Cold: A Helping Hand for Good Health?
Pascal Imbeault, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa's School of Human Kinetics (Faculty of Health Sciences), may well have found a way for Canadians to come to grips with their harsh winters.
Working with Professor François Haman and other colleagues, the researcher recently discovered that exposure to cold raises blood levels of adiponectin, a hormone that offers some protection against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer.
This discovery may play an important role in combating these health problems. Currently, medications used to stimulate adiponectin secretion increase hormone levels by 15 to 20% over about a two-week period. However, as Imbeault explains with great enthusiasm, "In our experiments, we saw levels increase by about 70% after only two hours of exposure to cold!"
In these experiments, a dozen volunteers subjected themselves to Professor Imbeault's "gentle torture." The volunteers had to lie still for two hours while wearing a suit outfitted with tubes circulating water at a chilly 4°C.
"I tried it myself," says Imbeault with a smile. "It's like being in a snow bank for two hours, but it isn't dangerous at all! Our approach is unique because it results in very little change to the organism, so we can use human subjects."
Encouraged by these promising results that are inspiring a great deal of curiosity and enthusiasm in the scientific community, professors Haman and Imbeault are preparing the next phase of their research. With an atmosphere of co-operation at the School and the world-class facilities it offers, there is certainly no shortage of ideas!
By Sophie Coupal
Published: January 2010