Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Summary
On episode 421 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan sits down with Kyle Jones, an entrepreneur who operates iCryo, a fast-growing franchise of whole-body cryotherapy centers, and a physical therapy doctoral student who helped build the industry's first cryotherapy training program.
Kyle argues cryotherapy is not just an athletic recovery fad: three-minute sessions in chambers as cold as negative 240 degrees Fahrenheit trigger a systemic fight-or-flight response that reduces inflammation, boosts mood, and improves sleep, without the tissue damage risk of prolonged ice application.
The conversation covers how cryotherapy differs from ice, the real safety risks (burns and nitrogen exposure) and how the industry is addressing them, and what to look for when choosing a provider.
Links
- https://icryo.com
Key Takeaways
- Cryotherapy is a systemic reset, not just a local ice pack. Liquid nitrogen cools chambers to between negative 150 and negative 240 degrees Fahrenheit; the cold reflects off skin rather than penetrating it, triggering a fight-or-flight response that rushes blood to the body's core and floods it with serotonin, melatonin, and endorphins as it returns to the extremities.
- Cryotherapy differs from ice in a key way. Ice penetrates the skin and can damage muscle tissue if applied too long, since recovery time varies by person; nitrogen-based cryotherapy reflects off the skin, delivering the benefits of cold therapy without that tissue-damage risk.
- Inflammation is necessary but should not become chronic. The first stage of healing is inflammation, but for people with chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or fibromyalgia, cryotherapy helps shorten how long that inflammation lingers.
- Whole-body sessions provide a systemic benefit that localized treatment cannot. iCryo offers both, but full-body cryotherapy engages the vagus nerve and produces a body-wide reaction, while localized treatment (delivered via a hose) targets a single joint for pain or post-surgical recovery.
- Burns are the industry's biggest safety risk, caused by inexperienced operators. There was no formal training, certification, or safety standard when cryotherapy first launched, which is why iCryo built its own training platform and is moving to newer chambers that separate breathable air from nitrogen exhaust to reduce burn risk.
- Nitrogen exposure carries a dizziness and fainting risk, not a lethal one. Breathing in too much pure nitrogen can cause dizziness or fainting from reduced oxygen to the brain, but it is very unlikely to be fatal at the doses involved in a session.
- Choosing a reputable provider matters as much as the technology. Kyle recommends visiting a center in person, asking detailed questions, and walking away if staff cannot explain their safety protocols clearly, since a bad experience is often caused by a poorly run business rather than the therapy itself.
- A first session is typically discounted, with a custom plan built afterward. First-time sessions run about $10 to $30 and single sessions afterward around $50, and providers should build a plan around a client's specific goals rather than pushing an expensive package.
- Kyle's three strategies to get and stay well: educate yourself directly by talking face-to-face with the people administering a wellness service rather than relying only on online research; pay close attention to what you eat by understanding a meal's calories, carbs, fats, protein, and sugar rather than choosing food on impulse; and recognize that a lack of health education, not a lack of desire, is often what keeps people from getting well.
“Cryotherapy unlocks the body's healing power.”
Kyle Jones
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 437 – Improve your health with breath – James Nestor