Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate
This review is based on a multiple database survey on published literature to determine the effects on health following voluntary exposure to cold-water immersion (CWI) in humans. After a filtering process 104 studies were regarded relevant. Many studies demonstrated significant effects of CWI on va...
Published in: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
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Language: | English |
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Taylor and Francis Group
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27902 https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 |
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ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/27902 2023-05-15T15:55:24+02:00 Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate Espeland, Didrik de Weerd, Louis Mercer, James 2022-09-22 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27902 https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 eng eng Taylor and Francis Group International Journal of Circumpolar Health Espeland D, de Weerd, Mercer. Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2022;81(1) FRIDAID 2074397 doi:10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 1239-9736 2242-3982 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27902 Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) openAccess Copyright 2022 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 CC-BY-NC Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed publishedVersion 2022 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 2022-12-22T00:02:49Z This review is based on a multiple database survey on published literature to determine the effects on health following voluntary exposure to cold-water immersion (CWI) in humans. After a filtering process 104 studies were regarded relevant. Many studies demonstrated significant effects of CWI on various physiological and biochemical parameters. Although some studies were based on established winter swimmers, many were performed on subjects with no previous winter swimming experience or in subjects not involving cold-water swimming, for example, CWI as a post-exercise treatment. Clear conclusions from most studies were hampered by the fact that they were carried out in small groups, often of one gender and with differences in exposure temperature and salt composition of the water. CWI seems to reduce and/or transform body adipose tissue, as well as reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity. This may have a protective effect against cardiovascular, obesity and other metabolic diseases and could have prophylactic health effects. Whether winter swimmers as a group are naturally healthier is unclear. Some of the studies indicate that voluntary exposure to cold water has some beneficial health effects. However, without further conclusive studies, the topic will continue to be a subject of debate. Article in Journal/Newspaper Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive International Journal of Circumpolar Health 81 1 |
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University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
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language |
English |
description |
This review is based on a multiple database survey on published literature to determine the effects on health following voluntary exposure to cold-water immersion (CWI) in humans. After a filtering process 104 studies were regarded relevant. Many studies demonstrated significant effects of CWI on various physiological and biochemical parameters. Although some studies were based on established winter swimmers, many were performed on subjects with no previous winter swimming experience or in subjects not involving cold-water swimming, for example, CWI as a post-exercise treatment. Clear conclusions from most studies were hampered by the fact that they were carried out in small groups, often of one gender and with differences in exposure temperature and salt composition of the water. CWI seems to reduce and/or transform body adipose tissue, as well as reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity. This may have a protective effect against cardiovascular, obesity and other metabolic diseases and could have prophylactic health effects. Whether winter swimmers as a group are naturally healthier is unclear. Some of the studies indicate that voluntary exposure to cold water has some beneficial health effects. However, without further conclusive studies, the topic will continue to be a subject of debate. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Espeland, Didrik de Weerd, Louis Mercer, James |
spellingShingle |
Espeland, Didrik de Weerd, Louis Mercer, James Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
author_facet |
Espeland, Didrik de Weerd, Louis Mercer, James |
author_sort |
Espeland, Didrik |
title |
Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
title_short |
Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
title_full |
Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
title_fullStr |
Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
title_full_unstemmed |
Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
title_sort |
health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate |
publisher |
Taylor and Francis Group |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27902 https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 |
genre |
Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
genre_facet |
Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
op_relation |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health Espeland D, de Weerd, Mercer. Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water–a continuing subject of debate. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2022;81(1) FRIDAID 2074397 doi:10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 1239-9736 2242-3982 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27902 |
op_rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) openAccess Copyright 2022 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY-NC |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789 |
container_title |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
container_volume |
81 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766390893592444928 |