Have you heard that exposing your body to extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) benefits humans? After you select the right temperature for an ice bath and ice water immersion, a cold shock protein is produced in the body.
Fairly new research shows us the potential benefits of cooling the body and the brain to cure brain injuries, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. So, what exactly are these cold shock proteins, how do they work, and what are the benefits? Let’s find out.
What are Cold Shock Proteins & How Do They Work?
Your body generates shock proteins whenever it senses that you’re exposed to short-term stress. Cold Shock Proteins are a group of proteins that are created by cells whenever your body is exposed to cold stress. Similarly, when your body is exposed to hot temperatures, like in a sauna, it creates heat shock proteins.
But in this blog, we’re focusing on cold shock proteins. The cold shock proteins help protect cells from damage and prioritize their survival. So, the body goes through extreme stress, whether sitting in a hot sauna that burns at 90-100 degrees Celsius or an ice bath that is cold at 10-15 degrees Celsius.
Research has shown that cold shock proteins help cope with the cold and help us survive a sudden climate change. One of the studies showed us many potential benefits of cold shock proteins and ice baths. These researches have shown that cold shock proteins are responsible for counteracting some harmful effects of cold temperatures with the synthesis of Csps declines and other proteins increasing.
Some core cold shock proteins found in the human body are CARHSP1, Lin28, YB-1, and RBM3. Together, these proteins battle the potential downsides of extreme cold immersion and protect your body from various diseases and side effects while providing great benefits like muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, and more.
So, let’s talk about the benefits of cold shock proteins.
Benefits of Cold Shock Proteins
Research has shown that cold shock proteins triggered by an ice bath can help reduce the loss of muscle mass. It is one of the ideal ways for athletes to recover without looking for too much muscle mass when injured or having limited movements.
Most of the cold shock protein’s benefits are physical, but also many mental benefits.
Cold shock proteins help in exercise recovery, wound healing, and reduced inflammation. However, ice bath immersion and cold shock proteins have also proven positive for brain injuries and faster recovery time.
CIRP and RBM3 are the two cold shock proteins that respond to hypothermia in mammals. Moreover, the RBM3 increases when hypothermia occurs, ultimately preventing muscle mass decrease.
DR Rhonda Patrick is a huge advocate of cold shock proteins, and she’s already discussed many benefits on her podcasts, including cell survival, activating antioxidant enzymes, and other brain-curing qualities.
The same RBM3 protein is responsible for neurogenesis, promoting the regeneration of damaged neutrons. Hence, in a way, cold shock proteins are also linked to the treatment of many neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, CTE, and Parkinson’s.
Now let’s talk about the YB-1 protein. It is linked to promoting wound healing and other physical benefits. There’s even a chance that the YB-1 protein might cure cancer. Research shows that this protein increases when a patient goes through cancellation, which might be the future of cold shock protein benefits.
How To Activate Cold Shock Proteins?
When it comes to activating cold shock proteins, there are a lot of ways. From morning cold showers to daily ice baths, the premise of activating the cold shock proteins is to put the body through the effects of cold. Do not go overboard, as it can be counterproductive. Hence, the rule of thumb is a temperature that would give you a shock or shivering response.
The shivering activates the brown fat, which has a lot of benefits, like a healthy and rapid metabolism. When you start the day with an ice plunge, in just a couple of minutes, when the temperature is 15 degrees Celsius or less, the body releases some cold shock protein. That is one of the reasons that people and athletes who live in harsh cold environments perform so well.
Consider UFC champions like Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Jiri Prochazka; what do they all have in common? Their cardio, recovery, and endurance are always way off the charts. Their enhanced recovery and over-the-top cardio are the harsh environments and activated cold shock protein.
In some European countries, the temperatures are extremely cold, so an ice bath is the best way to do a cold plunge. Athletes do daily cold plunging to get the most benefits from cold shock proteins.
Recent Studies and Scientific Evidence
There have been a lot of studies about cold shock protein, and there is a lot of newly discovered science behind it. In 2015, Professor Giovanna Mallucci and colleagues experimented on mice, and they found out that the RBM3 protein can protect the brain against damage like prion diseases.
Moreover, it also works in mixing dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. Other studies have also shown that CSPs can prevent the growth of cancer cells, and this study was done at the University of California. This makes CSPs an important protein that might cure cancer in the future.
Another study done at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center shows that CSPs can reduce inflammation, making ice baths a great way to treat diseases like arthritis and even asthma.
All in all, new research is coming out about the positive effects of triggering cold shock protein in the human body. They cure many diseases, inflammations, and other illnesses.
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