Influencers say an ice bath improves your health. Experts are throwing cold water on that thinking
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From Joe Rogan to Jennifer Aniston, numerous celebrities, influencers and athletes have been extolling the benefits of ice baths and cold plunges for years.
Cold-water immersions have become a famous trend. Its proponents say it reduces stress, softens the degree of exercise-induced muscle damage and supports immune system function.
However, new research has revealed that it may not be as beneficial as it seems.
One recent analysis, published by the PLOS One journal and conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia, examines data from 11 studies with 3,177 people who did the cold plunge. Each participant was in water, whether a bath or shower, that was at 15 degrees Celsius or less for at least 30 seconds.
The results were eye-opening, especially regarding the impact of ice baths on inflammation. While cold-water immersion is said to reduce inflammation, the new study found that it did the opposite.
“A significant increase in inflammation immediately and one hour” after the ritual was found. Instead, researchers state that immersions leads to “an acute inflammatory response.”
“At first glance this seems contradictory, as we know that ice baths are regularly used by elite athletes to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise,” the study’s co-author, Ben Singh, said in a press release.
“The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger, which is why athletes use it despite the short-term increase.”
“Knowing this, people with pre-existing health conditions should take extra care if participating in cold-water immersion experiences as the initial inflammation could have detrimental health impacts,” he added.
The study did find some benefits of immersion, like “a significant reduction in stress 12 hours” after it was done. But, a significant reduction in stress was not discovered immediately, one hour, 24 hours, or 48 hours after immersion.
There was also a “29 percent reduction in sickness absence among participants who took cold showers” in the analysis.
However, researchers said that more work still needs to be done to understand all the effects of immersion.
“Whether you are an elite athlete or everyday wellness seeker – it’s important to understand the effects of what you put your body through,” Cain added. “Right now, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion. More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications.”
