Cold Water and Decision-Making
Voluntary Cold-Water Immersion Effects on Value-Based Choice
German Institute of Human Nutrition
40 participants
Aug 28, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The behavioral within-subject cross-over design study "CoVa" aims to investigate the effect of a short-term full-body cold-water immersion vs. warm-water immersion control on value-based choice, psychological well-being, and peripheral physiology.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria6
- -40 years of age
- Consent to participate
- Fluency in German
- Physically and mentally healthy
- BMI 18-30 kg/m2
- Normal day-night rhythm
Exclusion Criteria23
- Raynaud syndrome
- Cold urticaria
- High resting heart rate (>160 beats per minute)
- Acute infection
- Diagnosed current or former illnesses of
- Brain and mind
- Heart and blood circulation
- Gastrointestinal system
- Endocrine system
- Other serious past or present medical conditions
- Wearing of medical devices (e.g., pacemaker)
- Fear of blood, needles, or phlebotomy
- Allergies to plasters, gels, and other medical equipment
- Allergies to commercially available liquid meals (e.g., shakes, yfood Labs GmbH)
- Recurrent intake of medication which affect metabolism
- Regular nicotine consumption (e.g., vaping, cigarettes)
- Excessive alcohol consumption (>14 servings/week)
- Recent illegal drug consumption (within 2 weeks prior)
- Strong mental or physical stress
- Excessive exercise (>2 h high-intensity exercise/day)
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Inability to wear skin-exposing swimwear, e.g., for religious reasons
- Affinity for winter swimming, cryotherapy, breathwork (>3 times/year)
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Interventions
Single 10-minute acute full-body head-out single arm-out cold-water immersion at 10-16°C on the experimental day
Single 10-minute acute full-body head-out single arm-out cold-water immersion at 30-36°C on the experimental day
Locations(1)
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NCT06908447