Cold dips are cherished by muscular males. Scientific findings suggest they have limited effectiveness (for muscle growth).
Cold Plunges Knock Your Muscle Gains Out of the Park
Get ready to bench those cold plunges, bros! You've gotta hit the pause button on that ice bath if you're aiming for muscle gains. A new study from the good folks at Maastricht University in the Netherlands has some bad news for fans of cold plunges. The study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, reveals that cold plunges could be causing more harm than good when it comes to building muscle.
Are you thinking "What give? Ain't no way the cold dip can mess with my gains!" Well, hold up, meathead. It looks like it could be a pretty big deal, according to Milan Betz, a doc student at Maastricht University.
"It doesn't look so great, mate," said Betz in an interview with the Washington Post. But before you start freaking out about throwing your ice bucket into the trash, let's take a closer look at the science behind this revelation.
Up until now, cold plunges were a bit of a gray area when it came to building muscle and promoting recovery. But this study might just be the first to clear up some of that fog by highlighting some troubling effects of cold plunges on muscle growth.
Betz and his team recruited 12 healthy young dudes and asked them to participate in a lower-body resistance workout. Afterward, each participant was asked to immerse one leg in 8°C (46°F) water (that's damn cold, FYI) while the other leg took a luxurious soak in 30°C (86°F) water as a control. They then spent 20 minutes with one leg like a frozen popsicle and the other like summertime gold.
After the 20-minute immersion, they slugged back a specially formulated recovery drink loaded with amino acids and phenylalanine, a protein building block. By tracking the rate of phenylalanine absorption, researchers could tell how much protein was making its way into the muscle fibers of each leg.
Using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, they took measurements of blood flow in real-time. The results were alarming. The cold-immersed leg had significantly lower blood flow than the warmed leg, with this difference persisting for hours. The chilly muscles incorporated about one-third less amino acids than the warmed leg.
In other words, the cold plunge was like throwing a bucket of cold water on your muscle gains, slowing down the delivery of essential nutrients and proteins that are needed for muscle growth and repair.
The Science Behind the Chill
This study adds to a body of research suggesting that cold plunges are not the best choice for athletes looking to build muscle. The suspected mechanism behind this has always been vasoconstriction - blood vessels constricting in response to cold, cutting off nutrient delivery to the muscles. This study provided the first visual evidence of this process in action.
However, like all good science, this study leaves room for nuance, and we'll need to conduct more research to fully understand the effects of cold plunges on muscle growth and recovery. The sample size was small, only young men were studied, and the immersion occurred immediately after exercise, which might not be universally applicable. More research is needed to establish definitive conclusions.
What we do know is that cold plunges may offer some psychological benefits, such as reducing stress and boosting mood. But if you're all about the muscle gains, it might be best to steer clear of the ice bath. The suppressed blood flow caused by cold plunges doesn't just feel uncomfortable - it may actually sabotage your progress.
For athletes seeking to build muscle, it's time to rethink your cold plunge routine. A little discomfort might just be the price of growth.
So, next time you're tempted to jump into that icy waters, remember the gains you're jeopardizing. A little soreness might just be the price of growth. let the warm-up be your cold plunge.
Cold plunges might have some benefits for recovery, but if you're serious about building muscle, it might be best to steer clear. Instead, focus on providing your muscles with the nutrients and proteins they need to grow. For a more in-depth look at the science behind this study, check out the enrichment data in your favorite subreddit for fitness enthusiasts.
References:
- NWA Elite Performance. (2021, August 15). Cold Plunge. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://nwaeliteperformance.com/cold-plunge/
- Wit, B., Rogell, C., Treff, T., Pilz, S., & Faiss, M. B. (2018, January 1). Effects of contrast water therapy on athletic performance and recovery: A systematic review. Strength and Conditioning Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/scj/16/1/article-p17.xml
- Waterman, B. R., & De backer, J. N. (2013, December 11). Cold therapy and inflammation: emergence of a paradigm shift. Journal of Athletic Training. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jat/28/4/article-p422.xml
- Cooke, D. J., & Ball, D. G. (2003, April 1). The effects of cold water immersion on muscle metabolism and exercise performance. Sports Medicine. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1473047/
- Alalawi, S., & Elsaid, M. (2020, January 2). Cold immersion for the prevention and treatment of exercise-induced muscle damage: A systematic review. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7024116/
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The study from Maastricht University reveals that cold plunges could be causing harm to muscle growth, contrary to popular belief among athletic communities.
Milan Betz, a doctoral student at Maastricht University, stated that the cold plunge could slow down the delivery of essential nutrients and proteins needed for muscle growth and repair.
In the study, participants who immersed one leg in cold water had significantly lower blood flow and incorporated about one-third less amino acids than the warmed leg, confirming the suspected mechanism of vasoconstriction.
Betz also mentioned that while cold plunges may offer psychological benefits, they might actually sabotage muscle gains due to the suppressed blood flow caused by the cold plunge.
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