposed to cold, it instinctively directs blood flow towards vital organs, enhancing overall circulation. This increased blood flow can lead to better skin health and provide a natural energy boost. Temperature regulation is the name of the game here. A person’s ability to regulate their body temperature both up and down is a great predictor of all cause mortality. Someone who struggles, will often struggle when illness arrives to cool their body, or to heat it depending on the nature of the illness.
Ice baths for Mental Health
A topic that is quite close to my heart is the topic of mental health. As we increasingly understand the mind-body connection, therapies once reserved for physical health are finding their place in mental health management. One such approach, cold water therapy or ice baths, has shown promise in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Research suggests that cold water immersion may positively impact our mental well-being. One study published in the journal "Medical Hypotheses" proposed that cold exposure could serve as a potential treatment for depression (1). It suggests that cold water can stimulate the "blue spot" - the brain's primary source of noradrenaline - a chemical that's been shown to help mitigate depression.
Ice baths, similar to cold showers but typically more intense, can provide an even more powerful stimulant to the body and brain. When your body encounters the shock of the icy water, it responds with a rush of blood through your core and a surge of endorphins. These endorphins are often referred to as 'feel-good' hormones, which can boost your mood instantly.
Furthermore, cold water exposure, like that experienced in ice baths, is believed to stimulate the vagus nerve (2). Increased vagal tone is linked to numerous health benefits, including reduced symptoms of stress and anxiety. The increased blood flow to the brain during cold exposure could also result in an antidepressant effect through the release of endorphins and serotonin (3).
References
Shevchuk, N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical hypotheses, 70(5), 995-1001.
Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 44.
Buijze, G. A., & Hopman, M. T. (2018). Controlled hypothermia and immune function; a systematic review. Extreme Physiology & Medicine, 7(1), 1-14.