Chasing Life — "Cold Plunges: What the Science Shows"

Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN Podcasts)
Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta responds to listener questions on health, focusing first on the increasingly popular trend of cold plunges—full-body immersion in cold water—and examines what the current science says about their claims, benefits, and risks. Dr. Gupta also addresses a second listener question about the science of itching and how to effectively manage it. The episode maintains a conversational, approachable tone, rich with practical advice, scientific insight, and personal perspective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Are Cold Plunges Actually Good for Reducing Inflammation?

[00:27–09:01]

The Popularity & Promise
- Cold plunges, or cold water immersion (CWI), have become a global wellness trend, especially prominent in Nordic countries ("winter bathing").
- Proponents claim a range of benefits: stronger immune system, cardiovascular improvements, quicker muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, calmer nervous system, and better mental health.
Scientific Evidence: Mixed and Limited
- Small, Recent Studies
  - Research is recent, largely small-scale, and results are inconsistent; no regulatory requirement for rigorous evidence collection in wellness fads.
- Meta-Analysis (2025)
  - Out of 11 studies on CWI, immediate and 1-hour post-exposure showed a significant increase in inflammation markers—contrary to claims.
    
    "Inflammation actually went up in the immediate time of the cold plunge and continued that way for one hour post exposure."
    — Dr. Sanjay Gupta [03:48]
- Ironman Athlete Study (2021)
  - With 29 participants, CWI had no effect on inflammatory markers or athlete recovery.
- Netherlands Study (2022)
  - 48 healthy men tested breathing exercises, cold plunges, or both.
  - Breathing exercises reduced inflammation; cold exposure alone did not. However, combining them enhanced the effect.
  - Conclusion: Cold plunges alone do not demonstrably reduce inflammation, but may amplify other anti-inflammatory interventions (like breathing exercises).
Cautions & Risks
- Immediate Physical Effects
  - Cold shock response triggers "fight or flight," rapidly increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
- Dangerous for Certain Conditions
  - Risks for those with heart conditions, those on beta blockers, people with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, poor circulation, and certain autoimmune diseases.
  - Potential for hypothermia, nerve or skin damage, difficulty breathing, and fainting (especially when alone).
  - Cleveland Clinic and other institutions have issued warnings.
- Dr. Gupta’s Emphasis:
  
  “There are a lot of cold water evangelists out there, and their personal anecdotes are pretty compelling. ... But before you dive in, you should know that this isn’t always just a harmless health fad.”
  — Dr. Sanjay Gupta [06:06]
Practical Tips if You Try Cold Plunges
- Consult your doctor, especially for underlying or unknown medical conditions.
- Try other remedies for inflammation or pain first (e.g., localized ice packs).
- If proceeding: start slow, use partial immersion, limit exposure to 30–60 seconds, check water temperature (avoid under 50°F), and never plunge alone.
  
  “Don’t try to plunge your entire body in at once. Maybe start with an arm or a leg before getting to the whole body.”
  — Dr. Sanjay Gupta [08:17]
Summary Judgment
- Current evidence does not support cold plunges as a definitive way to reduce inflammation.
- Risks are real; personal anecdotes are not a substitute for data.
- Localized ice packs remain useful for spot injuries or inflammation (always use a towel barrier; limit to 10-minute intervals).

Notable Quotes

On Evidence and Anecdote:

“That doesn’t mean cold plunges don’t necessarily make you feel better, even if there’s not a lot of evidence behind it. But it does mean we want to think through the benefits and the risks a little bit more carefully.”
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta [01:38]
On Scientific Uncertainty:

“There is no conclusive, obvious benefit to cold plunges alone when it comes to reducing inflammation. ... The evidence and the science around this is still new, it is still limited.”
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta [05:37]
On Risk:

“When you plunge into cold water, you’re essentially triggering what is called a cold shock response, rapidly increasing heart rate and blood pressure.”
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta [06:26]

2. What’s Really Going on When You Can’t Stop Scratching an Itch?

[10:29–15:20]

Physiology of Itching
- Caused by complex interactions of skin, immune, and nervous system signals.
- Signals from skin are carried to the brain, which interprets the sensation as itch.
Common Causes
- Dry skin, bug bites, allergies, hives, certain medications, and psychological factors (stress, anxiety).
- Neuropathic itch is caused by nerve dysfunction, sometimes related to arthritis or shingles.
Why Scratching Feels Good (But Can Make It Worse)
- Scratching releases pain-fighting molecules (like serotonin) in spinal cord, temporarily dampening itch.
- Scratching also reduces activity in the brain's anterior cingulate cortex, lessening focus on the itch.
- Vicious cycle: Scratching can release more itch-inducing chemicals (histamine), making it even more intense.
- Brain’s reward system gets activated when scratching—explaining why it is so compulsive/addictive.
Relief Strategies
- Over-the-counter creams: hydrocortisone, antihistamines, anesthetics (lidocaine), menthol, camphor.
- Moisturize to prevent dry skin.
- Use a cool compress/ice pack (wrapped, for 5–10 minutes).
- Try “habit reversal”—engage hands with another task during likely scratching triggers.
- If psychological in origin, consult a mental health professional.
Notable Moments
- Dr. Gupta acknowledges that “just don’t scratch” is unrealistic for most people, given the neurological basis behind scratching urges.

Section Timestamps

Cold Plunges Discussion: [00:27–09:01]
- Evidence review: [02:30–05:37]
- Risks: [06:06–07:56]
- Practical advice: [08:17–08:56]
Itching Science & Advice: [10:29–15:20]

Memorable Moments

Dr. Gupta’s summary on the limits of current evidence:

“Maybe one day we’re gonna have a deeper understanding of cold water immersion, cold plunges. But at this moment, the evidence is mixed and the risks are real."
— [08:43]
On the frustration of itching:

“You shouldn’t feel bad about not being able to stop scratching. It’s a powerful force for that very reason.”
— [12:48]

Tone & Language

Dr. Gupta maintains an empathetic, scientifically rigorous, but accessible and conversational tone. He emphasizes evidence-based medicine while acknowledging the emotional and psychological realities behind health behaviors.

Summary Conclusion

This episode of Chasing Life delivers a careful and grounded exploration of cold plunges: while culturally intriguing and anecdotally appealing, current science offers no solid support for inflammation reduction and underscores the risks, especially for those with underlying health issues. Dr. Gupta’s advice: assess your personal health risks, proceed cautiously, and consult with your doctor. The segment on itching similarly peels back the biological and psychological complexity behind common impulses, offering both understanding and practical guidance.

Transcript

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (0:00)

Foreign. Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. Thank you so much for joining us. This is one of my favorite parts of the week. I get to connect with you. I get to hear from you and hopefully answer your questions. Jesse's back with us today to help us go through the questions. Who do we have first? Hey, Sanjay. The first caller didn't leave a name, but their question is a great one that I think a lot of people can relate to. Check it out.

Caller (e.g., Stephanie or unnamed caller) (0:27)

I have arthritis in my C5 and a ruptured disc in my C6. So I'm dealing with quite a bit of inflammation and discomfort there. I've read conflicting information on whether cold plunges can be helpful to reduce inflammation. So I'm just wondering if you have any insight into the benefits or potential risks of cold plunges. Thanks so much. Bye.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (0:52)

Okay, well, first of all, I'm sorry you're dealing with arthritis and a disc issue in your cervical spine in your neck, and I hope you're getting good care for that. First things first, sometimes there are all sorts of different treatment options, possibly even surgery. I'm a neurosurgeon. These are the types of operations I do. So I do want to make sure you're getting all the best care that you can possibly get. Your question, though, about cold plunges, Great question. I know a lot of people who love them. You see about these cold plunges in videos and podcasts, and, you know, I just got back from Denmark in places like Finland and Iceland and Denmark, this is a big deal. In fact, they call it winter bathing. But I think the question you're really asking is, does this wellness trend have the evidence to back it up? So let's go through it right after the break. Okay, so first of all, no surprise that you're seeing conflicting information. That's because the scientific evidence is mixed and it's limited. One thing I'll just say about limited evidence when it comes to things like this, sometimes this evidence is hard to collect. And when we're talking about something like cold plunges, there is no requirement for that evidence to be collected. So that doesn't mean cold plunges don't necessarily make you feel better, even if there's not a lot of evidence behind it. But it does mean we want to think through the benefits and the risks a little bit more carefully. First, we'll touch on what the believers often say about cold plunges. Then we will talk about what evidence does exist to understand the effects that cold shock actually has on our body. And. And then we'll go over some practical things to consider to decide if cold plunges might be right for you. So first of all, proponents argue that cold plunges offer a whole menu of wellness benefits. Stronger immune system, improved cardiovascular health, better muscle recovery. That's a big one. Calmer nervous system, improved mental health. And what we're primarily talking about here, reduced inflammation. And what's the rationale? How do they think it works? Well, they think the shock of the cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict. And proponents say that can help flush out toxins and reduce inflammation in the body. And if you've been on social media, you hear folks talking about their success stories. But let's move on to the next part. Is there evidence to support that? I've decided to pull a few studies. There was a 2025 meta analysis of 11 studies on the physiological effects of cold water immersion CWI cold plunges essentially. And what they found was interesting actually significant increases in inflammation immediately and 1 hour post exposure during a cold plunge. Okay, so inflammation actually went up in the immediate time of the cold plunge and continued that way for one hour post exposure. Another study from 2021 looked at the effects of CWI. Again, that's cold water immersion. That's what they call it in these papers. They were looking at 29 participants at the Ironman World Championships and in that case they found that CWI had no effect on inflammatory markers. CWI did not seem to be improving the athlete's recovery in any demonstrable way. And then Another interesting study, 2022 study out of the Netherlands looked at a group of 48 healthy men and how their inflammatory were affected by breathing exercises, cold plunges or a combination of both. And they found that breathing exercises were associated with reduced inflammation. Cold exposure had no impact on inflammatory responses. But when combined, cold exposure did seem to enhance the anti inflammatory effects of the breathing exercises. So what does that mean? By itself, cold plunges did not seem to make a difference, but they could serve as a great amplifier to things that did make a difference. Again, in this case, breathing exercises. Now notice a couple of commonalities about all these studies. First of all, there is no conclusive obvious benefit to cold plunges alone when it comes to reducing inflammation. And second of all, again, take all of this with a grain of salt. The evidence and the science around this is still new, it is still limited. Most of the studies are pretty recent and pretty small. To really understand cold water immersion impacts, we're going to need more studies and they're going to need to be Larger studies, and they're going to need to be randomized, controlled trials. We'll see if we ever get data out there like that. Now, there are a lot of cold water evangelists out there, and their personal anecdotes are pretty compelling. I can see how they might intrigue you. But before you dive in, you should know that, that this isn't always just a harmless health fad. There are some risks. When you plunge into cold water, you're essentially triggering a fight or flight, what is called a cold shock response, rapidly increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Okay, so if you have a heart condition, for example, that could potentially be dangerous. People who take medications like beta blockers that already lower their blood pressure and reduce the heart rate, that make it more difficult, for example, for the body to adapt, adapt to the cold shock. And also keep in mind there may be people out there who have heart conditions and they don't know it. And this is not how you want to find out. Cleveland Clinic recently said as well that cold plunges could be dangerous for people with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, poor circulation, and certain autoimmune diseases where cold temperatures can actually make your immune system attack your red blood cells. And look, if you don't have an underlying condition, you can still have hypothermia, you could still have skin and nerve damage, difficulty breathing, which could lead to dizziness or fainting, which obviously you don't want to do in cold water or any water. So there's a lot there, a lot that I've tried to get at. If you do decide to give cold water immersion cold plunges a try, here are some tips. Talk to your doctor about this. Make sure you don't have any conditions that might make it unsafe for you. And if you're trying to address a problem, see if there are other options as well. Some other ideas. Second of all, start slow. Don't try to plunge your entire body in at once. Maybe start with an arm or a leg before getting to the whole body. And start with short times, 30 seconds to a minute. Check the temperature before you get in. Water below 50 degrees Fahrenheit is going to significantly increase the risk of these adverse side effects. And finally, don't plunge alone. Do have someone nearby just in the off chance there is some sort of emergency. So maybe one day we're gonna have a deeper understanding of cold water immersion cold plunges. But at this moment, the evidence is mixed and the risks are real. So if you're considering it like you think about most things in life, look at the risks, look at the rewards and figure out the balance for you. I should note that when it comes to reducing inflammation, using an ice pack locally on problematic spots can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Be sure to protect your skin with a thin towel and apply the ice pack in 10 minute intervals. Hope that helps. After the break, we're going to switch gears to something I am really fascinated by, itching, that scratching, itching sort of feeling that you get. I'm going to explain what's actually happening in our brains when we feel the need to scratch. Stay with us.