Whole-Body Cryotherapy Reduces Systemic Inflammation in Healthy Adults: Pilot Cohort Study
BackgroundChronically elevated inflammation is implicated in many conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease, and has been associated with increased mortality risk. Whole-body cryotherapy (W-BC) is a promising modality to treat inflammation...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Interactive Journal of Medical Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.i-jmr.org/2024/1/e60942 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | BackgroundChronically elevated inflammation is implicated in many conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease, and has been associated with increased mortality risk. Whole-body cryotherapy (W-BC) is a promising modality to treat inflammation with demonstrated benefits for clinical subpopulations including those with arthritis, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, it is unclear whether the benefit from W-BC extends to healthy individuals prior to chronic disease–related inflammation. In addition, the long-term durability of W-BC effect is unknown.
ObjectiveThis study investigates the inflammatory response to W-BC in healthy adults with a biomarker of inflammation, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and clinical biomarkers of metabolism including fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides.
MethodsFifteen individuals (n=9 female) participated in frequent recreational W-BC (3 minutes of cold exposure at –110 ℃) over approximately 9 months and had blood draws at baseline plus follow-up visits. Biomarkers were modeled as linear functions of W-BC sessions received in the month prior to blood draw.
ResultsThe mean amount of W-BC received was 6.78 (SD 4.26) times per month with the cumulative total ranging from 13 to 157 W-BC sessions over the course of the study. On average, participants completed 1-2 sessions per week throughout the intervention. The number of W-BC sessions were associated with decreased hsCRP (–0.14 mg/L in hsCRP per W-BC session; P<.01) and with durability of up to 9 months. Increased W-BC was also associated with a downward trend in fasting glucose. This trend failed to reach significance at 1 month (–0.73 mg/dL in fasting glucose per W-BC session; P<.10) but was significant for 2- and 3-month windows (P<.05). HbA1c was increased significantly after 9 months (P<.01); however, the change occurred within normal ranges (difference=0.13% and <5.7%) and was not clinically significant. There was no association between W-BC and LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides (P>.10), although LDL trended lower over the time period examined (P=.07).
ConclusionsThese results suggest that W-BC beneficially impacts systemic inflammation by lowering hsCRP levels in healthy individuals and may also have some modulating effect on fasting glucose. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1929-073X |