Cold Showers and Possible Attenuation of Hypertrophy
I've implemented deliberate cold exposure through daily cold showers (2 to 3 minutes at the coldest my shower goes which is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit). While I greatly enjoy the dopamine/norepinephrine enhancing effects of this, I would not like to do anything that would blunt hypertrophy. While the studies on cold water immersion report that 10-15 minute cold plunges at 50 degrees Fahrenheit blunt the hypertrophy response of resistance training, I like to think that the catecholamine enhancing effects of cold water immersion are quicker acting than the unwanted decrease in hypertrophy. I would imagine that these might be area under the curve effects dependent on time and temperature with the neural effects requiring less exposure than the muscle effects. While I anecdotally feel the positive effects of a short 2-3 minute cold shower, I would find it hard to believe that such a brief exposure without full submersion would be negatively impacting my muscle growth. However, there are not any studies I am aware of that specifically use cold showers (and also for a short 2-3 minute duration) because of the difficulty in controlling for such a variable. Would your intuition agree with my assessment on this?
Cold showers and chronic cystitis - how can we solve the conflict?
I see and enjoy the benefits of cold showers. Though, I cannot do them when it’s cold outside, like some parts of the autumn and spring, and in the winter, due to my chronic cystitis. If I’m exposed to cold in these seasons, I ”activate” my cystitis. If I try cold or mild showers, that happens too. I don’t want to confess how hard it is to live with the sensation that you must always pee. :)) Do you have a solution for people like me who suffer from this problem? Thank you. 😊