Ice Water for Weight Loss? What the Science Really Says About This TikTok Health Trend
This chilly hack promises results, but the science is more lukewarm
When a new diet hack rises in popularity, it can be tempting to test it out. While some trends like intermittent fasting can be effective for improving overall health and achieving weight loss, experts say others, such as Skinnytok’s restrictive “What I Eat In A Day” videos, can do more harm than good. But what about the latest craze: the ice water hack for weight loss?
Also known as the “ice hack diet,” this viral weight loss trend works pretty much how it sounds. The strategy meant to lower your body temperature to increase the number of calories you burn using tactics such as drinking cold water, limiting yourself to cold food and even eating ice itself. Here we separate fact from fiction and reveal whether or not the TikTok weight loss tactic is actually worth trying.
Does the ice water hack for weight loss work?
Drinking ice water to lose weight may sound effective in theory, but we spoke to experts to learn if there’s any science to support it.
Woman's World Answers
“Like many fad diets, the ‘ice hack diet’ does have a basis in real biology in the body, although it is not a magic solution for weight loss,” says William Li, MD, physician, scientist and bestselling author of Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer.
“Cold temperature can cause shivering, which increases metabolism to generate heat,” he explains. “Cold also activates signals in the brain that turn on mitochondria, the energy-generating systems, to generate heat and burn calories. This is the basis for keeping hibernating animals warm through a cold winter, a process called cold-induced thermogenesis.”
That said, the metabolic gains from the ice water hack for weight loss are ultimately not significant, says Katherine Wojnowich, MD, Board-certified Family and Sports Medicine Physician at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health.
“While it is true that eating foods that are colder will trigger some increased metabolism vs. eating foods that are room temperature and hot, it’s typically a very limited metabolic boost related to you actually eating those foods,” Dr. Wojnowich explains. “The overall amount of calories burned is pretty negligible.”
What research shows about the ice water weight loss hack
Unlike many other weight loss diet trends, the idea of health benefits from cold foods has been explored in research. A Nutrition & Diabetes study found that participants who ate cold foods saw benefits in glucose levels, but experts say this research has limits.
“It’s true that this study found that cold foods can produce a lower blood glucose, insulin, and GLP-1 response in patients without diabetes,” says Sara Riehm, RD, LD/N, CSOWM, Specialty Dietitian at Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement. “The researchers were also able to show that cold foods could produce lower blood glucose and insulin responses in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results are promising. However, the study also noted several limitations in its design and had a very small sample size of patients.”
The health benefits of cold exposure
While the ice water hack may not be a weight loss miracle, cold exposure could offer some health benefits.
“There is theoretical benefit for triggering cold-induced thermogenesis, which turns on brown fat to burn harmful white visceral fat and increase energy expenditure,” says Dr. Li. “As part of an overall weight loss routine this can be useful, but it is not the main contributor to weight loss.”
And if you’re tired of using pain medication, cold exposure could help with some of your discomfort.
“Cold exposure therapies like ice packs can aid in reducing inflammation,” says Riehm. “They can help with improving pain in localized areas, which can make it easier to resume your exercise routine.”
There are risks, too
While cold exposure has some benefits, not everyone is a great fit or should go jumping into an ice bath.
“People who are pregnant, have diabetes, thyroid, nerve disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease or certain rheumatologic conditions should discuss cold exposure therapy with their doctor prior to starting, because these conditions may increase the risk of injury or a worsening of their condition,” says Dr. Wojnowich.
Also worth noting: “People who inject medications such as insulin, GLP-1 medications and medications for autoimmune disease have to be careful about the timing of their injection around cold exposure, as both cold and hot exposure can affect how your body absorbs the medication,” she adds.
The bottom line on the ice water hack for weight loss
Ultimately, although cold exposure may have moderate benefits for overall health and weight loss, the most impactful changes will come from prioritizing your health through nutrition and exercise.
“To me, the real benefit comes in adopting a healthier lifestyle in general,” says Dr. Wojnowich. “Making sure you’re getting at least 64 oz. of water daily and eating minimally-processed whole foods with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and exercising daily.”
“The cold plunges [or glasses of ice water] are an added bonus in terms of those feelings of wellbeing, and again certainly welcome in this weather, but the true benefit comes from those lifestyle changes,” she notes.
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