Rankings / Protocols — Thermal
Cold plunge / cold water immersion
Protocols · Thermal
Tier B-
What this is
BAT activation and norepinephrine surge are real physiological effects. Acute mood boost well-documented. Post-exercise use can blunt muscle hypertrophy if done immediately after resistance training.
Mechanism
Sympathetic nervous system activation; norepinephrine/dopamine surge; brown adipose tissue activation; UCP1 upregulation; possible mitochondrial biogenesis and mood effects
Dose & route
2-5 min at 10-15°C (50-59°F); ~11 min/week total as Söberg protocol
Citations
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317615
- https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00934.2020
- https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(21)00266-1
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This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.