Plateaubreaker Diet

Does Cryotherapy Really Help With Fat Loss? The Truth About Cold Therapy

A woman stands beside a cryotherapy chamber, wearing a black headband and a matching mask with the word "CRYO" on it. She has long hair and is dressed in a sleeveless top. Her gloved hand is positioned near the chamber, which emits a misty vapor, creating a cool blue ambiance in the environment. The background features a gradient of blue tones, enhancing the chilly atmosphere.

Cryotherapy—exposing the body to extreme cold—has gained popularity as a supposed fat-loss hack. Celebrities, athletes, and biohackers swear by it, claiming it activates brown fat, boosts metabolism, and helps burn more calories.

But does cryotherapy actually help with fat loss, or is it just another fitness trend? Let’s break down the science behind cold therapy and whether it can truly impact fat loss.

1. How Cryotherapy Works

Cryotherapy exposes your body to extremely cold temperatures (often below -100°F/-73°C) for a short duration, typically 2–3 minutes. The goal is to trigger various physiological responses, including:

✔ Vasoconstriction & Blood Flow Redistribution – Blood is redirected to vital organs to maintain core temperature.

✔ Increased Norepinephrine Release – Cold exposure stimulates the release of norepinephrine, which can influence metabolism (1).

✔ Potential Brown Fat Activation – Some studies suggest cold exposure may activate brown adipose tissue (BAT), which burns calories for heat production (2).

💡 Takeaway: Cryotherapy creates a physiological stress response, but does it actually result in measurable fat loss?

2. Brown Fat Activation & Metabolism—Does It Lead to Fat Loss?

Brown fat (BAT) is a special type of fat that burns energy instead of storing it. Unlike white fat, which stores excess calories, brown fat generates heat by burning calories in response to cold exposure (3).

🚀 What the Science Says:

✔ Cold exposure can increase brown fat activity, leading to slightly higher calorie burn (4).

✔ The effect is small—cold exposure burns extra calories, but not enough to significantly impact fat loss on its own.

✔ Frequent, prolonged exposure is required—a single cryotherapy session won’t do much, but consistent cold exposure may have long-term metabolic benefits.

💡 Takeaway: Brown fat activation can increase calorie expenditure slightly, but it’s not a substitute for strength training, nutrition, or movement.

3. Does Cryotherapy Burn Enough Calories to Matter?

Some studies suggest that extreme cold exposure can increase calorie burn by up to 200–300 calories or more per session. However, research indicates that the actual increase in energy expenditure is more modest.

For example, a study by Sanchez-Delgado et al. found that a 1-hour mild cold exposure, adjusted to each individual’s shivering threshold, resulted in an average increase in energy expenditure of approximately 9.56 kcal per hour, equating to a 13.9% rise above resting metabolic rate (5). 

However, this is not nearly enough to make a significant difference in fat loss unless combined with a proper nutrition and training plan.

🔥 How Cryotherapy Compares to Other Activities:

✔ Cryotherapy (2–3 minutes) → 9.56 kcal per hour, equating to a 13.9% rise above resting metabolic rate (varies based on duration and temperature).

✔ Strength Training (45 min–1 hour) → 300–600 calories burned, plus increased post-exercise metabolic rate.

✔ Walking 10,000 Steps → 400–500 calories burned daily.

💡 Takeaway: While cryotherapy may burn some extra calories, it’s far less effective than traditional fat-loss methods like strength training, NEAT (daily movement), and proper nutrition.

4. The Real Benefits of Cryotherapy

While cryotherapy isn’t a miracle fat-loss tool, it may offer other health benefits:

✔ Reduced Inflammation & Muscle Soreness – Cold exposure can help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery after intense workouts (6).

✔ Improved Mood & Mental Clarity – Cold therapy can increase dopamine levels, improving focus and mental well-being (7).

✔ Better Sleep & Stress Management – Some people report better sleep and reduced stress after regular cold exposure (8).

💡 Takeaway: The main benefits of cryotherapy lie in recovery, inflammation reduction, and mental well-being—not necessarily fat loss.

5. Should You Use Cryotherapy for Fat Loss?

Here’s what you need to know:

✅ Cryotherapy alone won’t lead to significant fat loss.

✅ It may help increase calorie expenditure slightly, but strength training, movement, and proper nutrition are far superior.

✅ It can be useful for recovery, which may help you train harder and more consistently—leading to better long-term fat loss.

If you enjoy cryotherapy and find that it helps you train harder, recover faster, and stay consistent with workouts, then it can be a valuable tool in your fat-loss journey.

Scientific References

  1. Blondin, Denis P., et al. “Contributions of White and Brown Adipose Tissues and Skeletal Muscles to Acute Cold-Induced Metabolic Responses in Healthy Men.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, vol. 125, no. 2, 2015, pp. 507–517. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25384777/
  1. Cypess, Aaron M., et al. “Identification and Importance of Brown Adipose Tissue in Adult Humans.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 360, no. 15, 2009, pp. 1509–1517. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2859951/
  1. Blondin, Denis P et al. “Increased brown adipose tissue oxidative capacity in cold-acclimated humans.” The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolismvol. 99,3 (2014): E438-46. doi:10.1210/jc.2013-3901. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24423363/
  1. van der Lans, Anouk A., et al. “Cold Acclimation Recruits Human Brown Fat and Increases Nonshivering Thermogenesis.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, vol. 123, no. 8, 2013, pp. 3395–3403. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23867626/
  1. Sanchez-Delgado, Guillermo et al. “Energy Expenditure and Macronutrient Oxidation in Response to an Individualized Nonshivering Cooling Protocol.” Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) vol. 28,11 (2020): 2175-2183. doi:10.1002/oby.22972. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32985119/
  1. Costello, Joseph T., et al. “Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Cold Water Immersion on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Physically Active Young Men.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 113, no. 10, 2013, pp. 2577–2586. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22336838/
  1. Janský, L., et al. “Human Physiological Responses to Immersion into Water of Different Temperatures.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 78, no. 5, 1998, pp. 435–441. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10751106/
  1. Douzi, Wafa, et al. “3-Min Whole Body Cryotherapy/Cryostimulation After Training in the Evening Improves Sleep Quality in Physically Active Men.” European Journal of Sport Science, vol. 19, no. 6, 2019, pp. 860–867. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30551730/

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