Plos One published a study on whether the Wim Hof Method can clinically improve arthritis. The Wim Hof Method (WHM) comprises a breathing technique with hyperventilation, cold therapy, and meditation. The breathing method is described below.
A previous article, Secrets of the Ice Man: Voluntary control of adrenaline and the effect on the immune system, featured a study that provided proof that the Wim Hof Method can modulate the immune response. Avoiding a hyperactive immune response is essential to prevent autoimmune diseases like arthritis.
A group of 24 patients diagnosed with a type of arthritis were studied. They were divided into the intervention group that did the Wim Hof Method and the control group.
The study specifically examined patients with axial spondyloarthropathy (axSpA). axSpA is a common chronic autoimmune disease affecting the spine and sacroiliac joints. AxSpa is chosen because young adults are mostly affected and have fewer comorbidities and medications that may confound the results.
Many with axSpA can not adequately control their disease. Only 60-70% responded to treatment, and 30% only partially.
In this study, the authors measured inflammatory markers and used quality of life questionnaires to assess any improvement in their arthritis. The blood tests were C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and calprotectin levels before and after using the Wim Hof Method.
Patient-reported outcomes were used to assess the overall quality of life after the intervention. Ther are the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Severity Score (ASDAS-CRP), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), quality of life measures (SF-36, and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS).
Quality of life measurement is essential because even if the blood work results look great, they are meaningless if the subjects don’t feel any better.
The Intervention using the Wim Hof Method
The intervention consisted of an 8-weeks add-on training program comprising three elements:
1) breathing exercises, 2) gradual cold exposure (immersions in ice cold water), and 3) meditation (third eye meditation).The breathing techniques consisted of two exercises. First, patients were asked to hyperventilate for an average of 30 breaths. Subsequently, the patient exhaled and held their breath in an unforced manner for about 2–3 min until they felt a stimulus to inhale (“retention phase”).
The duration of breath retention was entirely at the discretion of the patient himself. For safety reasons, it was instructed to not hold the breath longer than 3.5 minutes.
Breath retention was followed by a deep inhalation breath, which was held for 10 s. Subsequently a new cycle of hyper/ hypoventilation began. After the last cycle, patients were instructed to do a strenuous exercise such as push-ups.
The induced state of intermittent respiratory alkalosis and hypoxia typically “empowers” the patient to outperform their standard capability in any physical exercise.
The second breathing exercise consisted of deep inhalations and exhalations in which every inhalation and exhalation was followed by breath holding for 10 seconds, during which the patient tightened all his body muscles.
An additional element this part of the training program consisted of
strength exercises (e.g., push-ups and yoga balance techniques).During the intervention period, patients voluntarily exposed themselves to cold in two ways. During weekly training sessions, the patients immersed whole-body in ice-cold water (0–1˚C) for several minutes, incrementally up to a maximum of 5 minutes (for safety reasons). At home, daily cold showers were taken incrementally up to 5 minutes (10–14˚C).
Outcomes
No serious adverse events occurred during the study. The most common adverse event was common cold among the two groups—four in the intervention and two in the control group.
Inflammatory Markers
The Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and calprotectin decreased in the trained but not the untrained group. The CRP did not change in both groups.
Quality of Life
There was a significant improvement in the trained group than the control group for the following:
- Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Severity Score
- Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI)
- The physical component and mental components of the SF-36
There were no significant differences among the trained and untrained groups in the EuroQol-5D and EQ-5D Visual Analog Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS).
In summary, the biomarkers of inflammation and the quality of life scores in men with axial spondyloarthropathy improved after training with the Wim Hof Method. This opens the possibility of a more extensive study.
Some people with arthritis have started doing the Wim Hof Method. Henk has rheumatoid arthritis and relates his personal experience.
Fair warning: People on beta-blockers and with heart disease and hypertension should not do the Wim Hof Method unless they consult with their physicians.
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Related:
- Secrets of the Ice Man revealed: How he tolerates the cold and produce body heat while in icy temperatures
- Secrets of the Ice Man: Voluntary control of adrenaline and the effect on the immune system
- Rheumatoid Arthritis and Metabolic Syndrome
- Osteoarthritis and Metabolic Syndrome
- Gout and Metabolic Syndrome
- Psoriasis and Metabolic Syndrome
- Skin Signs of Secret Sickness
- Psoriasis and Metabolic Syndrome
- Dark Skin Patch: Cause for Concern?
- The Metabolic Syndrome
Reference:
Buijze, G A et al. “An add-on training program involving breathing exercises, cold exposure, and meditation attenuates inflammation and disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis – A proof of concept trial.” PloS one vol. 14,12 e0225749. 2 Dec. 2019, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225749
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