Cold therapy: pros, cons, and its impact on longevity [AMA 47 sneak peek]

In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter delves deep into the data surrounding different forms of cold therapy, including cold water immersion, cryotherapy, and cold showers, aiming to unveil the potential benefits and drawbacks associated with cold therapy. He dissects the studies examining the effects of cold therapy on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), activation of brown adipose tissue, and its potential impact on mood and as a therapeutic approach for depression. Furthermore, Peter discusses the potential negative impact cold therapy may have on muscular hypertrophy and offers his perspective on the extent to which the data support the notion of cold therapy providing longevity benefits. Finally, he also discusses the existing consensus, or lack thereof, regarding the optimal structure of an effective cold therapy protocol.

In this sneak peek, we discuss:
00:00 - Intro
02:12 - Overview of discussion on cold therapy (and a Formula 1 tangent)
06:00 - The most common cold exposure therapies

In the full episode, we also discuss:
-Potential benefits of cold water immersion: a look at the data;
-Comparing the effects of cold water immersion with whole-body cryotherapy;
-The potential impact of cold exposure on mood and as a treatment for depression;
-How do cold showers compare to cold water immersion?;
-Cold exposure and the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT);
-Exercising in cold temperatures: impact on exercise performance;
-Potential downsides of cold therapy and its impact on hypertrophy, strength, and recovery;
-Are the blunting effects of cold on hypertrophy due to the effects on inflammation?;
-Does cold exposure offer any potential geroprotective benefits?;
-Cold therapy protocols for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS);
-Summarizing the data and takeaways from Peter; and
-More.

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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 60 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies.

[BigT]

Complete waste of time. Spare yourself and skip this.

[scottk]

There is literally zero information in this video.

[Kai-mncm]

There's barely any content regarding the listed topic in this one. It's more of an F1 recap tbh.

[davet]

Cold therapy discussion starts at 6 minutes ends at 11 minutes. Not much here.

[Mattsretiring]

I'm a follower of Peter's but this is a joke.
It contains not one but TWO intros of the subject, almost word for word.
Then a droning throat clearing of F1
A description of water vs cryo then more than 2 mins of outro.

Sure a sneak peak should actually include a peak....

[paulchilds]

I see there have been a few comments to this effect already: I do think sneak peeks should at least have some meat in them, even though I can respect the need for a subscriber model. It doesn't seem wholly fair to give people a slightly useless clip, maybe 1/4 of which is F1 and the rest is mostly introductory material without any real material to chew on. Hope that this makes its way to the editors for some feedback.

[richardnoe]

I ran a cold immersion therapy “experiment “ with my doc. The methods were I would pour two 15lbs bags of ice in my bath tub (would get to about 55 degrees f) for 4-5 minutes- immediately dry off and go hop on my bike for at least an hour. I was testing to see the effect on my testosterone levels. Not that Mone were low- but had been hearing about the cause and effect here. Of note- after 4 weeks of doing this twice a week I had about a 25% increase in testosterone and a 50% increase in my leutinizing hormone (testosterone 512 to 622 and LH 3.12 to 4.7). Since I only heard the snippet hear- maybe someone else has more on the subject

[jimfife]

I learn more from P.A. than just about anyone, and I'll be a payin member soon. That said, 5min of good info after 6min of intro-plus-F1, then 3min of closing pitch is too goofy to forward this link to others.

[aron]

More of an F1 update then a discussion of cold therapy...

[MaryJohanna]

In Germany we call it Kneipp Therapie, age old treatment.

[scottk]

You have got to get rid of that horrific intro song with the insufferable screeching vocals.

[jmass]

For more cold therapy huberman just uploaded a podcast. Not sure why anyone would be chomping at the bit considering it’s practically summer.

[raginaldmars]

as a German Biologist .
when I did Cold "ther Apy"
I lived 50 years longer
when I stopped
I died
better freeze than die

[joshhoobler]

So I don't like being cross, but seeing this in my feed again really brought to mind what a complete waste of time it was. Seriously, this is 14 minutes plus the time on this comment I'm never getting back

[AnthonyZboralski]

As someone who has been following Peter Attia's work, I find it difficult to take him seriously after hearing his reasons for abandoning the ketogenic diet. It wasn't due to medical or health concerns but simply because he "misses carbs." This admission, grounded in personal desire rather than scientific reasoning, undermines his credibility to a certain extent, especially given the serious and disciplined approach he typically advocates for in his health and wellness discussions. While I understand that everyone's dietary choices are personal, it's hard to reconcile this change with the rigorous, evidence-based methodology he generally champions.

[optimisticoutreach]

An embarrassing episode...please tell me you are not going the way of cash grab, pay for a monthly subscription. For a monthly AMA???

[TheXPlayer_TWC]

how about background Buff from Microbe Combination Probiotic Team

BiotiQuest martha carlin
Malaysia : )

[dchutch]

I get its ama but kinda a waist 14 min. Sorry still love ya.

[davidwelburn]

Remind me to never, EVER, listen to one of this guy's sneak peeks again.

[MikeAbassi]

Worst piece of content from Peter EVER! No info in here. Skip this entirely