Stand in a chamber at minus 110°C for two to three minutes; pay by the session. Whole-body cryotherapy is marketed for recovery, inflammation and vitality. Comparative research finds it roughly matches ice baths, which themselves only modestly help sore muscles. Sold at boutique prices, the value proposition thins out fast.
A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing cryotherapy modalities found similar small effects on soreness, muscle performance and damage markers across whole-body chambers, ice baths and localized icing, with low-certainty trials throughout. Studies run days, not years; inflammation and longevity claims extrapolate far beyond the data. Athletes who report feeling better are not wrong; they are describing symptom relief, not extended healthspan.
Doing it: An ice bath at home delivers the same measured effect for free. If you enjoy the ritual and can afford it, fine; just know you are buying comfort and belonging, not documented longevity.
Who it suits: Athletes who like it and feel it works. For everyone else, cold showers remain the free approximation.
Sources
Next in therapies: Whole-body electrical stimulation (EMS) →
Prefer to start with what a blood test can tell you? All 48 diagnostic tests, ranked →