Cold Exposure Experiment

Based on my review of cold exposure for increasing metabolism and managing weight, I've come up with an experiment to test a practical method of cold application: ice packs. This is not an official experiment, in that I'm not running it through a university and I don't have ethics approval and it won't get published in a peer review journal and all that; it's just for fun. Though if the results look like I'm on to something, I just might have to do a real study about it.

I've written up instructions and a data collection sheet, and copied them here. Feel free to email me and I'll send you the Word file for easier printing if you'd like. Email me your data or post it in the comments. As you'll see in the instructions, you will need to do this experiment in the privacy of your own home.

Cold Exposure Experiment

Equipment needed

1. Scale accurate to 10 grams / 100^th of a pound (i.e. 2 decimal places)
2. Ice pack, preferably reusable, that will last at least 20 minutes on your body without melting
3. Room needs to be at the same temperature for every test, at a temperature comfortable for you to be just in your underwear, so that you neither sweat nor shiver. This would likely be around 65-75^oF, or 18-24^oC. You may need to play around a few times just to figure this out. If at all possible, try to ensure to do the tests on days where the humidity is the same as well.

Pre-test criteria

1. do not exercise within 8-12 hours of test
2. preferably do the test in the morning, but regardless: all tests need to be done at the same time (so if you do the first test at 9:15am, then every other test needs to be done at 9:15am)
3. Do not eat or drink anything within 2 hours of the test. However, it would be preferable if you have eaten about 3 hours prior the test. In combination with the rule above, it would be best if you ate breakfast and then did the test a couple hours later.
4. Try to empty your bladder and bowels within 1-2 hours of the test
5. Ensure the ice pack is fully frozen and the same weight before every test

General procedure

1. Record the room temperature, and if possible, the room humidity
2. Weigh yourself completely naked and record pre test weight
3. Weigh ice pack and record its weight pre test
4. Sit completely still for 20 minutes under the test conditions (see below), wearing only underwear. You can only do one test per day.
5. After 20 minutes, weigh yourself completely naked and record post test weight
6. Weigh the ice pack and record its post test weight

Test Conditions

1. Baseline: the very first time, place the ice pack on a counter or other cool surface not in direct sunlight. Sit quietly without the ice pack for the 20 minutes. Still follow all the procedures
2. Place ice pack over left clavicle
3. Lying on stomach, place ice pack over rhomboids (between your shoulder blades)

Other data to report

height, age, body fat percentage (if known) and what method attained by, weekly physical activity level, gender

Cold Exposure Experiment Data Collection Sheet

Gender:            Height:              Body fat %:                  determined by:             

Weekly physical activity:

Trial 1: baseline         Date:

Please put a check next to the following points to ensure you've done them

• I have not exercised within 8-12 hours
• I have not eaten or drank anything within 2 hours
• I have emptied my bowels and bladder within 2 hours

Time:                Room temperature:                   humidity:

My pre test weight:                                           My post test weight:

Ice pack pre test weight:                                   Ice pack post test weight:

Trial 2: clavicle        Date:

Please put a check next to the following points to ensure you’ve done them

• I have not exercised within 8-12 hours
• I have not eaten or drank anything within 2 hours
• I have emptied my bowels and bladder within 2 hours

Time:                Room temperature:                   humidity:

My pre test weight:                                           My post test weight:

Ice pack pre test weight:                                   Ice pack post test weight:

Trial 3: rhomboids       Date:

Please put a check next to the following points to ensure you've done them

• I have not exercised within 8-12 hours
• I have not eaten or drank anything within 2 hours
• I have emptied my bowels and bladder within 2 hours

Time:                Room temperature:                   humidity:

My pre test weight:                                           My post test weight:

Ice pack pre test weight:                                   Ice pack post test weight: