Stay out of cold water for dem gainz (study)

[WillBrink]

Getting into a cold bath post workout is more sports oriented than bbing, so I'm posting this one here. I don't know a single bber type who takes a cold bath post workout. But, of looking to maximize gainz, cold immersion appears to be a no no. My guess, it blunts the acute inflammatory response that's an essential aspect of the cascade for the response to exercise, not unlike studies suggesting taking nsaids or even high dose anti oxidants close to exercise. However, another study by the same group says no (1). Maybe as "simple" as vasoconstriction?

Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signalling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training.

J Physiol. 2015 Sep 15;593(18):4285-301.

Abstract

We investigated functional, morphological and molecular adaptations to strength training exercise and cold water immersion (CWI) through two separate studies. In one study, 21 physically active men strength trained for 12 weeks (2 days per week), with either 10 min of CWI or active recovery (ACT) after each training session. Strength and muscle mass increased more in the ACT group than in the CWI group (P < 0.05). Isokinetic work (19%), type II muscle fibre cross-sectional area (17%) and the number of myonuclei per fibre (26%) increased in the ACT group (all P < 0.05), but not the CWI group.

In another study, nine active men performed a bout of single-leg strength exercises on separate days, followed by CWI or ACT. Muscle biopsies were collected before and 2, 24 and 48 h after exercise. The number of satellite cells expressing neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) (10-30%) and paired box protein (Pax7) (20-50%) increased 24-48 h after exercise with ACT. The number of NCAM(+) satellite cells increased 48 h after exercise with CWI. NCAM(+) - and Pax7(+) -positive satellite cell numbers were greater after ACT than after CWI (P < 0.05). Phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase(Thr421/Ser424) increased after exercise in both conditions but was greater after ACT (P < 0.05).

These data suggest that CWI attenuates the acute changes in satellite cell numbers and activity of kinases that regulate muscle hypertrophy, which may translate to smaller long-term training gains in muscle strength and hypertrophy. The use of CWI as a regular post-exercise recovery strategy should be reconsidered.



(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27704555

[FluffyChapstick]

Good thread OP

[WillBrink]

Good thread OP

It's not a "is this chick a 10/10?" thread, so minimal interest

[DCSpartan]

Interesting post, thanks for still posting here!

[Jacwald]

Thanks OP. If I understand I can still take my cold shower in the morning?

[WillBrink]

Thanks OP. If I understand I can still take my cold shower in the morning?

Of course, that's unlikely to harm dem gainz.

[tuura007]

Same could be said for antioxidants.

Training causes inflammation that the body responds to. This could be part of the adaptive response to training. By taking exogenous antioxidants, the inflammation gets taken care of without our body's adaptive response (maybe leading to less gains from training).

[selfmade23]

Very interesting thanks for sharing