Cryotherapy for Weight Loss: Why it Works
Why is whole body cryotherapy so effective for weight loss? The answer is multi-tiered…
During whole-body cryotherapy, the client is exposed to temperatures ranging from -120 to -145°C. This translates to approximately -200 to -235°F. The process is not painful as the cold air is extremely dry—in the absence of moisture, extreme cold is very tolerable. We characterize it as numbing rather than painful. It’s a very superficial cold—not bone-chilling at all. It’s much more tolerable than a wet, 40-degree day in state-full!
Exposure to extreme cold triggers the fight-or-flight response in humans. Our brains receive the signal from our skin that the air is extremely cold. The essence of whole-body cryotherapy is that we can experience the benefits of the fight-or-flight response without actually being in any danger. Since whole body cryotherapy sessions are limited to 3 minutes, there is no risk to clients from the cold.
The three ways in which whole-body cryotherapy causes weight loss are related to our responses to cold temperatures.
The first response is the sheer caloric burn. When your skin is cooled significantly (in whole-body cryotherapy, the skin cools to roughly 35 degrees Fahrenheit), it takes a lot of energy to reheat. As a result, a single three-minute whole body cryotherapy session can burn between 500 and 800 calories. These calories are not burned only during the 3-minute session—the full reheating process can take up to an hour, so you continue to burn lots and lots of calories even after the treatment is over.
The second response is metabolic. A component of the fight-or-flight process is an increase in metabolic rate to generate more energy. Your brain is very smart, and part of the fight-or-flight response is to trigger an energy boost so you can fight effectively or flee quickly from perceived danger (in this case, cold). This metabolic increase is an excellent tool for weight loss. Aging, hormonal imbalances, lifestyle—these can all decrease our metabolisms. Whole-body cryotherapy is an excellent antidote—clients report burning more calories passively for 3 to 6 days after a session. In the long run, metabolism can be permanently increased with consistent treatments.
The final side effect of whole-body cryotherapy that aids weight loss is the release of endorphins and other biochemicals. This is also part of the fight-or-flight process initiated by whole-body cryotherapy. One of the biochemicals released is called alpha-MSH or alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. This hormone has a very unique and valuable function: it suppresses appetite!! Many of our clients have noticed a significant decrease in their appetite following cryotherapy treatment.
Whole body cryotherapy is an extremely powerful tool for weight loss. The high calorie burn, the increased metabolism, and the appetite suppression work synergistically to stimulate weight loss in users. We have seen dramatic weight loss results from just 10 sessions.
Please consider whole body cryotherapy if you are searching for a weight loss tool. We are open 7 days a week and have extremely flexible hours. We are always happy to create a customized weight-loss protocol for each of our clients.