Imagine lowering yourself into a tub of ice-cold water after seeing thousands of social media posts promising higher testosterone, improved workouts and rapid health gains.
The message is simple: sit in freezing water, and your hormones will respond.
That idea has been amplified by Joe Rogan, host of The Joe Rogan Experience, who has suggested that cold plunges can “boost testosterone.”
Clips of those comments circulate widely on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, often without scientific context.
Rogan’s reach is substantial.
His podcast has approximately 14.5 million followers on Spotify, and his Instagram account has nearly 19 million followers.
Information shared at that scale can, arguably, quickly influence public beliefs about health and fitness.
In the cold plunge clip, the word “boost” is used without a medical definition.
For many listeners, that word implies a meaningful and lasting hormonal benefit.
What the science says about cold water
In medicine, the distinction between a short-term hormonal fluctuation and a sustained elevation in baseline testosterone is significant.
Testosterone is defined by the National Library of Medicine as the primary male sex hormone responsible for reproductive development, muscle mass and bone density.
Guidance from the Mayo Clinic notes that testosterone levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day and may temporarily change in response to stress, exercise, sleep disruption or illness.
A brief hormonal rise triggered by acute stress is not the same as a long-term increase in baseline testosterone.
For a claim that something meaningfully “boosts testosterone,” clinical research would need to demonstrate a consistent and sustained elevation over time, not just temporary changes.
A scientific study by the National Library of Medicine that directly measures how human testosterone responds to cold-water exposure does not support the idea that cold plunges produce a meaningful, lasting increase in testosterone levels.
A 1991 study published in the Journal of Hygiene found that testosterone dropped about 10 per cent immediately after cold exposure. Exercise in the same participants increased levels, highlighting that cold stress and training trigger different hormonal responses.
A similar study, published in PLOS ONE in 2025, examined how a single immersion in extremely cold water (below 4 °C) affected a group of young men.
Blood tests taken before and after the immersion showed a measurable, significant drop in testosterone, not a rise immediately following cold exposure.
The researchers noted that several other biochemical markers also changed, but the decrease in testosterone was among the most consistent effects observed after acute cold stress.
What Rogan says about cold plunges on his podcast
These findings matter when evaluating public claims.
On his podcast, Rogan suggested cold plunges “boost testosterone.”
The word implies a sustained benefit, yet research shows only short-term fluctuations and, in some cases, decreases.
Health agencies note that hormone levels naturally vary.
Would a doctor prescribe cold plunges?
Dr. Urfi Sulaiman, a family medicine physician registered in Alberta and practicing in Calgary, said temporary hormonal shifts are often misunderstood.
“Cold exposure activates the body’s stress response, and you may see short-term fluctuations in hormone levels,” he said in an interview with the Calgary Journal.
“A temporary fluctuation is not the same as a sustained increase in baseline testosterone. From a clinical perspective, we look for consistent, measurable changes over time,” said Suliman. “The evidence right now does not strongly support that cold plunges raise testosterone in that way.”
Do cold plunges boost health benefits?
Cold water immersion also produces immediate cardiovascular responses, including increased heart rate and blood pressure.
According to the Mayo Clinic, while sudden cold exposure is considered safe for healthy individuals, it can pose risks for people with underlying heart conditions.
The Calgary Journal requested comment from Joe Rogan but did not receive a response.
Looking ahead, cold plunges are likely to remain part of the wellness conversation as people seek simple interventions that promise physical and mental benefits.
The interest itself speaks to a broader desire for accessible health practices, but it also underscores the importance of scientific literacy in evaluating health claims.
As research on cold exposure and human physiology continues, consumers and content creators alike benefit from distinguishing temporary sensations from lasting medical outcomes, ensuring that hype for new trends is matched by informed understanding.
As commonly interpreted, the claim that cold plunges “boost testosterone” is misleading.
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