Do Cold Showers Burn Fat?

Fat burning is an elusive goal for many people. This is why there are many products, ideas, and diets that promise quick and easy fat loss. One of these ideas is to take cold showers, which are believed to burn fat quickly.

The idea that cold showers can help with fat loss comes from the concept of thermogenesis, which is when the body releases heat to keep itself warm. Cold water on the skin stimulates thermogenesis and supposedly increases metabolism, which burns more calories and leads to fat loss.

However, research on the topic has not been able to support the claims that cold showers can promote fat loss, at least not in the way many people think. 

In this article, we’ll look at why cold showers may not be effective for burning fat and other ways you can use to achieve your weight loss goals. 

Can Taking Cold Showers Burn Fat?

Cryotherapy, or cold therapy, is a form of alternative medicine that involves exposing the body to cold temperatures (4).

It’s been around since ancient times and is reported to help improve circulation, reduce inflammation, relieve stress, and even help with weight loss. In particular, proponents of cold therapy suggest that taking cold showers can help burn fat (4).

Is there any truth to this claim? The short answer is not really. While cold temperatures can cause your body to burn more calories to keep warm, the amount of fat burned is too minuscule to be considered meaningful when it comes to weight loss.

In addition, cold temperatures can cause physiological stress to the body, which can lead to increased cortisol levels and other hormones associated with fat storage (7).

To understand why cold showers may not burn fat, it’s important to understand the two main types of fat in the body: white adipose tissue (which is stored energy) and brown adipose tissue (which generates heat). 

What Is Brown Fat and What Does it Do?

Brown fat, or brown adipose tissue (BAT), is an organ that is found in mammals which has a unique ability to generate heat. This makes it different from white fat, which mainly serves as energy storage for the body (2).

Brown fat is composed of fat-storing cells (adipocytes) surrounded by numerous small blood vessels called capillaries.

What Brown Fat Does

The main function of brown fat is to generate heat by burning calories and releasing energy in the form of heat. This process, known as thermogenesis, helps maintain body temperature in a process that is called nonshivering thermogenesis.

Brown fat can also help regulate metabolism by altering the amount of glucose and fatty acids available for other tissues. In addition, brown fat is believed to play a role in immune system regulation and inflammation control (2). 

The amount of brown fat varies from person to person and decreases with age. Newborns tend to have the most brown fat, while adults typically have very little or none at all.

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Why it Matters

For people who want to be healthier, increasing their brown fat may be beneficial. Regular exercise and exposure to cold temperatures can help stimulate brown fat production (3). 

This type of fat has recently become a topic of interest among fitness enthusiasts who claim cold showers or ice baths can help increase their brown fat levels. The theory is that cold temperatures trigger brown fat’s thermogenic activity, which burns calories and increases metabolism (3). 

Studies on the effect of cold temperatures on brown fat levels have used multiple strategies, cold water immersion (CWI) being the most common.

CWI involves submerging the body in cold water for a sustained period of time. Studies have found CWI to cause an increase in brown fat activity, but the amount of calories burned is still far too small to have any meaningful impact on weight loss (6).

Another study involved participants sitting out in the cold for several hours and monitored their brown fat activity (5). Results showed that exposure to cold temperatures increased brown fat activity, slightly boosting metabolism (5). However, the amount of calories burned was still too small to be considered meaningful for weight loss.

Looking at cold showers, you can’t achieve nearly the same level of cold temperature as you can with more extreme methods. That being said, cold showers will have a lesser effect on brown fat activity and calorie burning.

So, What Can Cold Showers Do?

Although cold showers don’t burn much fat, they may still have some benefits for your health and well-being:

Relieving Skin Conditions

Cold showers can reduce skin inflammation and help relieve symptoms of eczema, dandruff, dermatitis, and psoriasis. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and stimulates circulation, which promotes healing (8).

Improving Alertness and Concentration

Cold showers shock your senses and promote alertness. This may help with focus and concentration, particularly at the start of the day.

Increasing Circulation

Cold showers stimulate circulation, which helps the body get rid of toxins and other waste. This may help reduce fatigue and soreness (8).

Boosting Hair Health

Cold showers can reduce the size of hair follicles, which makes it easier for them to absorb moisture. This can help prevent split ends and make your hair look and feel healthier (8).

How Often Should You Take a Cold Shower?

Ideally, you should only take a cold shower every few days or once a week. This will depend on your sensitivity to cold temperatures and your lifestyle. 

The reason for this is that cold showers can put stress on the body, which triggers its stress response. This response can be beneficial in small doses, but if it’s done too often, it can lead to fatigue, decreased immunity, and other health issues. 

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How Long Should a Cold Shower Last?

A cold shower should generally last no longer than 1-2 minutes. Start gradually, with 20-30 seconds of cold water, and then slowly increase it (1). 

The idea is to stay in the shower only until you’re shivering, and then get out straight away. Don’t push yourself too hard – you’re not trying to acclimate your body to the cold temperature, just give it a mild shock.

Tips for Taking Cold Showers

Taking a cold shower may not be easy, but there are ways to make it more manageable: 

Start off Slowly

Start by gradually reducing the temperature of your shower over a few weeks. You can start with warm showers, then gradually lower the temperature until you’re comfortable enough to take a cold shower.

Avoid Extremes

Extremely cold temperatures can be shocking and uncomfortable. Try to avoid turning the temperature too low, as this may cause you to lose focus and become agitated.

Take Short Showers

Start by taking short showers, around 1-2 minutes long. As you get used to cold temperatures, you can gradually increase the duration. It’s generally best to limit showers to a maximum of 3-5 minutes. 

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Try Contrast Showers

Contrast showers involve alternating between hot and cold temperatures. Start with a warm shower, then turn it cold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat this cycle 3-4 times before finishing with a cold shower. This helps you get used to the cold temperatures without shocking your body too much.

FAQs

• What happens after 30 days of cold showers?

After 30 days of cold showers, several notable changes can occur. These include the following (9):

• Increased Alertness: Cold showers can improve alertness and energy levels due to increased heart rate and oxygen intake.
• Improved Circulation: Regular exposure to cold water can enhance blood circulation as the body works to maintain its core temperature.
• Enhanced Immunity: Some studies have suggested that cold showers can boost the immune system by increasing white blood cell counts.
• Better Skin and Hair Health: Cold water helps tighten pores and cuticles, which leads to healthier skin and hair.
• Reduced Muscle Soreness: Cold showers can alleviate muscle soreness and speed up recovery post-exercise.
• Mental Resilience: Consistently taking cold showers can improve mental toughness and resilience due to the discomfort faced.

• Do hot showers melt fat?

Hot showers don’t melt fat. The idea that hot showers can burn fat is a myth. While the body may burn a small number of calories as it cools down after a hot shower, this amount is negligible and doesn’t contribute to significant fat loss. However, hot showers can help relax muscles and relieve tension, which is beneficial for your overall well-being. The relaxation and stress relief hot showers provide can support a healthy lifestyle, but they don’t directly influence fat burning.

• Does sweating burn fat?

It’s a common misconception, but sweating itself doesn’t burn fat; it’s simply a mechanism to regulate body temperature. Immediate weight loss from sweating is primarily water weight, not fat. Activities that induce sweating (such as exercise) can lead to fat loss by burning calories, but sweating isn’t the cause. However, it’s important to stay hydrated as excessive sweating can lead to dehydration.

• Does sleeping in the cold burn fat?

Sleeping in a cold environment can contribute to fat burning, primarily through the activation of brown fat. Unlike white fat, brown fat burns calories to generate heat. This activation can lead to a slight increase in metabolism and energy expenditure, providing a modest boost in calorie burning (10). In addition, sleeping in cooler temperatures can enhance sleep quality, which indirectly supports weight management by improving overall health and metabolic function. However, the caloric impact of sleeping in a cold room is relatively small in comparison to other factors such as diet and exercise.

The Bottom Line 

Cold showers are often considered a tool for weight loss as many people believe that the shock of cold water can jumpstart your metabolism and burn more calories. However, the truth is slightly more complicated.

While cold showers may briefly increase your metabolism, studies have shown that the effect is likely negligible in terms of actual fat-burning. In addition, the discomfort of a cold shower may cause stress, which can lead to an increase in cortisol levels and a decrease in fat burning.

That being said, cold showers have other benefits for overall health and wellness, including improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and increasing alertness.

So while they may not be a magic solution to shedding pounds, it may still be worth including them in your daily routine for their other potential benefits.