Why take a cold shower after exercising?

Taking a cold shower after exercising can have several benefits, particularly in terms of recovery and reducing muscle soreness. Here are the key points based on what Andrew Huberman has shared:

1. Reduction of Muscle Soreness and Inflammation: Cold exposure after exercise, such as a cold shower, can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. This helps in quicker recovery, allowing you to return to training sooner and more effectively. Cold showers or cold water immersions shortly after training have been shown to improve outcomes by reducing serum creatine kinase, a marker of muscle damage 1.

2. Improved Perceived Recovery: Using cold water immersion after high-intensity exercise has been associated with improved muscular power performance and perceived recovery. This suggests benefits in terms of how quickly and effectively one feels recovered post-exercise 2.

3. Short Duration is Beneficial: Even short durations of cold exposure (e.g., one to five minutes) can be beneficial, especially after high-intensity exercise. These shorter exposures are effective in reducing muscle soreness and improving training efficacy 1.

However, it is important to note that the timing and type of exercise may influence the effectiveness of cold exposure. For instance, cold exposure might not be as beneficial following eccentric-focused training (such as resistance training focusing on muscle lengthening) where muscle growth (hypertrophy) is a goal, as it can potentially inhibit some pathways involved in muscle repair and growth. Therefore, for those focused on building muscle strength or size, it might be best to delay cold exposure after such workouts 3.

Overall, cold showers post-workout can be a useful tool for recovery, especially after intense or endurance-based training, helping to mitigate inflammation and prepare the body for subsequent workout sessions.