#254 - AMA #47: Cold therapy: pros, cons, and its impact on longevity
Release Date: 05/15/2023
The Peter Attia Drive
In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter dives back into the increasingly popular topic of GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, which have garnered widespread attention for their ability to promote weight loss. Peter covers the latest findings in this rapidly evolving landscape, including new insights into their long-term efficacy, side effects, and what happens when the drug is discontinued. Peter also explores their impact on body composition and how resistance training interacts with these treatments. Additionally, he compares different GLP-1 receptor agonists and...
info_outline #319 ‒ Peter's key takeaways on liver health, heart rate variability, AI in medicine, klotho, and lactate metabolism | Quarterly Podcast Summary #2The Peter Attia Drive
In this quarterly podcast summary (QPS) episode, Peter summarizes his biggest takeaways from the last three months of guest interviews on the podcast. Peter shares key insights from each episode, covering diverse topics such as liver health with Julia Wattacheril, heart rate variability with Joel Jamieson, artificial intelligence with Zak Kohane, klotho for brain health with Dena Dubal, and lactate and lactate metabolism with George Brooks. Additionally, Peter shares any personal behavioral adjustments or modifications to his patient care practices that have arisen from these engaging...
info_outline #318 ‒ Cycling phenom and Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar reveals his training strategies, on-bike nutrition, and future aspirationsThe Peter Attia Drive
Tadej Pogačar is a three-time Tour de France champion and one of the most dominant cyclists of his generation. In this episode, he shares insights into his 2020 Tour de France victory, his historic 2024 season winning both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, and the struggles he faced in 2022 and 2023. He also dives into his training regimen, nutrition, and the key metrics he tracks, like power, VAM, and heart rate variability. Tadej offers a glimpse into his goals for the future and what it takes to stay at the top of the sport. We discuss: 2020 Tour de France win [4:30]; Learning...
info_outline #317 ‒ Reforming medicine: uncovering blind spots, challenging the norm, and embracing innovation | Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.The Peter Attia Drive
Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and New York Times bestselling author, returns to The Drive to discuss his latest book, Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health. In this episode, Marty explores how a new generation of doctors is challenging long-held medical practices by asking critical new questions. He discusses the major problems of groupthink and cognitive dissonance in the medical community and delves into several of the "blind spots" raised in the book, including treatments for appendicitis, the peanut allergy epidemic, misunderstandings about...
info_outline #316 - AMA #63: A guide for hair loss: causes, treatments, transplants, and sex-specific considerationsThe Peter Attia Drive
In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter dives deep into the topic of hair loss, exploring its relationship with aging and its impact on quality of life. The conversation focuses on androgenic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss in both men and women, and covers the differences in patterns and causes between the sexes. Peter delves into the right timing for treatment, breaking down various options such as minoxidil and finasteride, low-level laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma injections, and more. Additionally, Peter outlines the pros and cons of the two primary hair...
info_outline Improve your decision-making, frameworks for learning, backcasting, and more | Annie Duke (#60 rebroadcast)The Peter Attia Drive
In this episode, former World Series of Poker champion and author Annie Duke explains how poker is a pertinent model system for decision-making in the real world, a system which blends imperfect information with some unknown percentage of both luck and skill. Annie breaks down the decision-making matrix, revealing how we often focus too narrowly on just one of the four quadrants, missing out on valuable learning opportunities in the remaining 75% of situations. She delves into how our tendency to evaluate only negative outcomes leads to a culture of risk aversion. This mindset, she argues,...
info_outline #315 ‒ Life after near-death: a new perspective on living, dying, and the afterlife | Sebastian JungerThe Peter Attia Drive
Sebastian Junger is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and previous guest on The Drive. In this episode, Sebastian returns to discuss his latest book, In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife. This episode delves into Sebastian's profound near-death experience and how it became the catalyst for his exploration of mortality, the afterlife, and the mysteries of the universe. They discuss the secular meaning of what it means to be sacred, the intersection of physics and philosophy, and how our beliefs shape our approach to life and death. He...
info_outline #314 ‒ Rethinking nutrition science: the evolving landscape of obesity treatment, GLP-1 agonists, protein, and the need for higher research standards | David Allison, Ph.D.The Peter Attia Drive
David Allison, a leading expert in obesity and nutrition, quantitative genetics, clinical trials, and research methodology, returns to The Drive to explore the evolving landscape of nutrition science and obesity treatment. In this episode, David begins by discussing the intricate relationship between nutrition, obesity, and body composition, emphasizing the multifaceted impacts of food beyond mere calorie intake. David provides a critical analysis of the complexities in nutrition research and their practical implications for tackling obesity. He critiques historical public health policies,...
info_outline #313 - AMA #62: Protein’s impact on appetite and weight management, and uric acid's link to disease and how to manage levelsThe Peter Attia Drive
In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter dives into two important health topics: uric acid and protein, examining them from unique perspectives. For uric acid, he explores its metabolic role and connection to various diseases, focusing on the potential causal link with cardiovascular disease. He also discusses factors influencing uric acid levels, such as diet, genetics, and lifestyle, providing practical tips for effective management. Shifting to protein, Peter delves into its role in appetite and weight management, the consequences of insufficient protein, and the “protein...
info_outline #312 - A masterclass in lactate: Its critical role as metabolic fuel, implications for diseases, and therapeutic potential from cancer to brain health and beyond | George A. Brooks, Ph.D.The Peter Attia Drive
George A. Brooks is a renowned professor of integrative biology at UC Berkeley. Known for his groundbreaking "lactate shuttle" theory proposed in the 1980s, George revolutionized our understanding of lactate as a crucial fuel source rather than just a byproduct of exercise. In this episode, George clarifies common misconceptions between lactate and lactic acid, delves into historical perspectives, and explains how lactate serves as a fuel for the brain and muscles. He explores the metabolic differences in exceptional athletes and how training impacts lactate flux and utilization....
info_outlineView the Show Notes Page for This Episode
Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content
Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter
In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter delves deep into the data surrounding different forms of cold therapy, including cold water immersion, cryotherapy, and cold showers, aiming to unveil the potential benefits and drawbacks associated with cold therapy. He dissects the studies examining the effects of cold therapy on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), activation of brown adipose tissue, and its potential impact on mood and as a therapeutic approach for depression. Furthermore, Peter discusses the potential negative impact cold therapy may have on muscular hypertrophy and offers his perspective on the extent to which the data support the notion of cold therapy providing longevity benefits. Finally, he also discusses the existing consensus, or lack thereof, regarding the optimal structure of an effective cold therapy protocol.
If you’re not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you’ll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you’re a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the AMA #47 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.
We discuss:
- Overview of discussion on cold therapy (and a Formula 1 tangent) [1:45];
- The most common cold exposure therapies [5:45];
- Potential benefits of cold water immersion: a look at the data [9:30];
- Comparing the effects of cold water immersion with whole-body cryotherapy [18:30];
- The potential impact of cold exposure on mood and as a treatment for depression [20:45];
- How do cold showers compare to cold water immersion? [28:15];
- Cold exposure and the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) [34:15];
- Things that clearly impact brain health: smoking, alcohol, sleep, head injuries, blood pressure, and more [34:15];
- Exercising in cold temperatures: impact on exercise performance [38:30];
- Potential downsides of cold therapy and its impact on hypertrophy, strength, and recovery [44:45];
- Are the blunting effects of cold on hypertrophy due to the effects on inflammation? [50:45];
- Does cold exposure offer any potential geroprotective benefits? [53:15];
- Cold therapy protocols for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) [56:30];
- Summarizing the data and takeaways from Peter [1:01:00]; and
- More.
Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube