Spend money to lose weight like Musk? ... Try ○○ shower like Ryu Jun-yeol [Curiosity Lab]

Wegovy, an obesity treatment drug that gained attention after Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian reportedly saw weight loss effects, has been launched in South Korea. Wegovy is an obesity treatment injection developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. It requires a doctor's prescription and is not suitable for everyone trying to lose weight, but rumors of it being a miracle obesity treatment have raised concerns about side effects, especially among those trying to purchase it through direct import.

Actor Ryu Jun-yeol once mentioned in a past broadcast that his hobby is taking cold showers.

Unlike harmful addictions such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or gaming, there is a way to release dopamine without harming the body while also losing weight. This is the cold shower method practiced by actor Ryu Jun-yeol. Ryu Jun-yeol once appeared on a broadcast promoting the movie 'Little Forest' and mentioned that he enjoys cold showers. Actress Kim Tae-ri described Ryu Jun-yeol as "very exemplary," saying, "He always says, 'The sun is high in the sky, wake up.'" She added, "He wakes up early in the morning, reads Bible verses, and takes cold showers." Ryu Jun-yeol also added, "I have a constitution called Geumeum, so I take cold showers." The Geumeum constitution is said to be a body type characterized by strong large intestine and lungs, but weak gallbladder and liver.

Reference photo to illustrate the effects of cold water shower

Dopamine, explained earlier, is known as the happiness hormone but is closer to a hormone of excitement, arousal, and interest. It is one of the catecholamines and functions as a neurotransmitter involved in motor function, motivation, and regulation of pituitary hormones. However, excessive dopamine secretion can lead to excessive excitement and adventurous tendencies, and in severe cases, symptoms such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Conversely, a deficiency can result in reduced decisiveness or difficulty controlling the body, and in severe cases, symptoms like depression or Parkinson's disease may appear.

Why is cold shower good? When cold water touches the body, the body activates blood vessels to maintain temperature. This promotes blood circulation and relaxes tense muscles. Dopamine is also secreted. Exposure to cold water causes a rapid increase in adrenaline and epinephrine, and dopamine secretion gradually increases up to 2.5 times the baseline level. This is similar to chocolate (2 times baseline) and nicotine (2.5 times). Especially after a cold shower, dopamine levels do not drop suddenly but remain elevated for about 3 hours before returning to normal. Of course, elderly people, heart disease patients, and those with high blood pressure should avoid cold showers if possible. The recommended temperature for cold showers is 8 to 15 degrees Celsius for about 10 to 15 minutes. Instead of switching abruptly from hot to cold water, it is better to gradually change from lukewarm to cold water. Initially, try 15 to 30 seconds and then gradually increase by about 15 seconds. There is also a breathing method: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds, repeating this cycle.

Russian people are enjoying ice water swimming. [File photo]

According to a study published in the Current Psychology Journal in 2022, participants who took showers at water temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees Celsius for two weeks (up to 1 minute) showed lower stress levels compared to the control group (regular showers). A study conducted in the Netherlands found that people who took cold showers for 30, 60, or 90 seconds over 90 days had a 29% lower rate of sick leave at work compared to those who did not switch to cold showers. There were also some cases where the frequency of illness decreased during the period of taking cold showers. One overseas researcher described the experience of cold showers as "feeling like being pricked by hundreds of millions of tiny electric needles. It was so intense that I felt like I could do anything."