Cryotherapy Works on The Same Science as Vaccines
Cryotherapy and Vaccines: They Work on the Same Science
Vaccination is a familiar concept—a tiny prick from a needle provides us with years, even a lifetime, of immunity to a host of lethal diseases. At first glance, the idea of exposing our bodies to potentially toxic agents seems ludicrous—how could being injected with chicken pox, diphtheria, or hepatitis ever make us healthier? The idea of exposing our bodies to low doses of infectious agents to generate beneficial side effects is known as hormesis. Hormesis suggests that low-dose exposure to a “stressor” causes an upregulation in many, if not all, of our vital systems. The immune system upregulates to defend against the antigen and repairs any damage created. Subsequent exposures to the specific antigen will not result in infection because the immune system has become more sophisticated — it just works better.
Technically, hormesis can be activated by a variety of “stressors”: infectious agents, caloric restriction, extreme temperature, alcohol, or mental, emotional, or psychological challenges. Brief, low-dose exposure to any of these stressors causes vital bodily systems to upregulate to defend against and heal from the exposure. Hormetic benefits can occur in all body systems: circulatory, immune, skeletal, muscular, endocrine, digestive, nervous, and respiratory.
Notably, hormesis only applies when doses are characterized as “low”. Chronic or high-dose stress leads to toxic, potentially lethal effects. The key to hormesis is to keep exposures brief and minute.
Vaccinations are just one hormetic application: allergen immunotherapy works by introducing very low doses of an allergen and gradually increasing the dosage to build up tolerance. Low-dose exposure to radiation has been shown to reduce cancer risk in both mice and humans. Mental challenges that briefly stress the brain have been shown to delay, prevent, and reverse cognitive decline due to age, injury, or disease. Think red wine: good in small doses, bad in large doses.
Why does hormesis occur? Why do our bodies, when faced with a small dose of an antigen, allergen, or other stressor, respond by improving the function and efficiency of our vital systems? The answer is that humans possess adaptive “homeostatic” systems—that is, our bodies adapt and change in response to environmental stressors to maintain internal stability. So exposure to a toxin will force adaptive change in the immune system that will rid the body of the threat—this adaptive change effectively “upregulates” the immune system to work better, more efficiently, and more broadly. The application of hormesis to human health and well-being is remarkable because this adaptive process responds to many different stressors, and these adaptations (or benefits to health and wellness) can be very long-lasting, even permanent.
Whole-body cryotherapy operates on the principle of hormesis. During whole-body cryotherapy, the body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for a very short time. Our bodies respond to extreme cold in the same way they respond to vaccines—our biological systems are upregulated to defend against the stressor and repair any potential damage. Since treatment time is limited to 3 minutes, there is no risk of hypothermia; whole body cryotherapy also occurs in the absence of moisture, so there is virtually NO risk of frostbite. Certified, responsible cryotherapy providers never leave a client alone in a cryotherapy machine. This constant monitoring of client well-being reduces the risk of exposure to nitrogen vapor.
Whole-body cryotherapy is extremely effective in improving overall health, wellness, and cognition. Upregulation in response to brief, episodic cold exposure reduces inflammation, thereby improving blood circulation, digestion, and respiratory function. Adaptive response to cold also helps to build collagen in our joints and skin, relax and heal our muscles, balance hormones, relieve nervous system disorders, and improve immunity. Cognition has also been shown to improve when the brain is exposed to brief, episodic challenges (such as cold or puzzles)—whole body cryotherapy has been shown to relieve depression, anxiety, stress, and mental aging.
Hormesis and whole body cryotherapy can also help delay, prevent, and/or reverse the aging process. Aging involves a progressive reduction in biological dynamical complexity—our systems slow down and progressively fail to innovate and adapt. Aging individuals can’t learn as well, mobility declines, the immune system is sluggish, and there is an overall “slowing down” of all biological systems. External stimulation that challenges an organism forces it to upregulate these systems, leading to adaptive changes that may retard or even reverse aging symptoms. Whole-body cryotherapy provides both a physical and a mental challenge, leading to improved physical and mental/cognitive health. Whole body cryotherapy represents an “hormetic strategy” which can enhance the function of repair processes in aging humans and potentially prevent age-related chronic degenerative diseases.
ChillRx is dedicated to applying whole-body and local cryotherapy to promote our clients’ health, well-being, and beauty. We have a board-certified medical advisor, kinesiologist, and nutritionist on staff to design and implement specific treatment programs for medical conditions, injuries, weight loss, and aging. Our cryotherapy programs follow the scientific principles of hormesis, which allows us to provide the most effective, safe, and efficient cryotherapy available.