Cold is medicine.

The most studied recovery modality there is. Here's exactly what deliberate cold does to the body — and the data behind it.

What it is

Two routes. One trigger.

Cold therapy comes in two main forms. Cold water immersion — an ice bath — submerges the body in water at roughly 3–15°C. Whole-body cryotherapy surrounds you with chilled air, electric or nitrogen, taking the skin surface far colder — to around −110°C — for a short, intense 2–3 minutes. Different routes, the same physiological trigger: deliberate, controlled cold.

The mechanism

What happens inside the body

The vascular pump

Cold drives blood inward (vasoconstriction). On rewarming, it floods back out (vasodilation). That pump helps flush metabolic by-products and reduces swelling in worked tissue.

A nervous-system surge

Cold triggers a sharp release of noradrenaline — the neurotransmitter behind focus, drive and mood — setting off a cascade of adaptive effects across the body and brain.

Lower inflammation

Cooling reduces tissue temperature and the local inflammatory response, easing soreness and perceived fatigue after hard training.

Metabolic activation

Repeated cold recruits brown fat — the metabolically active tissue that burns energy to generate heat — supporting metabolism and cold tolerance over time.

The evidence

What the research actually shows

~530%

Rise in noradrenaline after one hour in 14°C water (Šrámek et al., 2000)

1–48h

Window in which cold water immersion measurably reduces muscle soreness after intense exercise

10–15 min

At 11–15°C — the protocol with the strongest effect on soreness in pooled trials

↓ CK

Significant reduction in creatine kinase, a marker of muscle damage, versus passive rest

Across multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses, cold water immersion significantly lowers delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and creatine kinase compared with simply resting. The current evidence points to roughly 10–15 minutes at 11–15°C as the sweet spot for soreness, with colder exposures (5–10°C) favoured for biochemical and neuromuscular recovery. Beyond recovery, deliberate cold drives a powerful noradrenaline response linked to focus and mood, and repeated exposure increases brown-fat activity and cold-induced energy expenditure.

Sources: Cold-water immersion dose–response — network meta-analysis, 2025. Neuroendocrine response — Šrámek et al., 2000. Brown-fat adaptation — cold-acclimation study.

What it delivers

Why facilities invest in cold

Faster recoveryLess soreness and muscle damage between sessions — more quality training.

Sharper mindThe noradrenaline surge drives focus, alertness and a genuine mood lift.

ResilienceRepeated controlled stress builds tolerance — physical and mental.

CirculationThe vasoconstriction–dilation pump supports blood flow and waste clearance.

MetabolismBrown-fat activation supports energy expenditure and cold tolerance.

A premium offerA recovery experience members feel — and come back for.

How it's used

Protocols that work

For recovery: 10–15 minutes at 11–15°C, after training or on rest days.

For the cold-shock hit (focus, mood): shorter, colder exposures — a few minutes is plenty.

Frequency: consistency beats heroics. Most facilities programme 2–4 sessions a week.

Note: very cold immersion immediately after strength training may blunt some muscle-building adaptations — time it away from hypertrophy sessions if that's the goal.

The systems

Bring cold into your space.

From commercial ice baths to electric whole-body cryotherapy chambers — built to run all day, every day.

Explore the Helix Cold range →

This page is educational and summarises published research on cold exposure. It is not medical advice. Cold therapy isn't suitable for everyone — anyone with a cardiovascular or other medical condition should consult a doctor before use.