Effect of whole-body cryotherapy treatments on blood morphology and blood rheology: red blood cell deformability, red blood cell aggregation in healthy subjects

OBJECTIVE: assessment of the effect of a series of 20 whole-body cryotherapy sessions on the morphological and rheological indicators of blood in healthy people. METHODS: The experimental group consisted of 15 women and 15 men who underwent a series of whole-body cryotherapy treatments. The control group consisted of 15 women and 15 men - without intervention. For the analysis of blood biochemical parameters, venous blood was collected twice: Study 1: on the day of the commencement of whole body cryotherapy / from the control group; and Study 2: after a series of 20 cryotherapy sessions / from the control group (4 weeks). RESULTS: After whole-body cryotherapy a statistically significant decrease in RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, EI 0.30 and an increase in MCHC and EI 2.19–60.30 were observed in women, as well as a decrease in MCV, MCH, AI and an increase in PLT, EI 0.30–60.30, AMP, T1/2 in men. CONCLUSIONS: The use of whole-body cryotherapy causes changes in blood counts in various directions and has a positive effect on the rheological properties of blood in women and men - it increases the elongation index and reduces the aggregation index.