Mild Cooling is GOOD for you!
There are Health and Therapy benefits for the use of various types of Cooling Vests. That has been proven and lots of research has been made that "mild cooling" approximately 14-15C cooling is used for the treatment of and for Multiple Sclerosis, Breast Cancer, Ectodermal Dysplasias, Thermogenic Anhidrosis and people who have Diabetes.
There are a host of benefits from frequent cold exposure done the right way, such as:
- Lowering body fat
- Increasing hormone levels
- Improving sexual performance and fertility
- Lowering blood sugar
- Cutting food cravings
- Improving adrenal function
- Fixing thyroid issues
- Enhancing immune function
- Improving deep sleep quality
- Increasing pain tolerance
- Reducing inflammation
So why does cold exposure achieve some of these benefits? Here how:
BAT Activation
Brown adipose tissue, or BAT, is primarily found around your collar bones, sternum, neck, and upper back. It is a unique kind of fat that can generate heat by burning the regular white fat (adipose tissue) found on a your stomach, butt, hips, and legs.
Researchers find that brown fat is an anti-diabetes organ
Not all fat is created equal, and that is good news for millions fighting diabetes. In a study of the metabolic role of brown fat diabetes researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston showed that people with more brown fat are able to maintain control over their blood sugar and increase their resting metabolic rate.
How did they do it? The study, led by Dr. Labros Sidossis, included adult male subjects who were divided into two groups: one group had brown fat present at the start of the study and the other did not. All subjects wore a cooling vest for several hours at a mild cold temperature that would stimulate brown fat and not cause a shivering response.
The results showed that active brown fat plays an important role in metabolism of glucose. People in the study who had stores of brown fat that were activated by the cooling vest were better able to metabolize glucose and had increased insulin sensitivity. The abstract of the study states:
“These results demonstrate a physiologically significant role of BAT in whole-body energy expenditure, glucose homeostasis, and insulin sensitivity in humans and support the notion that BAT may function as an anti-diabetic tissue in humans.”
Researchers found that mild cold exposure increased the base metabolic rate of the brown fat positive group by 15%. Very significant reductions in blood glucose were seen in the individuals with cold stimulated brown fat. Cooling is acknowledged as the best know way to stimulate brown fat, but researchers are mainly focused on finding a drug as a treatment for obesity and diabetes. Cooling vests with phase change cooling packs to activate brown adipose tissue may provide the best solution.
-Image above: Cold but not sympathomimetics activates human brown adipose tissue in vivo
Multiple Sclerosis
MS symptoms become worse when the body's temperature increases - even half of a degree is enough to start feeling worse. By cooling the body, many people experience relief from their MS symptoms. Cooling products can also help people with MS be more active through exercise and outdoor activities. Phase Change Cooling Vests are the most popular means of cooling the body.
Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer patients and survivors alike often experience accelerated menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats. A special pink Cool Vest is just the answer for you to keep cool while promoting Breast Cancer Awareness.
Ectodermal Dysplasias
Within the 150 different ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes, the inability to perspire is a feature of many of the conditions. Since people who are unable to perspire can overheat, precautions should be taken to prevent over-heating or to cool the body if necessary.
Thermogenic Anhidrosis
One type of failure of the sweating mechanism which does not conform to that of either heat stroke or heat exhaustion is sometimes called Thermogenic Anhidrosis. The symptoms are sometimes associated with, or preceded by a period of excessive sweating and usually, some degree of prickly heat; then a cessation of sweating over the entire body below the neck, with an outpouring of sweat from the face and neck. As with any physical condition, seek the advice of a medical professional.
sources:
http://www.coolvest.com/rpcm_cooling_vest/therapy/
http://brownadipose.com/
http://www.mymsaa.org/msaa-help/cooling/