Cure or killer? The rewards – and very real risks – of the cold water plunge

Celebrities, influencers and therapists have all touted the benefits of icy immersion. But last week a coroner told a different story after the death of a woman in Derbyshire

Not so long ago, a cold plunge bath was used as a punishment for people considered insane. Now ice baths are feted by celebrities and social media influencers as a way to treat depression, lose weight and boost immunity. Yet immersion in cold water should be more widely recognised as a potentially lethal activity, according to academics, charities and even advocates of cold plunges.

If this was people going for a gentle stroll, it would be fine," said Professor Mike Tipton, who has researched cold water immersion for four decades. Sixty per cent of deaths in cold water happen in the first minute of immersion. You're taking a tropical animal and dropping it into 12C water - that's not a risk-free activity."