Does cryotherapy work?

There are lots of cryotherapy side effects, but the evidence is still up for debate.


Asked by: Rick Wilson, Sheffield

Probably not. Whole body cryotherapy involves exposing the entire body to dry air temperatures of -100°C for two to four minutes. There have been a few studies that found it helps relieve muscle soreness after exercise, but a 2015 Cochrane review concluded that these were not well-designed studies and the evidence was “of very low quality”. The evidence that it boosts the immune system is even weaker.

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