Health Benefits from Sports Cryotherapy

Athletes and others who strive for peak performance have known that exposure to cold temperatures has had a variety of physical and mental benefits throughout history. In recent years, research has proven many of the claims that have been known anecdotally for centuries. Some positive benefits of cryotherapy have very strong evidence while others still need some more research before scientists can reach a conclusion.

1. Cryotherapy Reduces Inflammation

When an athlete trains or competes through intense exercise, the body produces an inflammatory response that can be potentially damaging to healthy tissues. This can occur on an acute basis or can be a chronic issue. Multiple scientific studies show that cryo increases the levels of anti-inflammation immune response proteins while decreasing molecules that increase inflammation. In several studies involving athletes, daily cryotherapy was shown to reduce levels of IL-6 proteins after intense exercise. This was shown by taking serum from players before and after cryo treatment and before and after training while also testing a control group that followed a passive recovery routine. Many players in the cryo-therapy group experienced decreased levels of perceived soreness and pain compared to those in the control group.

2. Sports Cryotherapy May Reduce Muscle Damage

Work done by muscles during intense exercise can produce oxidants that cause pain and can even damage the muscle tissues. The breakdown and rebuilding of muscle is actually an important part of training, but cryotherapy may play an important role in reducing the negative effects of the process while enhancing the positive ones. Cryo may do this by decreasing the levels of an enzyme called serum creatine kinase in the muscle after activity. One study showed that kayakers who went took cryo had a 34% decrease in creatine compared to control athletes.

3. Cold Therapy May Have Benefits for Your Blood

Sports cryotherapy is proven to have many effects on the blood, including levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells. While one study showed that cryotherapy had positive effects during a week-long treatment regime, another showed that the effects on hemoglobin and other hematological parameters were negligible over a longer period of time. This could be explained by the body's natural release of a kidney hormone in response to lower red blood cell counts. Studies that looked into cryotherapy's effect on leukocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes showed that the treatment had little to no impact on immune cell levels.

4. Cryotherapy Impacts Hormones

There is strong evidence that cryotherapy has significant positive impacts on hormone levels for a short period of time after treatment. A couple of studies showed that there were increases, of up to 76%, in norepinephrine levels immediately after a cryotherapy session. Norepinephrine increases alertness and attention, regulates blood pressure and affects the sleep cycle and memory. Evidence for effects on other types of hormones, such as cortisol, is not as strong. Studies on some athletes participating in cryotherapy showed modest increases in cortisol while others showed none.

5. Cryotherapy Lowers Cholesterol

Researchers that studied the lipid profiles of people who took cryotherapy found that participants had significantly improved levels of cholesterol, which can lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. A study of active male adults who participated in 20 daily cryotherapy sessions has lower rates of triglycerides, higher HDL cholesterol, and lower HDL cholesterol. In a 2015 study involving overweight men of had cryotherapy, cholesterol levels also got better despite little improvements in body weight, body mass index, and lean body weight. These study participants also did moderate exercises on a regular basis during the study period.

6. Sports Cryotherapy and Recovery

Evidence of cellular changes from cryotherapy is important, but observed impacts on physical recovery and performance are also valuable. Long-distance runners showed improvements in strength, pain, and subjective fatigue after three treatments of cryotherapy. Several professional tennis players also showed improved shot accuracy after twice-daily exposure to treatment during a training camp. While a few other studies showed a limited correlation between cryotherapy and performance and recovery, a reduction in muscle soreness was shown across the board.

While these listed benefits of cryotherapy can be very appealing for athletes looking to enhance their performance, it's important to take precautions before diving into any type of cryo regime. Extreme cold temperatures can damage the body and should be supervised by professionals at all times. Some athletes may even have conditions that make any type of cryo treatment harmful, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure and many types of respiratory and circulatory illnesses. Athletes should also consult a physician before beginning cryo treatment.