Whole-body cryotherapy
DEGanzkörperkryotherapie
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) blasts your body with extreme cold air, typically −100 to −140°C, for 2 to 4 minutes in a chamber. That is different from cold-water immersion (CWI), which uses about 10 to 15°C water for 10 to 15 minutes. The two differ a lot in how fast and deep they cool you, and in how your body responds. Proposed mechanisms include a quick release of noradrenaline and endorphins, a brief anti-inflammatory shift, and a sympathetic surge followed by a parasympathetic rebound. But the evidence is weak. A 2015 Cochrane review (Costello et al., CD010789) found too little evidence to say whether WBC reduces muscle soreness or speeds recovery versus simply resting, rating the evidence low to very low. Evidence for immune, metabolic, or longevity effects in healthy people is preliminary. And WBC carries real risks: frostbite, low oxygen from nitrogen vapor, and cardiovascular strain. It is off-limits if you have cold urticaria, Raynaud's, or serious heart disease.
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