What will happen to the body after a week of swimming in icy water: the answer of researchers
Kyiv • UNN
A study has shown that daily swimming in icy water for a week improves autophagy and reduces inflammation. Cold can slow down aging at the cellular level.
A week of swimming in ice water can change you at the cellular level. This is evidenced by the results of a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Ottawa in Canada, UNN reports with reference to Science Alert.
Details
It is noted that everyone who has ever swam in ice water knows about the feeling of a short, sharp blow that it causes to your senses. According to researchers, it can also quickly and positively change the reaction of your cells to stress.
The experiment involved 10 healthy young adult men who spent an hour every day for a week in ice water in the scientists' laboratory, who used blood samples to determine how their bodies react at the cellular level.
After a week, the volunteers showed signs of improved autophagy, a healthy process of cell recycling that removes waste. In addition, signs of apoptosis (programmed cell death) and inflammation decreased during the week after the initial sharp increase
It is believed that constant immersion in cold water can improve our body's fundamental response to environmental stress – in this case, low temperatures. Here, it made the key stress response of autophagy more protective.
We were amazed to see how quickly the body adapted. Exposure to cold can help prevent disease and possibly even slow aging at the cellular level
At the same time, the researchers point out that only 10 people, who were young men, participated in the study. At the same time, it was conducted in carefully controlled laboratory conditions - in particular, there was no exposure to cold air and temperature fluctuations.
Let us remind you
Priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Georgy Kovalenko explained that immersion in water is not a mandatory element of the celebration of the Epiphany. According to him, this is rather a "decoration" of the holiday or a highlight, but not its essence and not the main event.