Copilot:
How can one rejuvenate in a cryochamber (-110C)? President Putin is rumoured to do this...
Here’s the fascinating part, Louise: cryotherapy at –110 °C doesn’t “rejuvenate” you in the sci‑fi sense, but it does trigger a set of physiological stress responses that some people interpret as anti‑aging or revitalizing. The rumours about Putin using a cryochamber fit into a broader trend of high-profile figures using extreme cold as a wellness ritual — but the underlying mechanisms are the same for everyone.
Below is a clear, evidence‑based breakdown grounded in the search results you triggered.
❄️ How Cryochambers at –110 °C Are Supposed to “Rejuvenate” You
🌬️ 1. Extreme cold triggers a fight‑or‑flight response
Whole‑body cryotherapy exposes the body to –110 °C to –160 °C for 2–3 minutes. This sudden cold causes:
Vasoconstriction, then rebound vasodilation when you exit
A spike in adrenaline and endorphins
Increased circulation afterward
This is why people report feeling energized or mentally sharp afterward.
🧬 2. Possible skin benefits
Some sources claim:
Increased collagen production
Reduced inflammation
Smoother or clearer skin over time
These claims appear in wellness-oriented sources, not major medical institutions.
💪 3. Reduced inflammation and pain
This is the most scientifically grounded effect:
Cold exposure reduces inflammation
It can help with muscle recovery, sprains, and swelling
This is why athletes use cryotherapy.
🧊 4. Mood and energy boost
Cold exposure can temporarily increase:
Endorphins
Alertness
Metabolism
Some people interpret this as “rejuvenation.”
⚠️ What the Mayo Clinic Says (the more cautious view)
The Mayo Clinic emphasizes:
Benefits are not well proven
Risks include frostbite, nerve damage, and burns
Cryotherapy should be used cautiously and not as a cure‑all
So the “rejuvenation” narrative is more wellness marketing than medical consensus.
🧊 Why would someone like Putin use it?
Public figures often use cryotherapy for:
Perceived anti‑aging effects
Recovery from stress or physical strain
A sense of vitality or toughness
The optics of “biohacking”
The article you’re reading mentions a cryochamber in his palace, which fits the pattern of elite wellness tech — but the underlying science is the same for everyone.
🧠 The bottom line
Cryochambers don’t reverse aging, but they can:
Reduce inflammation
Improve circulation
Boost mood and energy
Possibly improve skin appearance
The “rejuvenation” is a short-term physiological reset, not a biological age reversal.
If you’re curious, I can also compare cryotherapy to:
Cold plunges
Sauna + cold cycles
Ice baths
Red light therapy
Each has different evidence levels and mechanisms.
Here I am at home, wondering if I can stand to leave the appartment to get milk, it is so cold and slippery. Does braving the cold, all dressed, stimulate me as well?
Absolutely — yes, everyday cold exposure can stimulate you, even if it’s just the short walk from your apartment to the store in a Quebec winter. And the effect is surprisingly similar in principle to what people seek in cryotherapy, just far less extreme and far more natural.
Let me break it down in a way that fits your analytical style.
❄️ What Happens When You Step Into the Cold (Even Briefly)
🧠 1. Your nervous system wakes up
Cold air — even at –10 °C or –20 °C — triggers:
A burst of adrenaline
Increased alertness
Faster breathing
A mild “fight‑or‑flight” activation
This is why stepping outside can feel like a jolt of clarity.
💨 2. Your circulation ramps up
Your body constricts blood vessels in the skin to conserve heat.
When you come back inside, they dilate again.
This rebound effect:
Improves circulation
Gives a sense of warmth and vitality
Can feel energizing
It’s the same basic mechanism cryotherapy exaggerates.
😊 3. Mood can improve
Cold exposure can increase:
Endorphins
Dopamine
A sense of accomplishment (“I did it!”)
Even a short, brisk walk in the cold can lift your mood for hours.
🔥 4. Your metabolism briefly increases
Your body burns more energy to maintain temperature.
Not enough to be a weight‑loss strategy, but enough to feel like a “kick.”
🧊 So is it like a cryochamber?
Not the same intensity, but the same categories of effects:
Nervous system activation
Circulation changes
Mood boost
Sense of vitality
Cryochambers compress this into 2–3 minutes at –110 °C.
A winter walk gives you a gentler, more sustained version.
🧥 But here’s the key difference
Cryotherapy is controlled, dry, and safe from slipping.
Your walk involves:
Ice
Wind
Real-world hazards
So the risk is different, even if the physiology overlaps.
🌬️ A practical way to think about it
If you bundle up well and walk carefully, the cold can absolutely:
Wake you up
Clear your mind
Give you a little “rejuvenation”
Make the warm apartment feel extra cozy afterward
But if the sidewalks are icy and you’re not feeling steady, the risk may outweigh the benefit.
Gotta hand it to Russia; I've seen videos of Moscow where appartment buildings often have a convenience store at ground level. You know, the essentials: milk, carrots, vodka...
It is one of the cleverer features of post‑Soviet urban design. Moscow (and many other Russian cities) inherited a layout where huge residential blocks were built with the assumption that people would walk everywhere. After the 1990s, those blank ground floors were gradually filled with “produkty” — tiny convenience stores that sell exactly what you described: the daily basics plus a few cultural staples.
It’s a very different philosophy from North American zoning, where residential and commercial spaces are often separated. In Russia, the logic is more: “If you live here, you should be able to buy bread, milk, and something stronger without putting on a parka and driving across town.”
A few fun nuances you might appreciate:
🏙️ 1. Mixed‑use by necessity, not trend
In the West, mixed‑use buildings are a “new urbanism” trend.
In Russia, it happened because:
ground floors were underused
people didn’t have cars
small private businesses exploded after the USSR
So the convenience store became the natural tenant.
🥛 2. The product mix is very local
A typical Moscow ground‑floor shop will have:
milk, kefir, sour cream
bread (often delivered multiple times a day)
carrots, onions, potatoes
cigarettes
vodka and beer
chocolates and sunflower seeds
a deli counter with salads and cutlets
It’s basically the “survival kit” for a cold climate and long workdays.
🚶 3. The real luxury is not slipping on ice
When you can buy milk without navigating a skating rink of a sidewalk, that’s a quality‑of‑life upgrade. Quebec winters make you appreciate that kind of urban convenience even more.
🧊 4. And yes, vodka is treated like a pantry item
Not because everyone drinks heavily, but because:
it’s culturally normalized
it’s used for cooking
it’s a go‑to gift
and it’s profitable for small shops
So it ends up right next to the milk.
If you’re curious, I can compare how Russian “produkty” differ from Quebec dépanneurs — the overlap is surprisingly small, and the differences say a lot about each society’s habits and climate.
I was being facetious about the 'something stronger', but on reflection, this might be what makes those little stores solvent!!
It’s a very reasonable suspicion — and honestly, you’re not far off. In many parts of Russia (and Eastern Europe more broadly), alcohol sales are a major part of what keeps tiny convenience stores afloat, even if the cultural stereotype exaggerates it a bit.
Here’s why those little “produkty” shops lean so heavily on the stronger stuff:
🍾 Why alcohol keeps small Russian convenience stores alive
🧮 1. High-margin product
Milk, bread, carrots — these are low‑margin essentials.
Vodka, wine, and beer? Much higher margins.
For a tiny shop with limited shelf space, that matters.
🕒 2. People buy it frequently and predictably
Not necessarily in large quantities, but:
for cooking
for hosting
for gifting
for celebrations
for “just in case”
It’s a steady revenue stream.
🧊 3. Cultural normalization
Alcohol isn’t treated as a taboo or luxury item.
It’s just… part of the pantry.
So stocking it is as normal as stocking flour.
🚶 4. Convenience is the whole point
If you’re running a neighbourhood shop, you want to be the place where people can grab:
milk
bread
something for dinner
and yes, something stronger
That combination is what keeps foot traffic high.
🏙️ 5. Urban density makes it viable
In Moscow, thousands of people live within a few minutes’ walk of each store.
Even modest alcohol sales add up quickly.
🧾 The funny part
Your joke actually captures the economic logic perfectly:
the essentials bring people in, but the “extras” keep the lights on.
It’s not so different from Quebec dépanneurs, where:
lottery tickets
cigarettes
beer
snacks
often subsidize the milk and bread.
If you want, I can compare the economics of a Russian “produkty” vs a Quebec dépanneur — the differences are surprisingly revealing about each society’s habits and urban design.
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment