Cold-water immersion reduces muscle protein synthesis by 30% post-exercise, potentially inhibiting the uptake of essential nutrients for muscle repair and growth. Digest
Although cold-water immersion is a popular recovery method among many athletes, its benefits may be mostly short-term and subjective. A recent study found that cold-water immersion decreased post-meal amino acid uptake into muscle by roughly 30% compared to warm-water immersion.
In the study, 12 young men performed a resistance exercise session, then immersed one leg in cold water (8°C/46°F) and the other in warm water (30°C/86°F) for 20 minutes. Afterward, they drank a protein-rich beverage containing 20 grams of amino acids and 45 grams of carbohydrates. Researchers measured blood flow in the participants' thigh muscles using ultrasound and took muscle biopsies four hours later to assess amino acid uptake.
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The cold-water immersion reduced muscle blood flow by more than 50% compared to the warm-water immersion, both immediately afterward and up to three hours later. This drop in blood flow strongly correlated with a reduction in the muscle's ability to incorporate dietary amino acids, with muscle protein synthesis about 30% lower in the cold-immersed leg.
This was a very small study, but its findings suggest that while cold-water immersion may alleviate muscle soreness, it could also impede the delivery of nutrients essential for muscle repair and growth. Learn about the role of amino acids in muscle growth in this clip featuring Dr. Peter Attia.