Doesn’t it seem as if our quest to enhance our health is never-ending? There may be all the time a latest strategy, complement, or biohack designed to assist us get healthier.
Interestingly, one in all the more famous biohacks can also be one in all the only. We’re talking about cold showers, with some reports making it look like cold exposure can improve almost every facet of our lives.
One such claim is that cold showers can raise testosterone levels. But to be honest, a chilly shower is such a simple and low cost testosterone-boosting biohack that it almost seems too good to be true.
This leads us to the query: Do cold showers boost testosterone?
We’re about to seek out out! In this text, we have gathered all of the research and anecdotal stories to find out whether cold showers actually increase testosterone.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Testosterone?
- Why Is Testosterone Essential?
- Symptoms Of Low Testosterone
- Do Cold Showers Increase Testosterone? The Science Behind It
- What The People Say About Cold Showers & Testosterone Levels
- How To Get The Most Out Of Your Cold Shower
- Who Should Take Cold Showers For Testosterone
- 4 Other Health Advantages Of A Cold Shower
- Additional Strategies To Boost Testosterone
- FAQs
What Is Testosterone?
Testosterone is the first sex hormone present in men. During puberty, testosterone floods the body of boys, which triggers several processes that produce male characteristics. These include:
- Deeper voice
- Larger muscles
- Broader shoulders
- Growth of the penis
- Facial hair
While the first sex hormone of females is estrogen, they still have small amounts of testosterone. Despite the fact that the quantity is 1/tenth to 1/twentieth of men’s total levels, it still plays a pivotal role in women’s health.
It really works to extend bone strength, strengthen muscles, improve sex drive, and support menstrual health. Ladies, you may learn much more about this in our article on 5 Ways Women Can Naturally Increase Testosterone Levels.
Why Is Testosterone Essential?
As mentioned, testosterone plays quite a few vital roles within the human body, and it’s always working to control our health.
Our body is sort of a machine, and when a component as vital as testosterone is out of whack, you will notice it. Low testosterone levels can mean a lack of strength, decreased muscle mass, issues with sexual health, mental health concerns, and more.
That said, because of the natural ebb and flow of hormones, a person can experience regular fluctuations between high and lower testosterone levels.
Certain lifestyle decisions may also affect our hormone levels, which we’ll get into below, but the excellent news is there’s something you may do about it. We also discuss the importance of testosterone in additional detail in our article: How To Increase Testosterone.
Symptoms Of Low Testosterone
Symptoms of low testosterone are generally gradual, so it may well be difficult to identify when you do not know what to search for. Listed below are a few of the commonest symptoms of somebody experiencing low testosterone levels.
- Lethargy or excessive fatigue
- Decreased energy levels
- Mood disruption or depression
- Lack of desire
- Decreased recovery
- Decreased sex drive
- Erectile issues
To sum it up, having low testosterone takes away your zest for all times and negatively impacts your self-esteem.
Do Cold Showers Increase Testosterone? The Science Behind It
Low testosterone levels can obviously wreak havoc on the body. Because of this, it’s only natural to want to participate in activities that raise your testosterone levels.
One among the most popular biohacks to seek out their way into almost every aspect of our lives is cold therapy. Exposure to cold temperatures through various mediums is reported to enhance recovery, improve circulation, increase mood, and, after all, increase testosterone levels.
That is all anecdotal, though. So, what do the studies say?
The initial interest on this subject seems to return to observing men who live in colder temperatures. Quite a few studies have shown that men can improve sperm count once they often live in a region with colder temps1.
As well as, other studies have suggested that regular exposure to heat and hot water (wet heat) can decrease sperm production and even shrink testicles2. And if heat decreases sperm production, then it’s reasonable to imagine that cold exposure must increase it!
But, that is not precisely the case.
For one, while connected, sperm production is just not necessarily directly linked to testosterone levels. Second, a lot of these studies examine exposure to extreme temperatures. And third, simply because heat may cause harm to sperm production, doesn’t suggest excessive cold helps. It just means it’s possible you’ll need to mitigate long exposure to heat.
A study from 1991 produced some concerning results when it compared the response of two environments on various endocrine systems, including total testosterone3. One group cycled at 90 watts for 20 minutes, and the opposite was immersed in cold water.
The exercise group saw positive responses in all hormones, including total testosterone, which increased by 20.8%. Nevertheless, the cold water group actually saw a decrease of 10% in total testosterone levels. It ought to be noted that these were acute changes and never necessarily everlasting.
At the identical time, some studies exist wherein cold water immersion does help improve testosterone levels.
A study from 2017 examined the effect of cold exposure after exercise (sprint intervals). After completing 15 × 30 m sprints, participants either sat in a whole-body cryotherapy chamber or a room-temperature space because the control group. The cryotherapy conditions produced significantly higher testosterone levels at 2hr post-exercise (21%) and 24hr post-exercise (+28%)4.
We should always note that the temperature for cryotherapy is significantly colder than what can be experienced when taking cold showers.
Nevertheless, one other study from 2019 showed the alternative. After 11 resistance-trained men accomplished a weightlifting regime, they then either partook in lively recovery or cold water immersion. The researchers found that the cold water immersion actually blunted testosterone levels5.
Research Shows Mixed Results
As we are able to see, research studies are anything but conclusive. The identical goes for anecdotal reports. Some share positive results, and a few say the alternative.
One plausible suggestion is that the age and health of the person could play a job. As many studies are done on young, lively, and healthy men, we’d already expect to see optimal testosterone levels, and any disruption could lower them.
Then again, cold exposure may assist in populations with lower testosterone levels, comparable to older men.
Why Do Cold Showers Increase Testosterone?
To start out, an excessive amount of contradicting evidence exists to say cold showers raise testosterone definitively. Nevertheless, cold showers do appear to affect sperm production and quality positively.
The first theory is that it keeps the scrotum at an optimal temperature, but the outcomes aren’t a lot increased testosterone but somewhat sperm quality.
For instance, a study from 1987 found that keeping the scrotum at a temperature of 88-99 degrees Fahrenheit resulted in increased DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and sperm production6.
From what now we have seen in research, it seems this concept has been extrapolated to testosterone levels.
Additional Strategies To Boost Testosterone
Setting the cold showers aside for a second, there are other things you may do to extend your T levels that will have a more meaningful impact than simply taking a chilly shower.
1) Change Poor Lifestyle Decisions:
You frequently hear that a person’s testosterone levels drop after a certain age. That is true, but it surely’s not solely because of his age. In point of fact, people are likely to adopt all or a few of the following habits.
Listed below are the negative habits which are hurting your testosterone levels.
- Inactivity
- Excessive drinking
- Smoking
- Lack of sleep
- Poor weight-reduction plan
- Obese
- High levels of stress
Again, these are things that may hurt your testosterone levels. Subsequently, your first goal ought to be to reverse them. Start exercising, fix your weight-reduction plan, and get quality sleep. You recognize, your basic healthy stuff.
2) Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors:
Along with lifestyle changes, there are some behaviors that you could partake in for increased testosterone.
- Decrease stress
- Follow a resistance training program with progressive overload
- Mitigate excessive cardio and concentrate on cardio with more intensity
- Get enough sleep (duration and quality)
For more details on testosterone-increasing behaviors, read our article on How To Boost Testosterone Naturally.
3) Take Testosterone Boosters:
Testosterone boosters, that are supplements that support healthy testosterone levels, have develop into quite popular in the previous few years, as their goal is to boost your T levels by helping your body produce more testosterone.
These supplements typically include a mixture of effective mineral,s herbs, and vitamins, which we highlight in our article on the 8 Best Supplements to Increase Testosterone Naturally.
When on the lookout for an efficient T booster, search for proven ingredients. A few of the very best ingredients to search for are:
- D-aspartic acid
- Fenugreek
- B-Complex vitamins
- Vitamin D
- Ginseng
- Ginger extract
My favorite testosterone booster currently available on the market is TestoPrime, because it combines natural ingredients comparable to D-Aspartic acid, Panax ginseng, zinc, and Fenugreek. Plus, every batch is third-party tested for quality, safety, and efficacy by an independent laboratory.
Searching for more great recommendations? Try our article on the 7 Best Testosterone Boosters.
Do Cold Showers Increase Testosterone Levels? What Real People Say
Top-of-the-line places to seek out answers to “How much do cold showers increase testosterone?” and “Do cold showers actually increase testosterone?” is Reddit. No, it is not science, but it surely’s an ideal place to seek out real experiences from individuals who don’t have anything to realize by bending the reality.
When reading the Reddit boards, one Redditor did seem convinced:
“Short answer, yes. A minimum of in theory. Cold exposure or cold showers can boost testosterone mainly via 2 mechanisms: a rise in catecholamines (dopamine and noradrenaline etc) which increase testicular cAMP (independent of LH) resulting in steroidogenesis; the resulting increase in dopamine inhibits prolactin (resulting in a rise in LH and thus testosterone); third possible mechanism is the indisputable fact that testicles operate higher at cool temperatures.” (source)
Interestingly, most boards give some version of this response:
“It’s more about going out of your comfort zone. Should you manage to force yourself to do it, which is just not nice, you may perform higher in other hard tasks that life/ work throws at you. So circuitously, but surely can boost your self worth and maybe ultimately influence also T levels.” (source)
In other words, it seems the typical person is not using cold showers to vary their testosterone levels, but somewhat for other health advantages. At the identical time, some real users do seem to seek out some type of positive effect on testosterone when taking cold showers.
With this in mind, a very good approach can be to take cold showers for all of their health advantages, while also adopting other good habits, comparable to exercise, weight-reduction plan, sleep, and testosterone boosters, to assist improve your T levels.
4 Other Health Advantages Of A Cold Shower
If there’s little evidence for raising testosterone, it’s possible you’ll wonder why so many individuals do it. Well, there are literally quite a couple of other health advantages in comparison to hot showers.
1) Increase Energy, Confidence Levels, & Mental Health:
One typical report from cold showers is that they’ll make people feel great. Some describe it as being “100%,” while some say it’s like an easy boost of confidence, likely from the dramatic increase in norepinephrine.
Further, other studies show that cold exposure can improve mood levels, contributing to having more energy and feeling positive7.
2) Construct Mental Toughness & Maintain Respiration Rate:
Withstanding uncomfortable situations builds character. As cliché as that sounds, it is a cliché for a reason. Putting yourself in extreme conditions after which forcing yourself to remain there when you may easily leave will help construct mental toughness.
It’s also possible to learn maintain your respiration rate under extreme conditions. Whether it is the pressure of an enormous presentation or running an ultramarathon, controlled respiration under stress advantages various real-life situations.
3) Improve Sperm Quality:
As mentioned within the above studies, there does appear to be adequate evidence to suggest that cold showers can increase sperm production.
4) Improve Metabolism & Support Weight Loss:
Extreme cold stimulation can decrease the body’s core temperature. Then, to boost it, the body’s internal systems “rev up” to provide energy. Examples include shivering and contracting muscles, resulting in increased metabolic activity.
Now, we’re not saying one cold shower will enable you drop 5 kilos, but it surely’s an interesting topic that will have some merit. Should you’re attempting to shed pounds, it actually would not hurt to pair cold showers with a weight reduction meal plan.
What Are The Negatives Of Cold Showers?
Other than the iffy science of cold water showers, there are another facets you need to actually be concerned with. It is feasible cold showers can have a negative impact in your body.
One among the first concerns is that it might mitigate muscle hypertrophy. While researchers aren’t sure of the precise mechanisms, it seems as if cold exposure can by some means disrupt the anabolic process10.
We should always note that this seems true when done in proximity to training, so while an ice bath may mitigate muscle soreness, it should not be used often if muscle hypertrophy is the goal.
One other concern is that cold showers can develop into an unnecessary stressor. After we work out, our bodies are in a weakened state, and our immune system and white blood cells can drop shortly after intense training. That is one reason why it is not unusual for people to get sick after running marathons.
While the gym is not a marathon by way of length, the damage done to muscles is intense, and your stress hormones are elevated. Your body needs time to calm down and “come down” from the training stressors. Should you don’t give it that and as an alternative add cold exposure on top of your training, it could backfire.
FAQs
In case you continue to have lingering questions, we’ll answer a few of the more common ones below.
How much do cold showers increase testosterone?
It’s not possible to definitively even conclude that they do.
Who should take cold showers for testosterone?
While research is scarce, the next groups might even see higher results than others: older populations (40+), men with low testosterone levels, and men who live in warm temperatures for prolonged periods.
Are cold showers good for men and ladies?
Apart from the advantages directly connected to sex, i.e., sperm production, each men and ladies can expect to see the opposite advantages.
Do ice baths increase testosterone?
As of now, the research is unclear.
Do cold showers increase male fertility?
That is one area that seems to have sufficient evidence. Evidently cold showersmay increase sperm count.
Do Cold Showers Boost Testosterone? Our Verdict
When examining all the research that we currently have, the evidence is iffy at best. While there are some potential advantages to numerous types of cold therapy, eliciting high testosterone levels doesn’t appear to be one.
There could also be some scenarios wherein ice cold water and cold water therapy raises testosterone levels, but making a blanket statement is dishonest. At best, we are able to say that “it would not hurt to try,” assuming you do not try after a training session.
Should you’re on the lookout for an efficient strategy to increase your testosterone production, I like to recommend pairing cold showers with healthy habits that can boost your T levels, like exercise, healthy eating, and proper sleep. As well as, finding a testosterone booster that features natural ingredients is an ideal strategy to restore your testosterone levels.
