Paper·2 min read·June 2026

Harnessing the Power of Cold: A Deep Dive into Cryotherapy and Recovery

Cold Therapy|Recovery • 3 min read • Based on research by Bianca Veronese da Silva, Mayara Louise Beltrame, Dérrick Patrick Artioli, Márcia Rosângela Buzanello, Gladson Ricardo Flor Bertolini (2025)

In the pursuit of wellness, we often seek methods that enhance recovery, reduce inflammation, and promote longevity. Imagine stepping into a sanctuary of cold, where your body is enveloped in a brisk embrace that not only invigorates your senses but also supports your physical resilience. This is the essence of cryotherapy, a practice that has garnered attention for its potential benefits in recovery protocols.

Recent research sheds light on the effects of cryotherapy on interleukin-6 (IL-6), a key inflammatory marker, particularly during intense physical training. Understanding how cold exposure interacts with our body’s inflammatory responses can empower us to optimize our recovery rituals and enhance our overall well-being.

The Science Behind Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy, which includes techniques like cold water immersion (CWI) and whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), is rooted in the physiological response to cold temperatures. When exposed to cold, our body experiences a reduction in metabolic activity and a decrease in pain signaling. This response can lead to decreased inflammation, making it a valuable tool for athletes and anyone engaging in intense physical activity.

A systematic review of two randomized controlled trials involving 8,573 screened records found that CWI can effectively lower IL-6 levels during strenuous training. IL-6 is a cytokine that plays a significant role in inflammation and muscle recovery. By managing IL-6 concentrations, individuals may experience less post-exercise soreness and quicker recovery times.

Comparing Recovery Techniques: CWI vs. WBC

While both CWI and WBC are popular forms of cryotherapy, the recent review indicates that their effectiveness may vary. CWI showed a more consistent ability to reduce IL-6 levels compared to WBC, which produced mixed results when compared to passive recovery methods. This suggests that for those engaged in rigorous training, CWI may offer a more reliable approach to managing inflammation and expediting recovery.

It is important to note that the studies reviewed highlighted a need for standardization in future research. This means that while current findings are promising, further exploration into the specific conditions and methods of cryotherapy will help refine our understanding and application of these techniques.

Key Takeaways

Cold water immersion (CWI) can effectively reduce inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 during intense training, supporting quicker recovery.
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) shows variable results, indicating a potential need for personalized approaches to recovery protocols.
Understanding the mechanisms of cryotherapy can help you tailor your recovery rituals to enhance resilience and well-being.

Based on: Effect of cryotherapy on the concentration of interleukin 6 induced by physical exercise: a systematic review
Bianca Veronese da Silva, Mayara Louise Beltrame, Dérrick Patrick Artioli, Márcia Rosângela Buzanello, Gladson Ricardo Flor Bertolini (2025). Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte

Read paper

Wim's Wise Words

A second take, from someone who's lived it.

🧊 Wim's Wise Words

Effect of cryotherapy on the concentration of interleukin 6 induced by

The Paradox in the Ice

Most people who cold plunge after training assume they're doing their inflammation a favor. They're right. But this paper from Bertolini and colleagues at Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná points to something more nuanced — and honestly, more interesting — than simple inflammation suppression.

The core question here is: what does cryotherapy actually do to interleukin-6, the primary cytokine your muscles release during exercise? And the answer, based on a systematic review of 8,573 records that yielded just two qualifying randomized controlled trials, is: it depends on how you do it, and perhaps more importantly, whether reducing IL-6 is even what you want.

Cold Water Immersion vs. Whole-Body Cryotherapy

The review found that cold water immersion showed stronger, more consistent potential to reduce IL-6 levels during periods of intense training. Whole-body cryotherapy — the kind where you stand in a cryochamber at extreme temperatures for a few minutes — produced more variable results, with no significant interaction between group and time in one study that compared WBC, CWI, and passive recovery after a single run.

This aligns with what we see across the broader literature. CWI is the workhorse. It's been validated repeatedly for reducing delayed onset muscle soreness, managing perceived exertion, and supporting recovery across training blocks. WBC has an appeal — the technology feels precise, clinical — but the evidence base is thinner, and the results are less consistent.

IL-6 is not the enemy. It's the signal. The question isn't how to silence it — it's how to respect the conversation your body is trying to have.

The Cytokine Complexity

Here's where it gets genuinely interesting. The authors flag a tension that most recovery articles gloss over entirely: IL-6 released during exercise is not purely pro-inflammatory. It's actually predominantly anti-inflammatory in the post-exercise context. IL-6 improves insulin sensitivity, mobilizes immune cells, reduces DNA damage, and stimulates the production of other anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10.

So when cryotherapy reduces IL-6, is that always a win? Possibly not. If you're in a prolonged training block and you cold plunge after every session, you may be blunting a signal that your body genuinely needs — a signal that's cleaning up cellular debris, regulating immune function, and facilitating metabolic adaptation. That's a meaningful consideration that the field is only beginning to take seriously.

What I'd Actually Recommend

Reserve cold water immersion for your highest-intensity sessions — the ones where recovery speed matters more than adaptation depth. If you're building a base, chasing hypertrophy, or in an early-phase training block, consider passive recovery more often. Let IL-6 do its work. Cold is a powerful lever, but it's not always the right one to pull.

And if you have access to whole-body cryotherapy, don't abandon it — but don't expect it to do what CWI does. The mechanisms differ, the evidence differs, and the dose-response isn't the same.

The Deeper Pattern

What strikes me most about this paper isn't the findings — it's how few qualifying studies existed. Eight thousand records, two trials. That's the state of the evidence for one of the most widely practiced recovery protocols in sport. It's a reminder that what's popular and what's proven are often very different things. The absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, but it does suggest we should hold our certainties lightly and keep paying attention to the research as it matures.

Cold, Inflammation, and Recovery

Harnessing the Power of Cold: A Deep Dive into Cryotherapy and Recovery

The Science Behind Cryotherapy

Comparing Recovery Techniques: CWI vs. WBC

Key Takeaways

Related articles

Cold and the Inflammatory Reset

Cold's Recovery Mechanisms

Cold's Immune Shift