Ice baths are popular in the field of recovery and general well -being. But what does science say?

Over the past few years, ice baths have become more and more popular. Fitness enthusiasts and ordinary exercises around the world include the trend that was once reserved for elite athletes.

Ice baths (also known as “Dispensing of cold water“) They are exactly as they sound. It consists in immersing the body in frigid water for a certain time.

Temperatures in an ice bath usually ranges from 10-15 ° CAlthough many people literally choose icy water.

Social media are filled with movies People immersing themselves in freezing water, claiming that it helps in everything, from recovery to health to exercise to mental health.

But do ice baths meet the noise? Here’s what the evidence says.

Ice baths to recover after exercise

One of the main reasons why people employ ice baths is to reduce muscle pain and improve recovery after exercise. Athletes, including endurance runnersIN hectares AND footballersOften employ ice baths.

There is a lot of evidence suggesting that ice baths can improve regeneration after exercise.

Studies show an ice bath immediately after an intensive exercise can reduce muscle pain In the following hours and days. Ice baths have also been shown to aid regenerate in areas, including muscle strength, power and flexibility.

Ice baths do this, reducing inflammation after exercise, muscle swelling and muscle damage, and Improving the clearance of metabolitessuch as the Mleczan.

So, if you are someone who has to do intensive exercises on days, ice baths can be a good option.

But they should not be used all the time, even if you are an athlete.

As mentioned above, one of the ways of ice baths work Reduction of inflammation in muscle tissue It occurs after the exercise. Although this helps to recover muscles, inflammation also acts as a signal that speaks the body to adapt and becomes stronger.

For this reason, the employ of ice baths too often (that is, after most training sessions) can be increased by training strength, strength and powerand also Muscle growth.

It is worth noting that ice baths do not seem Harm aerobic fitness. This means that you can employ them as often as you want after training sessions.

Ice baths and general health

Recently, an ice bath has gained adhesion in wider fitness communities and wellness. Supporters suggest that they can Increase mental healthImmune function and general well -being.

But research in this space is infrequent.

We have recently done Systematic review Examination of all published research in which he analyzes baths and health results in the general population (and not athletes).

We found only 11 studies, some of which used frigid showers instead of ice baths. Evidence suggests that regular immersion of frigid water can lead to a slight reduction in stress, a slight improvement in the quality of sleep and the quality of life they report and can reduce how often people get ailing (for example, with frigid or flu).

However, many of these arrangements came from individual research, so they should be interpreted carefully until further research was carried out. We also did not examine how ice baths (and frigid showers) could cause these effects, so we do not know exactly how they work.

Are there any risk?

Although there are no tests that examine the dangers of ice baths at the population level, there is some risk.

In infrequent cases, it has been shown that the immersion of frigid water leads Cold shock. This condition is caused by a rapid decrease in skin temperature and can lead to dead, hyperventilation, high blood pressure and, rarely, Heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)Which It can be fatal If it is not treated quickly.

There is also evidence suggesting that it will stay in an ice bath for too long (over 30 minutes) may boost risk of hypothermiaSo when the body temperature drops dangerously low.

5 tips if you are thinking about trying an ice bath

If you are thinking about trying an ice bath, it is worth remembering a few things.

1. Do not go too frigid: Although the word “ice” is in the name, most of the research showed it 10-15 ° C. It is frigid enough to optimize their effectiveness.

2. Do not stay too long: The duration of the ice bath differs quite widely in the research, and some last only three minutes, while others even 30.

However, the most common range is 10-20 minuteswhich seems to be more than sufficient to get any health benefits and after exercise. So if you are fresh in ice baths, starting from about 10 minutes, divided into 3-5 minutes, it is a good place to start.

3. Come slowly: Your reaction to peak stress in the first 30 seconds of cold water immersionbefore it disappears. To minimize the chance for a stern frigid shock, wait for this reaction to disappear before it immerses the upper chest and face in water (or even better, keep your face away from the water).

4. Monitor how you feel: Pay attention to how you feel in an ice bath. While the thrill is normal, dizziness or numbness can be a sign that you should jump out.

5. Utilize them strategically: If you train to improve muscle strength, power or size, consider using ice baths sparingly, not as a daily routine.