Brown adipose tissue regulates this thermoregulatory mechanism through a chain reaction which releases heat.
Cold exposure can trigger the human body to increase heat production through thermogenesis. The basis of this study lies on the fact that exposure to cold seems to boost the metabolism and to induce the brown fat. Its various parameters can provide new insight into shifts in metabolic rate. Using this data, they seek to deepen the understanding of the metabolic activity in blood cells when practicing the WHM. They are analyzing blood samples that have been taken by Radboud UMC in previous studies.
Kenkodo Metabolomic Discoveries in Germany is working closely with Radboud UMC. Findings from previous studies, indicating that training and practicing of the WHM can render a person capable of voluntarily suppressing their immune response, suggest a possible application of the method to rheumatoid arthritis patients. It involves severe inflammation of the patient’s joints, causing swelling and pain in the affected areas. Rheumatoid arthritis is a very common auto-immune disorder affecting up to 1% of the population in the developed world. The results are currently being compiled and written.Īdditionally, a new study on the effect of the method on people with Rheumatoid Arthritis is currently being designed. In the Netherlands, Radboud University Medical Center (UMC) in Nijmegen completed a new study about the effects of the various components of the WHM on inflammation and pain. This study also suggests the compelling possibility that the WHM might allow practitioners to “develop a higher level of control over key components of the autonomic system, with implications for lifestyle interventions that might ameliorate multiple clinical syndrome.” Based on these findings a new study is currently being designed to test the effect of the WHM on people suffering from Bipolar – a mental disorder. Interestingly, endocannabinoids are known to inhibit edema and inflammation, which is in accordance to the reported reduction of the immune response associated with the WHM practice. The rise in the release of endocannabinoids could possibly constitute a mechanism to mediate decreased sensitivity to cold exposure, since another key property of endocannabinoids is their analgesic action. These endocannabinoids are known to promote the feeling of euphoria and well-being, pleasurable feelings which can be often observed after stress-induced activities or which can explain the absence of pain during high-stress situations. The significant activation of the cognitive cortical areas indicates a release of endogenous opiates/cannabinoids.
Given that the PET/CT scans failed to show a significant activation of the periphery as in the brown adipose tissue, the results provide compelling evidence for the primacy of the brain (CNS) rather than the body (peripheral mechanisms) in mediating Wim’s responses to cold exposure. The fMRI analyses showed that the WHM activates two important brain areas centers for pain/cold stimuli modulation responsible for initiating a stress-induced analgesic response and higher-order cortical areas which are uniquely associated with self-reflection, internal focus and sustained attention in the presence of aversive external stimuli. To investigate the relationship between conscious and autonomic aspects of central nervous system (CNS) function they used fMRI, while PET/CT was used to assess the involvement of the periphery. Scientists from the Wayne State University aimed to discover the underlying correlation of cold resilience in the brain and body by applying a thermoregulatory challenge to Wim Hof and a healthy group of individuals acting as controls. Here is an updated overview of where this research is currently at. Various research institutes all over the world are continuously studying the effects of the Wim Hof Method.