The Iceman

The science behind the Wim Hof Method

Sitting two hours in a bath of ice cubes, climbing the Kilimanjaro in shorts or swimming under ice: Wim Hof - alias the Iceman - does it all. And although the cold can be life-threatening, Hof states that everyone can learn to control their immune system. What does this mean for medical science?

This lunchtime lecture focuses on the field of tension between research and, often still unsubstantiated but potentially far-reaching health claims.

  • Can medical science actually support these promising claims, such as being less susceptible to disease?
  • What are the medical effects of the Wim Hof Method - special breathing techniques, meditation and habituation to cold - on the immune system?
  • And how difficult is it to conduct research that is under a magnifying glass of sceptical colleagues and 'believers'?

The Iceman (turn on subtitles for English)

Speaker
Dr. Matthijs Kox
Dr. Matthijs Kox (Radboudumc) is a biomedical scientist and assistant professor of Intensive Care Medicine. He has been researching Wim Hof and his students for over 10 years.
More information

This is the third lecture in a series on reality, knowledge and faith, organised by the Academiecommissie MFVR and Studium Generale EUR.

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