Cold plunges emerge as new wellness trend

BALTIMORE — Cold plunges have become the hottest wellness trend. Social media is filled with people posting videos from their backyard ice baths. Celebrities like Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, and Lizzo make it part of their routines.

Baltimore nutrition coach Amanda Peed started cold plunging to deal with fatigue after having her daughter. She says it helps her feel energized, manage stress, and sleep better.

"If you can train your mind to be in that really cold environment, and push through it, when you get out, you're shivering, but it's totally worth it," Peed says. "Because you're going to have the dopamine rush, you're going have a lot of energy. "

"Charm City Integrative Health" in Canton offers cold plunging. Owner Tom Ingegno says it can reduce inflammation, decrease muscle soreness, and boost the immune system.

"It is a shock," says owner Tom Ingegno. "Everything else we can kind of coach you through, but this one's going to take a little fortitude."

MedStar Health physical therapist Rebecca Schumer says they do use ice submersion tubs at USA Lacrosse Headquarters.

"If the temperature is pretty high, and the athlete is at risk for over-heating, then we might use it afterward to cool them down really quickly," she says. "Because that can be very dangerous when an athlete overheats."

But she says most claims about cold plunges are not backed by research or science, and that an ice bath will not make you heal faster or help you burn calories.

"Why don't you just take a cold shower? Save the ice. Don't waste your money and get bags of ice. Don't buy an ice machine. Take a cold shower if you really want to experience this," Schumer says.