Cold Plunges and Testosterone: The Timing Principle That Changes Everything — Key Takeaways
A concise summary of the key insights from this episode. Watch the full video or read the complete article for the full context.
Ice baths don't suppress testosterone — bad timing does. Cold before a workout boosts luteinizing hormone and raises testosterone. Cold after suppresses the very signal you trained to produce.
— Dr. Thomas Seager
The Core Finding: Order Determines Outcome
Cold after exercise: testosterone suppressed.
Cold before exercise: testosterone elevated.
This is not a theoretical distinction — Seager has documented it across case studies, and the mechanism is coherent with what endocrinology has long established.
The Women's Testosterone Conversation
Women also produce testosterone — in amounts roughly ten times lower than men, but physiologically significant for energy, libido, mood, muscle function, and bone density.
The assumption that testosterone optimization is a male-specific concern is both common and incorrect.
Seager's case studies included women, and the findings were parallel: pre-training cold plunge produced meaningful testosterone elevations in female subjects as well.
Ben Greenfield's Primal Framing
Greenfield describes his experience with the Morozko Forge — Seager's ice bath, capable of maintaining temperatures below 34°F — with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely relishes the extreme version of the practice.
There is a psychological dimension to this framing worth acknowledging: some practitioners find that the ritual of extreme cold — the preparation, the entry, the exit — carries a quality of felt aliveness that more moderate protocols do not fully replicate.
The distinction matters because Seager is careful to note that the physiological benefits do not require the extreme temperatures that Greenfield describes.
The Practical Protocol
For most people, the practical recommendation from this conversation is straightforward: if testosterone support is among your goals for cold practice, plunge in the morning, before training.
The full protocol Seager endorses for testosterone support: two to four minutes at 34–50°F, morning, before any strength or endurance training.
Daily frequency produces the most consistent hormonal effect.
Quick Actions
If testosterone support is a goal: cold plunge in the morning, before training. This is the timing that elevates luteinizing hormone and primes testosterone synthesis.
Avoid cold within 60 minutes of a strength session if building muscle is the priority. The post-exercise anabolic signal needs time to complete.
Women: the testosterone timing principle applies to you as well. Pre-training cold supports testosterone, which supports energy, mood, and muscle function regardless of biological sex.