The Science Behind Cold Plunges Explained in Four Minutes
00:00three two one and let's get in there three two one and let's get in there this water is near freezing [Music] [Music] three minutes down seriously I think my three minutes down seriously I think my three minutes down seriously I think my resilience is resilience is resilience is and I'm not the only one going into the and I'm not the only one going into the and I'm not the only one going into the cold cold cold it's a huge trend on social media it's a huge trend on social media it's a huge trend on social media and luxury Wellness clubs like this are and luxury Wellness clubs like this are and luxury Wellness clubs like this are offering cold immersion sessions offering cold immersion sessions offering cold immersion sessions why because bringing your body why because bringing your body why because bringing your body temperature way down is supposed to have temperature way down is supposed to have temperature way down is supposed to have major health benefits like increasing major health benefits like increasing major health benefits like increasing metabolism and relieving stress so metabolism and relieving stress so metabolism and relieving stress so what's the evidence that the coldest what's the evidence that the coldest what's the evidence that the coldest positive effects on our health let's get positive effects on our health let's get positive effects on our health let's get into it into it into it okay that wasn't so bad scientists think okay that wasn't so bad scientists think okay that wasn't so bad scientists think there could be benefits to cold exposure there could be benefits to cold exposure there could be benefits to cold exposure because of something called Brown fat because of something called Brown fat because of something called Brown fat surviving in the cold is one of the main surviving in the cold is one of the main surviving in the cold is one of the main reasons we have brown fat in our bodies reasons we have brown fat in our bodies reasons we have brown fat in our bodies a recent study found that people who had a recent study found that people who had a recent study found that people who had Brown fat which you can see around the Brown fat which you can see around the Brown fat which you can see around the neck and clavicle also had a lower risk neck and clavicle also had a lower risk neck and clavicle also had a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases compared to those without it that's very
01:00compared to those without it that's very compared to those without it that's very different from white fat which is different from white fat which is different from white fat which is associated with these chronic conditions associated with these chronic conditions associated with these chronic conditions and obesity after cold exposure white and obesity after cold exposure white and obesity after cold exposure white fat can turn into Brown fat I think fat can turn into Brown fat I think fat can turn into Brown fat I think about cold exposure is this is a way to about cold exposure is this is a way to about cold exposure is this is a way to modulate Brown fat and white fat modulate Brown fat and white fat modulate Brown fat and white fat behavior and can this lead to changes in behavior and can this lead to changes in behavior and can this lead to changes in our metabolism unlike white fat Brown our metabolism unlike white fat Brown our metabolism unlike white fat Brown fat has tons of tiny bean-like fat has tons of tiny bean-like fat has tons of tiny bean-like structures called mitochondria they're structures called mitochondria they're structures called mitochondria they're the powerhouses of cells and also what the powerhouses of cells and also what the powerhouses of cells and also what gives Brown fat its color when they gives Brown fat its color when they gives Brown fat its color when they break down sugars or fats mitochondria break down sugars or fats mitochondria break down sugars or fats mitochondria generate heat so when you chill the body generate heat so when you chill the body generate heat so when you chill the body this process revs up which means that at this process revs up which means that at this process revs up which means that at least temporarily metabolism goes up least temporarily metabolism goes up least temporarily metabolism goes up within seconds of being in intense cold within seconds of being in intense cold within seconds of being in intense cold the body starts pumping out the body starts pumping out the body starts pumping out norepinephrine it's a hormone involved norepinephrine it's a hormone involved norepinephrine it's a hormone involved in our fight or flight response and it in our fight or flight response and it in our fight or flight response and it signals mitochondria in brown fat cells signals mitochondria in brown fat cells signals mitochondria in brown fat cells and muscles to break down sugars and and muscles to break down sugars and and muscles to break down sugars and lipids which are the building blocks of lipids which are the building blocks of lipids which are the building blocks of fats that means you're burning more fats that means you're burning more fats that means you're burning more calories a study found that the human calories a study found that the human calories a study found that the human body's ability to break down sugars body's ability to break down sugars body's ability to break down sugars doubled after two hours of daily cold doubled after two hours of daily cold
02:00doubled after two hours of daily cold exposure for four weeks in suits like exposure for four weeks in suits like exposure for four weeks in suits like these but just because you're burning these but just because you're burning these but just because you're burning more calories doesn't necessarily mean more calories doesn't necessarily mean more calories doesn't necessarily mean you lose weight this study found that you lose weight this study found that you lose weight this study found that mice exposed to cold just ate more so mice exposed to cold just ate more so mice exposed to cold just ate more so their weight stayed the same and in their weight stayed the same and in their weight stayed the same and in terms of using cold plunders to reduce terms of using cold plunders to reduce terms of using cold plunders to reduce our risk of chronic conditions in the our risk of chronic conditions in the our risk of chronic conditions in the long term well there's still quite a bit long term well there's still quite a bit long term well there's still quite a bit of research that needs to be done on of research that needs to be done on of research that needs to be done on that to really solidify that idea cold that to really solidify that idea cold that to really solidify that idea cold exposure is also supposed to reduce exposure is also supposed to reduce exposure is also supposed to reduce stress levels both physical and mental stress levels both physical and mental stress levels both physical and mental the ideas that bouts of stress train us the ideas that bouts of stress train us the ideas that bouts of stress train us to deal with bigger challenges at the to deal with bigger challenges at the to deal with bigger challenges at the cellular level there's some evidence cellular level there's some evidence cellular level there's some evidence that cold exposure reduces inflammation that cold exposure reduces inflammation that cold exposure reduces inflammation and cleans up cellular trash in one and cleans up cellular trash in one and cleans up cellular trash in one study ratsa lived in a room at 39 study ratsa lived in a room at 39 study ratsa lived in a room at 39 degrees Fahrenheit for a week had lower degrees Fahrenheit for a week had lower degrees Fahrenheit for a week had lower levels of inflammation related molecules levels of inflammation related molecules levels of inflammation related molecules and studies show that reducing and studies show that reducing and studies show that reducing inflammation promotes brain and physical inflammation promotes brain and physical inflammation promotes brain and physical health it's possible that for mental health it's possible that for mental health it's possible that for mental resilience there is the placebo effect resilience there is the placebo effect resilience there is the placebo effect though a small study of people who took though a small study of people who took though a small study of people who took up cold water swimming did see some up cold water swimming did see some up cold water swimming did see some improvements in mood also of note most improvements in mood also of note most improvements in mood also of note most of the human studies on cold exposure of the human studies on cold exposure of the human studies on cold exposure have only been done in men women have
03:00have only been done in men women have have only been done in men women have more Brown fat stores than men and our more Brown fat stores than men and our more Brown fat stores than men and our fat seems to be more active so it's fat seems to be more active so it's fat seems to be more active so it's possible of cold exposure as any brown possible of cold exposure as any brown possible of cold exposure as any brown fat related health benefits that these fat related health benefits that these fat related health benefits that these would differ between genders scientists would differ between genders scientists would differ between genders scientists also don't know how much cold exposure also don't know how much cold exposure also don't know how much cold exposure is needed to see any benefits studies is needed to see any benefits studies is needed to see any benefits studies all use different protocols which makes all use different protocols which makes all use different protocols which makes it hard to draw any conclusions if it hard to draw any conclusions if it hard to draw any conclusions if you're thinking of trying cold exposure you're thinking of trying cold exposure you're thinking of trying cold exposure it's important to know your limits it's important to know your limits it's important to know your limits hypothermia is a real concern every hypothermia is a real concern every hypothermia is a real concern every person's threshold is different and it person's threshold is different and it person's threshold is different and it depends on your previous experience with depends on your previous experience with depends on your previous experience with cold if you don't protect your hands and cold if you don't protect your hands and cold if you don't protect your hands and feet you could develop non-freezing cold feet you could develop non-freezing cold feet you could develop non-freezing cold injuries meaning you become injuries meaning you become injuries meaning you become hypersensitive Cold plus if you're a hypersensitive Cold plus if you're a hypersensitive Cold plus if you're a smaller person like me you'll get cold smaller person like me you'll get cold smaller person like me you'll get cold faster wait I'm starting to shiver a faster wait I'm starting to shiver a faster wait I'm starting to shiver a little bit that's because your surface little bit that's because your surface little bit that's because your surface area to volume ratio is higher than for area to volume ratio is higher than for area to volume ratio is higher than for somebody who's bigger so it's easier for somebody who's bigger so it's easier for somebody who's bigger so it's easier for you to lose heat more quickly experts you to lose heat more quickly experts you to lose heat more quickly experts told me that if you have a heart told me that if you have a heart told me that if you have a heart condition you should tread carefully condition you should tread carefully condition you should tread carefully because it could stress your heart out because it could stress your heart out because it could stress your heart out too much so remember consult your doctor too much so remember consult your doctor too much so remember consult your doctor and stay safe