Clinical Research Directory

Whole-body Cryotherapy in Those With Chronic Fatigue: A Feasibility Study

Sponsor: Oxford Brookes University

Summary

Chronic fatiguing illnesses such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Fibromyalgia, and Long COVID are becoming a major global health challenge. They cause severe personal and social strain and have no proven, widely effective treatments. Although these conditions have different names, they share many symptoms: long-lasting fatigue that doesn't improve with rest, worsening of symptoms after activity (post-exertional malaise), difficulties with thinking ("brain fog"), poor sleep, and widespread pain. Increasing evidence shows that these illnesses also share similar underlying biological problems. These include ongoing inflammation, problems with the autonomic nervous system (which controls automatic body functions), poor function of the blood vessels, and reduced energy production in cells. Whole-Body Cryotherapy (WBCT) is emerging as a promising non-drug treatment that may help break these cycles. WBCT involves very short, controlled exposure to extreme cold (around -110°C to -160°C). This triggers a rapid response across the nervous, immune, and metabolic systems. The cold acts as a powerful stimulus, encouraging the body to reset imbalanced systems. A session briefly narrows blood vessels and then causes them to widen again, improving blood flow and supporting healthy vessel function. WBCT also appears to reduce inflammation, lower oxidative stress, and improve parasympathetic ("rest-and-recover") nervous system activity. Early studies in ME/CFS and related conditions are encouraging. Small trials have reported reduced fatigue, clearer thinking, and better autonomic regulation after a course of WBCT sessions, with good safety. Research has also shown changes in blood-brain barrier proteins after WBCT, suggesting it may help repair "leaky" barriers that can drive symptoms in ME/CFS and Long COVID. By acting on inflammation, blood flow, and nervous system balance at the same time, WBCT could offers a scientifically grounded and potentially transformative approach in understanding the mechanism behind observed treatment effect.

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