"Cold exposure dampens inflammation, which can contribute to a person's risk of heart disease and cancer. In nature, some very long-lived animals, such as the bowhead whale (lifespan: about 200 years) and the Greenland shark (500 years) basically cold plunge for their entire life."
"Cold-plunge partisans claim, for instance, that cold exposure activates "brown fat," a special type of fat tissue that burns energy to generate heat. Activating this fat is said to convey almost-magical health benefits, reducing the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases."
"Unfortunately, most adults typically have only a few grams of brown fat, so any beneficial effect from activating it is likely quite small."
Cold-water bathing has ancient roots in treating various ailments, from fevers in Greek and Roman times to mental health conditions in eighteenth-century institutions. Modern wellness advocates, including celebrity figures, promote ice bathing for immunity and longevity benefits. While cold exposure does dampen inflammation, which relates to heart disease and cancer risk, and long-lived animals naturally experience cold environments, the specific health claims promoted by enthusiasts are often exaggerated. Cold-plunge advocates claim activation of brown fat provides significant benefits for diabetes and chronic disease prevention. However, most adults possess only minimal brown fat, making any beneficial effects from activation relatively small and unlikely to deliver the transformative health outcomes frequently promoted.
#cold-water-immersion #inflammation-reduction #brown-fat-activation #wellness-claims #health-benefits
Read at The Atlantic
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