Some studies suggest that short-term exposure to extreme cold can stimulate testosterone production more effectively than mild cold exposure. Ice baths provide more intense cold exposure than cold showers, which may enhance their impact on hormone regulation. However, moderate exposure to hot water—such as a warm bath or shower—may not necessarily have a detrimental effect on testosterone levels. One study conducted on athletes found that exposure to cold water immersion post-exercise helped maintain hormonal balance and reduced markers of muscle damage. However, while avoiding excessive heat is beneficial for testicular health, there is limited direct evidence proving that cold showers actively increase testosterone. While some anecdotal evidence suggests that cold exposure may boost testosterone, scientific research on the topic is still limited.
Cold water immersion and ice baths may significantly increase testosterone levels in men through the effects of stress and dopamine activity in the brain. While exposure to cold water can stimulate the body’s natural response mechanisms, including increased circulation and hormone release, scientific studies suggest that the rise in testosterone may be temporary. Nonetheless, cold showers likely confer some metabolic and mitochondrial benefits that support healthy levels of testosterone, compared to no cold exposure at all. In extreme cases, the combination of cold water and exercise can put too much stress on mitochondria in ways that temporarily suppress testosterone levels. Whether it’s boosting testosterone levels, aiding muscle recovery, or enhancing mental clarity, the potential benefits of ice baths are certainly intriguing. To ascertain how ice baths can contribute to other health benefits for women, additional exploration into the effects of cold on female hormones is necessary. Over time, as your body adapts to the cold stress, you may start to notice improvements in your overall well-being, energy levels, and potentially, your testosterone levels.
He reports that he undertakes an intensive exercise regimen, including cardio and resistance, maintains a good diet, limits his alcohol, gets good sleep, is at the "higher end of normal weight," and supplements with Vitamin D. In other words, it sounds like he's doing everything right. Subsequent testosterone measurements showed dramatic increases to 1454 ng/dL in December 2023 and 1733 ng/dL in June 2024. In the summer of 2023, at age 43, David independently started an intense regimen of daily morning ice baths. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans indicated a 2% increase in Eloise's total muscle mass and a 2% decrease in total fat mass, with bone mass remaining stable. Eloise's total testosterone increased from 0.6 to 1.1 nmol/L, representing nearly a 2X increase.
A relationship between testosterone and competition has been observed across all types of contests, even video games and rock-paper-scissors. However, I suspect that the reason for the correlation is because both Vitamin D synthesis and testosterone synthesis are downstream of cholesterol conversion. However, any long-term, sustained increases due to workouts alone are likely to be minimal (Riachy et al. 2020). It has been used for centuries as a calming agent to help reduce or respond to stress. For example, when boron was administered to human subjects at the University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, researchers measured significant decreases in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) after only six hours. Clinical trials suggest that supplementing with boron promotes sex steroid synthesis, including testosterone.
Cold showers have been linked to potential testosterone boosts, but the effect is not as dramatic as some might expect. For example, studies on sauna use indicate that excessive heat exposure can lead to temporary declines in sperm production and hormonal imbalances. Cold exposure causes blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction) and then dilate (vasodilation) once the body rewarms. By contrast, cold showers may help maintain or even enhance testicular function by preventing excessive heat buildup.
Moreover, in lean individuals, exercise training has no lasting impact on basal testosterone levels, whereas, in obese individuals, it does. Stacy Sims, PhD, has popularized the idea that women respond differently to cold water immersion than men and cautions women against cold plunging at nearly freezing temperatures. For example, after a 9-hour dive in 4°C water, 21 male military trainees exhibited a significant reduction in total testosterone levels (Kelly et al. 2022). As more positive case studies emerge, the evidence supporting ice baths as an effective therapy for low testosterone is clarifying a previously held consensus based on misconceptions. Nevertheless, the science of cold plunge therapy for treating low testosterone in men and women is becoming increasingly convincing. The first is a 35-year-old male military vet who boosted his testosterone from 462 ng/dL in August 2023 to 868 ng/dL in February 2024 by doing 5-minute cold plunges without precooling at 47°F, then progressing to 40°F, often followed by sauna use shortly before sleep. Subsequent testing revealed an increase in David's testosterone levels to 1100 ng/dL in December 2023 and 1330 ng/dL by March 2024.

Gender: Female

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