Thread: Cold Showers

This is my first Threat, I hope I wrote it in the correct place.

From a while now, I've been researching for natural ways to keep healthy, mostly via sports, mental health and healthy eating. It all started when I read the book "Evolve Your Brain" http://www.drjoedispenza.com/ which make me decided to change. Since then I have only got better, and It feels like everything I do is working.

Anyhow, I've been reading in diverse webs about the benefits of cold showers and they look pretty good. But hot water showers seems to have benefits as well, but not as good as the cold showers. So, my question is, are cold showers really healthy?

I'll write down some of the benefits I've found so this is easier to discuss:

_Better circulation: This is also said about hot showers.
_Better thermogenesis: That means that your body learns to rise it's temperature.
_Relieves depression: It also says that overcomes chronic fatigue syndrome.
_Increases testosterone/fertility: I really don't mind about that...
_Strengthen immunity: It is aid in various ways. Better nervous system, better mucous membranes, reduction of blood pressure in internal organs, etc..
_Lost of weigh: I can't see how a shower can make you lose weigh
_Healthier Skin and Hair: It says it closes up your pores, but sometimes is good to have them open! no?
_Better mood: That's it, all above make you happier!

As you see, who wouldn't take a cold shower?
Of course if you have fever, or you have the flu you do not take cold showers. Unless you want to drop down your body temperature but that's an extreme case.
I haven't look for dangers of cold showers, but I know drastic changes of temperature within the body can even be deadly. I suppose you can't take a cold shower after a big meal, so I'm just talking about cold showers on the morning before breakfast.

There are various theories on how to take a cold shower. Start hot then go cold, only cold, cold then hot, cold then hot then cold again, etc... I think Spa's have this kind of things. I'm interested in this also, if you have any opinions about it please write them!

Any empirical evidence to back up any of these claims?

Actually that was what I was looking for.

I mean, I found those in the internet and they were supposed to be proved. But I do not trust random webpages from google, so that's why I ask for opinions on what can and cannot be true.

Originally Posted by Curious_Child

I'll write down some of the benefits I've found so this is easier to discuss:

_Better circulation: This is also said about hot showers.
_Better thermogenesis: That means that your body learns to rise it's temperature.
_Relieves depression: It also says that overcomes chronic fatigue syndrome.
_Increases testosterone/fertility: I really don't mind about that...
_Strengthen immunity: It is aid in various ways. Better nervous system, better mucous membranes, reduction of blood pressure in internal organs, etc..
_Lost of weigh: I can't see how a shower can make you lose weigh
_Healthier Skin and Hair: It says it closes up your pores, but sometimes is good to have them open! no?
_Better mood: That's it, all above make you happier!

The only one I can comment on is this: Cold Showers might stimulate the body's secretion of Thyroxine. Thyroxine is associated with an increase in the metabolism - however, because of this it is also associated with the regulation of body heat. Thyroxin increases body heat as it acts to initiate the release of energy. Release of energy = generation of heat as by-product of the reaction.

Therefore, a cold shower MAY help lower the body temperatue, resulting in a secretion of Thyroxine to compensate.

Edit: and therefore could possibly be associated with weight loss.

Therefore, a cold shower MAY help lower the body temperatue, resulting in a secretion of Thyroxine to compensate.

Probably not a good recommendation for people with untreated hypothyroidism. The consequent lower metabolic rate means that such people have a) sensitivity to cold, b) a poor immune system. Along with lethargy and a host of other undesirable impacts of a lower, or at least unreliable, metabolic rate.

Come to think of it, why not approach the issue by comparing advantages and disadvantages of hot and cold.

Advantages of hot:
1) Easier cleaning of fats from hair and skin.
2) Therefore less use of chemicals (soaps) and scrubbing.
3) Heat relaxes stiff muscles and joints.
4) Steam benefits nasal/sinus passages and relieves other upper respiratory tract problems.
5) Relaxation improves mood.

any others?

For men there are some obvious anatomical advantages to a hot shower over a cold one.

The basic rule is simple.
Do not believe claims that come without solid, credible, objective, empirical evidence.

For medical matters, that evidence should come in the form of a research paper published in a reputable, peer reviewed medical journal, or from a reputable university, government health department, or medical institute.

I doubt that those claims for cold showers will be backed up by anything like that. So do not believe them!

Originally Posted by Lynx_Fox

For men there are some obvious anatomical advantages to a hot shower over a cold one.

......Lol!

For hundreds of years, as Europeans began to learn and speculate about germs, all authorities believed germs invade a body through the pores. Baths, when absolutely necessary, were to be risked only with cold water.

Baths, when absolutely necessary, were to be risked only with cold water

I doubt that. I'm more inclined to think it was a combination of things.

Heating water takes a lot of fuel - so it's worth pretending that cold baths are better when that's the only sort you can afford.

Never, ever, underestimate the power of puritanism and stoicism. If it's enjoyable, it's probably sinful. Therefore, cold baths are better for your morals.

Originally Posted by Lynx_Fox

For men there are some obvious anatomical advantages to a hot shower over a cold one.

Surely this depends on your short term plans?

To Curious Child

You say you have been searching for natural ways to keep healthy.

May I suggest that you change that aim to scientifically demonstrated ways to keep healthy.
There are an awful lot of crackpot ideas out there, and a lot are justified by the suggestion that they are 'natural'. Yet they are total nonsense. Look instead for that which has been tested by good science, and shown to be good science by being published in reputable peer reviewed journals.

Originally Posted by adelady

Baths, when absolutely necessary, were to be risked only with cold water

I doubt that. I'm more inclined to think it was a combination of things.

Heating water takes a lot of fuel - so it's worth pretending that cold baths are better when that's the only sort you can afford.

Never, ever, underestimate the power of puritanism and stoicism. If it's enjoyable, it's probably sinful. Therefore, cold baths are better for your morals.

I said all authorities believed germs invade a body through the pores - and that includes doctors. Doctors recommended only cold baths because, they explained, open skin pores invite infection. Many Europeans further sealed their pores with fats and powders. This way of thinking had got started by discovery during the plagues that densely woven fabric (e.g. linen) acted as armour against disease (it was the fleas).