Wearing a “cooling vest” or taking cold showers may boost fat burning and weight loss by lowering body temperature, a study suggests. The cold is thought to activate brown fat which acts like an internal heater, burning calories to create warmth. Experts are now investigating whether similar weight loss benefits can be achieved by taking cold showers every day.
Daily cold exposure could be used as a “simple and inexpensive” addition to weight loss plans in the future, they said. Researcher Professor Helen Budge, of the University of Nottingham, said: “Mild cold exposure — wearing a cooling vest for a couple of hours each morning — was found to lead to weight loss.
“This study is important because it has shown a reduction in fat mass. It is really exciting.
“Daily cold exposure activates brown fat, which uses body fat stores to produce heat. The aim of the study we are currently undertaking is to help add to the lifestyle choices people have to help prevent heart disease.”
Cold water therapy has soared in popularity in recent years to become a mainstream wellness trend.
Techniques including cold plunging, chilling the face with ice water and ice baths are believed to increase mental clarity as well as having fat burning and anti-inflammatory benefits.
In the trial of 47 people who were overweight or obese, half were asked to wear an “ice vest” for two hours every morning. Worn over a thin T-shirt, the vests contained pockets for frozen gel-filled ice packs which maintain a temperature of 15C.
They are typically worn by construction workers or motorcyclists in hot weather to reduce their core body temperature.
After six weeks, wearers had lost an average of 0.9kg (2lb), made up almost entirely of body fat. Those in the control group gained an average of 0.6kg (1.3lb).
Prof Budge added: “It is possible that wearing a cooling vest trains brown fat to be more active and has a healthy effect on lipids, glucose and inflammation in the body. All those things are preventative in cardiovascular disease.”
The team, involving scientists at the University of Nottingham and the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, was jointly funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation and the British Heart Foundation to investigate how the cold temperatures could reduce obesity, inflammation and prevent heart disease.
They have now recruited 34 women for a similar study of cold showers. Half will be asked to turn their showers to the coldest setting for 90 seconds every morning.
Prof Budge added: “It is our hypothesis that cold showers and cold swimming could have the same effect.”
Lead researcher Dr Mariëtte Boon, of Leiden University Medical Center, said: “The cooling vest is a much longer period of exposure than the shower.
“But on the other hand the cold shower is much colder. We will have to see if it has an impact on weight loss. We know that exposure to cold temperatures prompts the body to activate brown fat, a type of fat that burns calories to produce heat.
“We also know that exposure to the cold activates skeletal muscles. These also generate heat, amongst others via shivering, to raise the core body temperature.”
The vests were not cold enough to make people shiver and participants described them as comfortable.
Dr Boon added: “This is one of the first studies looking at the impact of cold exposure over a prolonged period of time, involving people with overweight and obesity.
“The participants found the vest comfortable to wear. Vests like this can be worn at home and so cold exposure could be a simple and inexpensive addition to lifestyle strategies for weight loss such as healthy eating and physical activity.”
The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
