Effects of Winter Swimming on Blood Indicators and Oxidative Stress in Males

January 15, 2024 updated by: Aneta Teleglow, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland

Effects of Winter Swimming on Blood Morphological, Rheological, and Biochemical Indicators and Oxidative Stress in Males

Exposure of the human body to cold water triggers numerous beneficial physiological changes. The study aimed to assess the impact of regular winter swimming on blood morphological, rheological, and biochemical indicators and activity of antioxidant enzymes in males. The study includes winter swimmers and a control group. Blood samples were taken twice - before the start (November) of the winter swimming season and after its end (March). The average duration of ice water baths was 3-5 minutes, with a minimum frequency of once a week. The water temperature during the swimming did not exceed 10°C, approaching 0°C during the winter period.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Poland
      • Kraków, Poland, 31571
        • University of Physical Education

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Experienced in winter swimming, regularly swimming in cold water (open water) at least once a week in the period November - March

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Good health, practitioners of winter swimming
  • control group: never did winter swimming and had a sedentary lifestyle.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • medical contraindications to winter bathing

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
control
group not practicing winter swimming
winter swimmers
group practicing winter swimming
Other: winter swimming
Intervention involves bathing/swimming in cold water during the winter months in open waters

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
blood sampling: platelets and leukocytes
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Measurements of:

Platelets [thousands/μl], Leukocytes [thousands/μl], Neutrophils [thousands/μl], Eosinophils [thousands/μl], Basophils [thousands/μl], Lymphocytes [thousands/μl], Monocytes [thousands/μl].
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: erythrocytes
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Measurement of:

Erythrocytes [mln/μl],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: haemoglobin
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Determination of:

Haemoglobin [g/dl], mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) [g/dl],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: haematocrit
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Determination of:

haematocrit [%], red blood cell distribution width coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) [%],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: haemoglobin mass
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Determination of:

mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) [pg],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: Erythrocytes
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Determination of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) [fl], red blood cell distribution width standard deviation (RDW-SD) [fl],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: rheology part 1
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Determination of red cell elongation index (EI) [arbitrary unit: AU], erythrocyte aggregation amplitude (AMP) [AU],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: rheology part 2
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Determination of:

aggregation index (AI) [%],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling:rheology part 3
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Determination of:

half-time of total aggregation (t1/2) [s].
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: oxidative stress
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Measurement of catalase (CAT) [nmol/min/ml], and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) [nmol/min/ml].
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: oxidative stress - superoxide dismutase
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD) [U/ml],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood biochemistry: Urea
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Measurement of:

Urea [mmol/l].
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: Testosterone
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Determination of Testosterone concentration [ng/dl],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood sampling: Cortisol
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Determination of Cortisol concentration [µg/dl],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
blood biochemistry: Creatine
Time Frame: twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming
Determination of Creatinine concentration [µmol/l],
twice: before the start of cold swimming in November and 5 months later (March), after the end of winter swimming

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Aneta Teleglow, University of Physical Education, Kraków, Poland

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2023

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 30, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

January 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 25, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2024

Last Verified

January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 296/BS/INP/2021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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