Popular wellness trend is supposed to help with weight loss — but it may make you eat more
Maybe it's better not to take the plunge.
While the ostensible point of most wellness trends is to promote good physical and mental health — as opposed to purely shedding pounds — weight management is often an added perk.
But a fascinating new study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior warns that the caloric dump of one popular practice might be mostly in your head.
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3 If you've ever spent time in freezing water, you've probably noticed a significant uptick in your appetite.
Diana Light – stock.adobe.com
Cold plunges and ice baths have made quite the splash in recent years, thanks to their purported boost in mental clarity, blood circulation and metabolism and their reduction in muscle soreness and stress.
And if you've ever spent time in freezing water, you've probably noticed a significant uptick in your appetite — leading you to naturally believe you've really earned that burger.
Advertisement
Sadly, it seems that might not be the case.
Researchers suspect that the 'after-drop' effect — where core body temperature keeps falling after cold exposure, even when you're out of the water — triggers brain regions linked to temperature and energy, boosting appetite.
3 Researchers suspect the 'after-drop' effect triggers brain regions linked to temperature and energy, boosting appetite.
littlepigpower – stock.adobe.com
'Ice baths and cold dips have become really popular, with many people hoping they'll help with weight loss,' David Broom, a professor at UK's Coventry University Research Center for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, said in a statement.
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'But our findings show that while cold water does make your body work harder and burn more energy, it also leads to eating more afterward — possibly undoing the potential weight-loss benefits,' he continued.
'Interestingly, people didn't say they felt hungrier during or after the cold water — they just ate more.'
3 Study participants who spent 30 minutes in cold water ate a whopping 240 extra calories.
Dusan Petkovic – stock.adobe.com
Researchers asked 10 men and five women who were active and healthy to spend 30 minutes in cold water (60 degrees Fahrenheit), hot water (95 degrees) or room temperature water (78 degrees).
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Afterwards — in what sounds like the best controlled trial ever — they were asked to eat a plate of pasta until 'comfortably full.'
Of the three groups, the cold water cohort ate a whopping 240 extra calories.
Depending on various factors, spending 30 minutes in a cold plunge — which is, by the way, not really recommended by experts, who advise shooting for no more than 10 minutes due to risk of hypothermia — only burns an estimated 250 to 500 calories, which is why probably why researchers say the overeating might negate the burn.
For what it's worth, these findings align with what experts say about contrast therapy — the art of repeatedly alternating between hot and cold, like shvitzing in a sauna and then jumping into a cold plunge, as one does in modern bathhouses and traditional Finnish culture.
Dr. Hany Demian, CEO of BioSpine and co-founder of Pain Care Clinics, previously told The Post that contrast therapy burns 'a very small amount of calories, but nothing significant.'
He added that the surge in hunger has more to do with 'stomach contraction and relaxation, which stimulates the appetite.'
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Popular wellness trend is supposed to help with weight loss — but it may make you eat more
Maybe it's better not to take the plunge. While the ostensible point of most wellness trends is to promote good physical and mental health — as opposed to purely shedding pounds — weight management is often an added perk. But a fascinating new study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior warns that the caloric dump of one popular practice might be mostly in your head. Cold plunges and ice baths have made quite the splash in recent years, thanks to their purported boost in mental clarity, blood circulation and metabolism and their reduction in muscle soreness and stress. And if you've ever spent time in freezing water, you've probably noticed a significant uptick in your appetite — leading you to naturally believe you've really earned that burger. Sadly, it seems that might not be the case. Researchers suspect that the 'after-drop' effect — where core body temperature keeps falling after cold exposure, even when you're out of the water — triggers brain regions linked to temperature and energy, boosting appetite. 'Ice baths and cold dips have become really popular, with many people hoping they'll help with weight loss,' David Broom, a professor at UK's Coventry University Research Center for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, said in a statement. 'But our findings show that while cold water does make your body work harder and burn more energy, it also leads to eating more afterward — possibly undoing the potential weight-loss benefits,' he continued. 'Interestingly, people didn't say they felt hungrier during or after the cold water — they just ate more.' Researchers asked 10 men and five women who were active and healthy to spend 30 minutes in cold water (60 degrees Fahrenheit), hot water (95 degrees) or room temperature water (78 degrees). Afterwards — in what sounds like the best controlled trial ever — they were asked to eat a plate of pasta until 'comfortably full.' Of the three groups, the cold water cohort ate a whopping 240 extra calories. Depending on various factors, spending 30 minutes in a cold plunge — which is, by the way, not really recommended by experts, who advise shooting for no more than 10 minutes due to risk of hypothermia — only burns an estimated 250 to 500 calories, which is why probably why researchers say the overeating might negate the burn. For what it's worth, these findings align with what experts say about contrast therapy — the art of repeatedly alternating between hot and cold, like shvitzing in a sauna and then jumping into a cold plunge, as one does in modern bathhouses and traditional Finnish culture. Dr. Hany Demian, CEO of BioSpine and co-founder of Pain Care Clinics, previously told The Post that contrast therapy burns 'a very small amount of calories, but nothing significant.' He added that the surge in hunger has more to do with 'stomach contraction and relaxation, which stimulates the appetite.'
National Geographic
6 hours ago
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When is it too dangerous to be outside? New wearable tech could tell you.
Illnesses caused by heat—dehydration, cramps, and even strokes—can come on quickly and quietly. New, wearable technology could help alert wearers to lurking danger. Two people pick grapes in a vineyard near Fresno, California. Outdoor farm workers are on average 35 times more likely to experience heat-related illnesses than the general population. Photograph by Karla Gachet, Nat Geo Image Collection Globally, health experts anticipate a 370 percent rise in yearly heat-related deaths and a 50 percent increase in hours of labor lost due to heat exposure. Heat is one of the most dangerous forms of extreme weather, but symptoms can develop slowly, leading to delays in recognizing the signs of a more serious illness. That's why scientists are also developing technologies that could help save lives by telling device wearers precisely when they're overheating. 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The U.S. military uses an algorithm developed by scientists in 2013 that estimates the chances of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and debilitating heat cramps by measuring changes in heart rate, skin temperature, and gait. "This is the future," said Emma Atkinson, a biomedical researcher for the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, in a 2024 press release announcing a device worn around the chest that resulted from testing the algorithms on 14,000 soldiers. "This is a life-saving device." The army's core body temperature algorithm is the most advanced to date and is being integrated into products for the general public, said Zachary Schlader , a University of Iowa Bloomington associate professor who studies the implications of heat stress. He acknowledges there is 'no gold standard' technology for combating heat stress in work settings, but says the most promising are algorithms to estimate internal body temperature. A construction worker covered up from the sun as morning temperatures reached 92 degrees Fahrenheit at a housing development in Marana, Arizona on Friday, July 12, 2024. Photograph by Cassidy Araiza, The New York Times/Redux 'In a clinical setting or lab, to measure the internal temperature of the body requires the measurement of rectal temperature or esophageal temperature, or different blood temperatures,' he said. 'Those aren't feasible in a work setting and in a bigger population setting. But how hot you get it, hot the inside of the body gets, is largely what determines the health risks of heat, as well as the productivity risk.' For the public, Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch 5, and the Garmin watch can all detect skin temperature, primarily to track menstrual cycles. But to determine if someone is at risk of heat stress, wearable devices need to measure core body temperature, a capability they lack. 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Left: Workers pick tomatoes in a field in the early morning in Los Baños, California. Right: Laborers in the Western Cape province of South Africa harvest Pinot Noir wine grapes overnight. Photograph by Karla Gachet, Nat Geo Image Collection (Top) (Left) and Photograph by David Silverman, Getty Images (Bottom) (Right) Some aren't sold on a wearable-only solution. One skeptic is Jason Glaser, the CEO of La Isla Network , a company that advocates for worker safety. The network pairs weather and health data to model heat strain on workers and recommend the best hours for avoiding outside work. 'A wearable is only an alarm system,' he said, adding that most farm workers can't afford it. It's also unclear if, given access to wearable technology, workers would be incentivized to listen to its alerts. Intense manual labor and piece-rate payment systems, based on the quantity of produce they harvest, encourage workers to work beyond their limits without adequate access to water, shade, and breaks. One preliminary study looking at the link between high temperatures and chronic kidney disease also found that implementing a heat safety program—added rest periods, improved access to shade and fluids, placing bathroom facilities nearby and more, at a sugar mill in Nicaragua, decreased kidney injury in workers. Some argue these company-mandated solutions might be more effective than using wearable technology. Glaser would like to integrate wearables into his research, but that is on hold until the nonprofit receives more funding. 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New York Post
7 hours ago
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Popular wellness trend is supposed to help with weight loss — but it may make you eat more
Maybe it's better not to take the plunge. While the ostensible point of most wellness trends is to promote good physical and mental health — as opposed to purely shedding pounds — weight management is often an added perk. But a fascinating new study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior warns that the caloric dump of one popular practice might be mostly in your head. Advertisement 3 If you've ever spent time in freezing water, you've probably noticed a significant uptick in your appetite. Diana Light – Cold plunges and ice baths have made quite the splash in recent years, thanks to their purported boost in mental clarity, blood circulation and metabolism and their reduction in muscle soreness and stress. And if you've ever spent time in freezing water, you've probably noticed a significant uptick in your appetite — leading you to naturally believe you've really earned that burger. Advertisement Sadly, it seems that might not be the case. Researchers suspect that the 'after-drop' effect — where core body temperature keeps falling after cold exposure, even when you're out of the water — triggers brain regions linked to temperature and energy, boosting appetite. 3 Researchers suspect the 'after-drop' effect triggers brain regions linked to temperature and energy, boosting appetite. littlepigpower – 'Ice baths and cold dips have become really popular, with many people hoping they'll help with weight loss,' David Broom, a professor at UK's Coventry University Research Center for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, said in a statement. Advertisement 'But our findings show that while cold water does make your body work harder and burn more energy, it also leads to eating more afterward — possibly undoing the potential weight-loss benefits,' he continued. 'Interestingly, people didn't say they felt hungrier during or after the cold water — they just ate more.' 3 Study participants who spent 30 minutes in cold water ate a whopping 240 extra calories. Dusan Petkovic – Researchers asked 10 men and five women who were active and healthy to spend 30 minutes in cold water (60 degrees Fahrenheit), hot water (95 degrees) or room temperature water (78 degrees). Advertisement Afterwards — in what sounds like the best controlled trial ever — they were asked to eat a plate of pasta until 'comfortably full.' Of the three groups, the cold water cohort ate a whopping 240 extra calories. Depending on various factors, spending 30 minutes in a cold plunge — which is, by the way, not really recommended by experts, who advise shooting for no more than 10 minutes due to risk of hypothermia — only burns an estimated 250 to 500 calories, which is why probably why researchers say the overeating might negate the burn. For what it's worth, these findings align with what experts say about contrast therapy — the art of repeatedly alternating between hot and cold, like shvitzing in a sauna and then jumping into a cold plunge, as one does in modern bathhouses and traditional Finnish culture. Dr. Hany Demian, CEO of BioSpine and co-founder of Pain Care Clinics, previously told The Post that contrast therapy burns 'a very small amount of calories, but nothing significant.' He added that the surge in hunger has more to do with 'stomach contraction and relaxation, which stimulates the appetite.'
