Summary
A psychiatrist and Liam Browning go through every available study on cold exposure for mental health, from ice baths and cold plunges to cryotherapy. They acknowledge the practice's surging popularity and anecdotal patient benefits but note the near-total absence of well-designed randomized controlled trials. The episode serves as a comprehensive audio review of current evidence, risks, and the gap between hype and proven outcomes.
Key Points
- Cold exposure triggers a massive norepinephrine spike (200-300%) that can improve mood, alertness, and focus for hours after a session.
- Despite surging popularity, there are almost no well-designed randomized controlled trials on cold exposure specifically for mental health conditions.
- Anecdotal patient reports are consistently positive, but the placebo effect and expectation bias cannot be ruled out without proper trials.
- Cold water immersion at 50-59F (10-15C) for 1-5 minutes appears to be the most commonly discussed protocol for mood benefits.
- Risks include cold shock response, cardiac arrhythmias in predisposed individuals, and hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
- Cryotherapy chambers and cold plunges likely work through different mechanisms, and results may not be interchangeable.
Key Moments
I mean, 15 minutes of breathing, I think it's a mindful activity
And so I'm thinking it probably was the breathing and the just being a part of a group doing something, doing something different. I mean, 15 minutes of breathing, I think it's a mindful activity.
"But everyone got better. And so I'm thinking it probably was the breathing and the just being a part of a group doing something, doing something different. I mean, 15 minutes of breathing, I think it's a mindful activity. So I think essentially you were looking at two different arms of mindfulness. I don't think that the cold was cold enough, which I think there is."
Yeah, with water mostly water
Yeah, because a lot of athletes, they use the ice baths like an entire tub of just ice. I think it's like 12 hours or something.
"No, with water too. Yeah, with water mostly water. 50 pounds is not that much actually. Yeah, because a lot of athletes, they use the ice baths like an entire tub of just ice. And that's like, it's not as cold because there's some pockets of air in the ice. Yeah, I think Wim Hof has been in pure ice for like what? I think it's like 12 hours or something. Yeah, it's hours. Yeah."
You know, 62% lower risk of stroke, 66% decreased risk of dementia
Kupio ischemic heart disease study, which was discussed on episode 221 on sauna basically. You know, 62% lower risk of stroke, 66% decreased risk of dementia.
"Kupio ischemic heart disease study, which was discussed on episode 221 on sauna basically. And there was a cohort of Finnish men that they followed for decades. And they found that those that used sauna you as the sauna for to seven times per week had huge reductions in significant medical issues. You know, 62% lower risk of stroke, 66% decreased risk of dementia. 37% lower risk of pneumonia. 78% lower risk of psychotic disorder."
Yeah, so this study, they looked at a group of participants, 42 of them
Yeah, so this study, they looked at a group of participants, 42 of them. So the water temperature is about 56 degrees Fahrenheit and of the participants who went in about half the group.
"Yeah, so this study, they looked at a group of participants, 42 of them. This one actually took place in the sea in the UK in November. So the water temperature is about 56 degrees Fahrenheit and of the participants who went in about half the group. They went in the cold water and they saw improvements in the mood marked by increased vigor, increased esteem, decreased tension, decreased anger, decreased depression, decreased fatigue."
