5 Game-Changing Benefits of Cryotherapy for Your Health and Wellness
Are you looking to add complementary options to improve your energy levels and enhance your overall health and well-being? Cryotherapy may be a great option.
Cryotherapy is a type of cold therapy that exposes your body to very cold temperatures for a few minutes to improve your well-being. The benefits of cryotherapy include physical recovery, reduced pain, increased athletic performance, improved mood and mental health, reduced stress, increased skin health, experience anti-aging benefits, improved metabolic health, and weight loss.
If you are interested in experiencing these positive health effects, read on to learn about the 5 most popular benefits of cryotherapy.
What Is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a complementary therapeutic technique that involves using extremely cold temperatures by using a substance like liquid nitrogen or argon gas. It is used to reduce pain, promote recovery, and aid the healing of various health conditions. The idea behind cryotherapy is that extreme cold can freeze and destroy abnormal tissue and promote recovery.
Cold therapy is not a new practice. Various cold therapies date back to ancient times. Modern whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), though newer, has also been used for many decades. It was developed in Japan back in the late 1970s to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Over time, it has gained popularity around the world for pain management, sports recovery, skincare, and even cancer support (1).
How Does Cryotherapy Work?
Cryotherapy works by using extremely cold temperatures of -110°C (-166°F) to -160°C (-256°F) and exposing your body to it for 2 to 4 minutes. Within this short time, cryotherapy can help to trigger natural healing processes in your body, reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, increase endorphin release, and allow your body to fight abnormal tissues and support the development of healthy cells. Cryotherapy can be administered locally or as whole-body cryotherapy in a specialized chamber.
Cryotherapy vs. Cold Water Immersion
Cryotherapy and cold water immersion tactics such as ice baths are similar in that both involve exposing the body to intense cold for therapeutic purposes, but they are not the same. While both aim to reduce inflammation, manage pain, and promote healing, they differ significantly in application.
Cryotherapy involves exposing the body to extremely cold air, often reaching temperatures as low as -160°C (-256°F), for just 2–4 minutes in a specialized chamber. In contrast, cold water immersion requires submerging the body in water temperatures ranging from 10°C (50°F) to 15°C (59°F) for 10–15 minutes.
Cryotherapy is quick and efficient, often sought for its advanced recovery benefits and accessibility in wellness clinics, whereas cold water immersion is a more traditional, cost-effective method frequently used by athletes to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and swelling.
What are the Benefits of Cryotherapy
The potential benefits of cryotherapy include:
- Improved physical recovery
- Reduction in exercise-induced muscle damage
- Pain management support
- Enhanced athletic performance
- Better mental health
- Stress reduction
- Improve skin health
- Reduction in signs of aging
- Better metabolic health
- Weight loss support
Let’s talk about these top benefits of cryotherapy one by one.
Physical Recovery and Pain Management
One of the main benefits of cryotherapy is physical recovery and pain management.
Reducing Inflammation and Pain
One of the most popular benefits of cryotherapy is its potential to reduce inflammation, swelling, muscle soreness, and pain. It can benefit acute inflammation, including after working out or manual labor, but can also be helpful for those with chronic inflammatory disorders.
Cold therapy, such as ice packs and cold plunges, has been used in athletic circles to reduce inflammation and increase recovery. Cryotherapy is another cold therapy option to minimize inflammation and promote recovery from intense physical activities and injuries.
According to a 2017 review published in Frontiers in Physiology, cryotherapy may positively impact muscular inflammatory markers and post-exercise recovery (2). By improving circulation, it may reduce swelling, muscle tightness, and pain, and may help to improve mobility and lower the risk of further tissue damage and injuries. A 2019 study published in Science Reports suggests that you can notice a positive anti-inflammatory effect only within 4 weeks (3).
Benefits Chronic Pain Conditions
Because cryotherapy affects the sympathetic nervous system, it may also benefit chronic pain conditions characterized by chronic inflammation, muscle or joint pain, stiffness, and discomfort, including arthritis and fibromyalgia. A 2018 study published in Rheumatology International has found that cryotherapy may be beneficial for those with fibromyalgia as an adjuvant therapy option (4). A 2019 research published in Rheumatologia has found that cryotherapy may help to reduce inflammation and support the rehabilitation of rheumatoid arthritis (5).
It may work well with other therapies, such as heat therapy for increasing joint flexibility, physical therapy to improve balance and strength, mindfulness and yoga to address emotional issues and stress behind chronic pain, and nutrition to address nutritional imbalances. Using a holistic and integrative approach like this, including cryotherapy, may offer long-lasting positive effects.
Enhanced Athletic Performance
Many athletes and sports medicine doctors use cryotherapy to improve athletic performance.
Faster Post-Workout Recovery
As we mentioned, cryotherapy and other cold therapies are popular in athletic circles. According to a 2020 review published in the Journal of Athletic Training, cryotherapy may reduce exercise-related muscle damage (6).
Exposing your body to extremely cold temperatures can lower inflammation, accelerate the repair of microtears in your muscle fibers, and reduce muscle soreness. As your body warms up after the cold exposure, circulation improves which improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and supports muscle recovery.
Reducing Fatigue and Boosting Stamina
Another benefit of cryotherapy when it comes to sports performance is reducing fatigue and boosting stamina. Cryotherapy sessions may help to reduce the cumulative effects of stress from training, which can allow for higher energy levels and better focus.
A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living has found that cryotherapy may improve strength, endurance, perceived recovery, and long-term performance in athletes (7). Using it regularly may help to improve performance consistency, endurance, and energy while reducing the risk of overtraining and injuries.
Mental Health and Stress Reduction
Another benefit of cryotherapy is improved mental health and a reduction is stress levels.
Improved Mood
Cryotherapy may help to improve your mood and mental health by stimulating the release of endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals in your body. According to a 2020 research published in Frontiers in Psychology, cryotherapy may help to reduce depression (8).
Being exposed to the extreme cold in cryotherapy can result in a hormonal response. This leads to an increase of norepinephrine, which can increase alertness and reduce anxiety and depression. This sudden boost in endorphins can lead to a sense of euphoria after a cryotherapy session. Used regularly may benefit your mental and emotional health long-term.
Lower Stress and Improved Sleep
Cryotherapy may also help to reduce your stress levels and improve your sleep. The cold temperature may lead to reduced cortisol levels. According to a 2008 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 12 weeks of cryotherapy used three times a week helped to reduce cortisol and improve norepinephrine levels (9).
High cortisol levels are linked to chronic stress. By reducing cortisol, cryotherapy may help to regulate your body’s stress response and improve the relaxation of your nervous system. This may help to increase a sense of calm, lower stress levels, and improve your sleep. Because chronic stress can suppress the immune system, cryotherapy may even indirectly support immune health.
Skin and Anti-Aging Benefits
Another benefit of cryotherapy is improved skin health and anti-aging benefits.
Firmer Skin
Cryotherapy may also help to stimulate collagen production as a response to extreme cold exposure. A 2003 study published in Experimental Dermatology has found that cryotherapy may change collagen synthesis and differentiation of keloidal fibroblasts and improve skin health (10).
It can increase blood flow to the skin which can allow oxygenated blood to rush to and nourish your skin. When this happens, fibroblast activity increases which can improve collagen production. Collagen is essential for your skin health and increase collagen may help to improve your skin’s texture, reduce wrinkles, and create a firmer skin.
Beneficial for Skin Conditions
But it’s not just about vanity. Cryotherapy may also help to manage and improve eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology has found that cryotherapy may help to decrease itching in eczema (11).
The extreme cold can help to reduce chronic inflammation which may provide relief from symptoms of these skin issues and even reduce flare-ups. Cryotherapy can also constrict blood vessels which may help to calm your sensitive skin and reduce inflammation, swelling, and redness associated with chronic skin conditions.
Metabolic and Weight Loss Support
The final benefit of cryotherapy we want to highlight is metabolic and weight loss support.
Boosting Metabolism
A 2020 research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine has found that cryotherapy may reduce abdominal obesity and metabolic issues in menopausal women (12). Extreme cold exposure from cryotherapy may result in a temporary metabolism boost.
When your body is exposed to extreme temperatures, it has to work much harder to maintain a normal core temperature and homeostasis. This results in increased energy expenditure, increased calorie burn, and a metabolic boost. Though the effects are not long-term, used regularly, this temporary metabolic boost can matter a lot when it comes to weight management and overall energy levels.
Better Fat-Burning and Weight Management
Cryotherapy may also improve fat-burning and support weight management. A 2018 study published in has found that cryotherapy may effect thermogenesis and help to reduce obesity (13). Thermogenesis is the process by which brown fat or brown adipose tissue (BAT) generates heat by burning calories.
Brown fat is a type of fat that burns calories to generate heat. Cold exposure can activate brown fat and thermogenesis. This may help to reduce white fat cells which are the fat deposits that are associated with weight gain. Combined with a balanced diet, exercise, reduced stress, and healthy lifestyle choices, cryotherapy can support your weight loss goals.
Experience the Revolutionary Benefits of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy has a wide range of reported benefits, from improving physical recovery to enhancing mental health and skin appearance. Though more research is needed, it remains a promising tool for wellness and performance optimization. If you are interested in trying cryotherapy to enhance your health and well-being, we invite you to our office in Atlanta to enjoy the benefits of cryotherapy.
If you are looking for further advice on how to support your health and wellness, we recommend that you reach out to us. If you are dealing with chronic symptoms or complex health issues, our practitioners can help to find the root cause of your issues, address these underlying imbalances naturally, and regain your health and well-being. We invite you to set up an appointment with our office here.