Cold Water Exposure's Effects on Physical and Mental Health

University of Northern Colorado

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Cold Exposure

Treatments: Other: Cold Water Immersion (CWI) - Cold Shower (CS); Other: Cold Water Immersion (CWI) - Cold Tub Immersion (CI)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06667193

2404058903

Details and patient eligibility

About

An interest in cold-water immersion (CWI) to elicit diverse physiological effects has been prevalent for centuries. CWI typically consists of bodily exposure to water at temperatures ranging from 5-10º C for various durations. CWI has profound cultural significance in different areas of the world, such as in Scandinavian countries, and has emerged as a popular modality for its purported health-promoting effects. Individuals on social media have repeatedly advocated for CWI as a method to improve muscular recovery, enhance sleep, and increase immune and cognitive function. Because of this, companies that specialize in cold tub production have become popularized; however, individuals who are seeking a more cost-effective option are drawn toward cold showers for their preferred method of cold exposure. Despite the scarcity of rigorous research investigating the difference in effects of cold tub versus cold shower CWI, individuals on social media promoting CWI via a shower continue to praise its comparable benefits to that of a tub. Therefore, investigations of chronic CWI (utilizing both a cold tub and a cold shower) is vital.

Thus, the purpose of the proposed study is to explore the varying effects of chronic CWI on neural and cognitive function using a cold tub and a cold shower. Further, the study aims to investigate performance measures and immune measures to create a comprehensive understanding of CWI's implications on human physiology over time. The investigators hypothesize measures relating to mental performance and health will improve after 4-weeks of CWI, and there will be no difference between tub and shower immersion groups.

Enrollment: 75 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteers
• Aged 18-45

Exclusion criteria

• Current holds a cold water exposure routine (≥3 sessions in the last month, consisting of ≥4 minutes per immersion)
• Currently pregnant of planning to become pregnant
• Chronic use of anti-inflammatory medication
• Prior history of chronic disease conditions: Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, Raynaud's Disease, or severe/untreated anxiety or depression

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

75 participants in 3 patient groups

Cold Tub Immersion Group (CI)

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will utilize the research cold tub area (10 ºC, 4-minutes), following a standardized protocol (see intervention description).

Treatment:

Other: Cold Water Immersion (CWI) - Cold Tub Immersion (CI)

Cold Shower Group (CS)

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will utilize the research shower area (10 ºC, 4-minutes), following a standardized protocol (see intervention description).

Treatment:

Other: Cold Water Immersion (CWI) - Cold Shower (CS)

Control Group (CO)

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will not participate in any cold water immersion.