Cold Plunge Hype: Huberman Lab Reviews the Science—Is the Dopamine Spike Worth the Risk of Hypothermia?

Videos of people entering ice-filled chest freezers with their faces twisted in a mix of pain and victory have been all over social media for the past several years. It appears to be performative masochism, a tendency influenced more by “likes” than by reason. But after peeling back the layers of this icy onion, Dr. Andrew Huberman and the Huberman Lab team have shown that the “Cold Plunge” is more than just hype; it’s a powerful neurochemical lever that, when used properly, can drastically change our focus and mood.

Dopamine is the solitary, potent neurotransmitter at the heart of the science. Dopamine is frequently linked to the brief joys we experience from a piece of cake or a text message. However, the dopamine release that is brought on by submersion in cold water is distinct. It is a low-frequency, persistent hum of inspiration. According to studies Huberman referenced, immersing the body up to the neck in cold water can cause a 250 percent increase in dopamine levels. Importantly, this boost lasts for hours as opposed to the abrupt drop that occurs after a sugar high or a drug-induced peak. It is the biological counterpart of a slow-release stimulant, providing mental clarity that is more akin to a serene, focused resolve than a frantic caffeine rush.

However, there is a tangible cost associated with this neurochemical reward. The body perceives cold water as a threat to survival rather than a biohack. The sympathetic nervous system causes a sudden intake of breath known as the “gasp reflex,” which is triggered by the first penetration. The danger is right here. Panic in deep water can result in drowning for the unprepared. The cardiovascular system may be strained in people with underlying cardiac issues due to the abrupt constriction of blood arteries. Temperature determines the boundary between “eustress” (good stress) and discomfort. +1

Recently, as I stood by a mountain lake and watched a bunch of “wild swimmers” wade into the gray water, it seemed to me that their laughter was a true chemical reaction to the shock, not merely a sign of companionship.

According to the Huberman Lab assessment, we can benefit without even attempting hypothermia. Here, the idea that “more is better” is risky. The minimal effective dose is the aim. Remarkably, the metabolic benefits can be triggered with just 11 minutes of total cold exposure each week, divided into 2-3 minute periods. Brown fat, a metabolically active tissue that produces heat by burning calories, is one example of this. A crucial detail is brought to light by Dr. Susanna Søberg’s research: you have to finish with cold to optimize this effect. Shivering, which is your body’s natural way of warming up, puts that brown fat into overdrive.

But the true magic may be psychological. According to Huberman, the frigid plunge serves as a practice for “top-down control.” You are fortifying the brain circuits that govern resistance when you make yourself stay in frigid water in defiance of every evolutionary impulse telling you to get out. You are training your brain to use intent to overcome urge. This ice bath-created mental toughness carries over into the rest of your life, keeping you composed during tense meetings or alert in emergency situations.

So, is the danger of the dopamine spike worth it? It appears that most people agree, but with a big asterisk. If you appreciate the physiology, it will be worthwhile. The cold provides a tool for mental and physical optimization that few other interventions can equal if you handle it like a drug—taking it sparingly, avoiding it after strength training (where it can impede muscular growth), and never taking it by itself. It won’t be comfortable, though. The point is that.