Whole Body Cryotherapy at Aeva Longevity Centre: The Complete Guide to Recovery and Wellness
11 October 202610 Celebrities and Athletes Reported to Use Whole Body Cryotherapy (and What the Research Says)
12 October 2026Three minutes in −110°C air sets off a cascade you can measure: skin cools quickly, stress hormones surge, the nervous system shifts, and at cell level membranes and antioxidant systems respond. This article follows that cascade, from the first seconds in the chamber to biochemical findings in elite rowers and kayakers, and ends with the safety facts. For the service, see whole body cryotherapy.
Table of Contents
Key Points
- Fast skin cooling: average skin temperature falls by about 14°C while ear temperature falls by only about 0.3°C.
- Hormone surge: norepinephrine rises by about 76% after a single whole body session.
- Adaptation: the surge fades across five daily sessions, showing the body adapts.
- Cell stability: in kayakers, training preceded by cryostimulation was linked to 34% lower creatine kinase and lower lysosomal enzyme activity by day six.
- Antioxidant balance: rowers who had WBC before training showed signs of lower oxidative stress and less muscle fibre injury.
The First Minutes: Skin, Hormones and Nerves
| Measure | What researchers found |
|---|---|
| Skin temperature | A 2013 PLoS ONE study recorded an average fall of about 13.7°C after whole body exposure, lasting at least 20 minutes, versus about 8.3°C with partial-body exposure. |
| Core temperature | Ear temperature fell by only about 0.3°C, and only after whole body exposure. |
| Norepinephrine | Plasma levels rose by about 76% after whole body and about 57% after partial-body exposure, indicating a larger nervous system response with whole body exposure. |
| Role of the head | A controlled study found head exposure may not be the main driver of the nervous system effects. |
Repeat Sessions and Adaptation
In a trial of 40 healthy men given five daily sessions at different temperatures, the norepinephrine rise appeared after the first −110°C session but was no longer significant after the fifth. The authors read this as physiological habituation, which is useful for planning repeat protocols because the strongest hormonal signal comes early.
Cell-Level Findings
Beyond hormones, studies in athletes have looked at what happens inside cells. Kayak and rowing research from Poland tracked enzymes that reflect membrane stability and markers of oxidative stress, two systems that are strained by intense training. The 2017 Lombardi review also describes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Sports Examples With Evidence
| Sport | Study | What was found |
|---|---|---|
| Kayaking | Kayakers on a 10-day training cycle, with sessions preceded by WBC at −120 to −140°C or no WBC (Woźniak et al., 2007) | After six days with WBC, arylsulphatase was 46%, acid phosphatase 32% and CK 34% lower than after six days without. A single session also lowered CK by 30% in untrained men. The authors link this to stabilisation of lysosomal membranes. |
| Rowing | Rowers on two 6-day training cycles, with or without daily pre-training WBC at −125 to −150°C (preliminary results) | The authors concluded that WBC before training may reduce the risk of oxidative stress and the extent of muscle fibre injuries from intense exercise. |
Both studies applied WBC before training rather than after, which is a different use from most recovery trials. They were small and from the same research tradition, so they point to mechanisms worth exploring rather than settled benefits.
Emerging Research
The Lombardi review notes that cold exposure affects myokine expression in an exercise-like fashion, which has opened a research window on metabolic health. This work is early. For results in sport, see the muscle recovery research and cold recovery for athletes.
Safety, Risks and Contraindications
- Adverse events are rare. A 2023 scoping review found 16 documented events and concluded the risks are within acceptable limits when contraindications and common-sense guidelines are followed.
- Whole body is not partial body. The review notes cryosaunas with the head outside are different from chambers of breathable cold air, and that bodies such as the US FDA and France’s INSERM have raised safety concerns, which is why supervision matters.
- Contraindications exist. An expert consensus lists them, including arterial hypertension.
Speak to your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, heart or circulation problems, cold sensitivity or a long-term condition, or if you are pregnant or unwell. Explore the Aeva approach and other wellness technologies, or read about whole body cryotherapy in Kuala Lumpur.
FAQ
Does my core temperature drop a lot?
No. In the study above, ear temperature fell about 0.3°C, while skin temperature fell about 14°C.
Why might I feel more alert afterwards?
Cold exposure raises norepinephrine, a hormone involved in alertness, which may partly explain it.
Does the effect fade with repeat sessions?
The norepinephrine rise did over five daily sessions, which suggests adaptation.
Does the head need to be exposed?
One controlled study found head exposure may not be the main driver of the nervous system effects, but whole body systems produced larger responses overall.
Is it a medical treatment?
No. It is a recovery and wellness tool and should not replace medical care.
Who should not do it?
People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart or circulation problems, cold sensitivity or pregnancy should get medical advice first.
Sources
- Hausswirth C et al. Parasympathetic activity and blood catecholamine responses following a single partial-body cryostimulation and a whole-body cryostimulation. PLoS ONE, 2013.
- Louis J et al. The use of whole-body cryotherapy: time- and dose-response investigation on circulating blood catecholamines and heart rate variability. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2020.
- Head exposure to cold during whole-body cryostimulation: influence on thermal response and autonomic modulation. Liverpool John Moores University repository.
- Woźniak A et al. The effect of whole-body cryostimulation on lysosomal enzyme activity in kayakers during training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2007.
- Whole-body cryostimulation and oxidative stress in rowers: the preliminary results. Archives of Medical Science, 2013.
- Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Banfi G. Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes: from therapy to stimulation. Frontiers in Physiology, 2017.
- Legrand FD et al. Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation: a scoping review. European Journal of Medical Research, 2023.
- Capodaglio P et al. Contraindications to whole-body cryostimulation. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 2025.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Whole body cryotherapy is not a treatment for any disease, and results vary between people. Speak to your doctor before trying it if you have a health condition.