Hof is an
extreme athlete noted for his ability to withstand low temperatures. He attributes his feats to his Wim Hof Method (WHM). Hof's first relevant experiences with the cold date back to when he was 17: he felt a sudden urge to jump into the freezing cold water of the
Beatrixpark canal. The first relevant scientific investigation began in 2011 at
Radboud University. On 19 April 2011, the results of this study were broadcast on Dutch national television. Hof markets a regimen called the Wim Hof Method (WHM), which involves willpower, exposure to cold water, and breathing techniques. A 2024
meta-analysis of eight studies found that the method may reduce
inflammation, through the increase of
epinephrine. However, effects on exercise performance and respiratory parameters were mixed. And most of the articles were judged as "high concern due to the difficulty in blinding the participants and researchers to the intervention." The authors cautioned that "the quality of the studies is very low, meaning that all the results must be interpreted with caution. Additionally, the low sample size (15–48 individuals per study) and large proportion of males in the studies (86.4%) make the results non-generalizable to the public," and suggested that further research is needed.
Criticism and Safety Hof has been criticized for his public statements, claiming that individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and even cancer could benefit from his method. His lead researchers, Pickkers and Kox, had previously warned him against making such health claims, stating they were scientifically unjustified. Additionally, Hof told the media that research proved his body could neutralize bacteria more quickly, though this was not a conclusion of the actual study.
Method-related deaths Concerning cold exposure,
The American Heart Association and the
British Heart Foundation have issued warnings about cold therapy, advising consulting with a physician before attempting, and noting that there is poor evidence supporting the practice. As of March 2024 there are 32 reports of people dying allegedly due to the Wim Hof Method. According to one expert, immersion in cold water can produce
cardiac arrhythmia in 1 to 3 percent of young healthy subjects, but up to 63 percent will suffer arrhythmia when asked to hold their breath before the plunge. “It’s an incredible way of reproducing cardiac arrhythmias in otherwise fit and healthy individuals,” he said. Some experts say that practicing the Wim Hof Method is "gambling with your life". Four practitioners drowned in 2015 and 2016, and relatives suspected the breathing exercises were to blame. In 2021, a Singaporean man drowned in a
condominium pool when attempting the method. One person died after a cold water therapy session in the UK in 2022. A $67 million lawsuit was filed against Innerfire and Wim Hof in 2022 that alleged 17-year-old Madelyn Rose Metzger died after performing the Wim Hof Method in her pool in Long Beach, California. Wim Hof was found not liable in 2024 because it could not "be proven that the girl was doing the exercises in the pool at the time and if that caused her to drown."
Risk of drowning The breathing exercises can induce a form of hyperventilation that may lead to a brief loss of consciousness. If this occurs underwater, it can result in a
shallow water blackout, which can be fatal—a phenomenon well-known among divers and swimmers. In articles published by
Het Parool in 2016, the deaths of four practitioners of the Wim Hof Method were reported. Autopsy reports confirmed drowning as the cause of death in several of these cases. Relatives of the deceased suspected a direct link between performing the breathing exercises in water and the drownings. Wim Hof and the official Wim Hof Method website advise practicing the exercises only in a safe manner and location. In December 2022, attorney Raphael Metzger filed a civil lawsuit against Wim Hof and his company, Innerfire, following the drowning of his 17-year-old daughter in California. Metzger sought $67 million in damages and an injunction to stop the promotion of the method in the United States. On 2 July 2024, the court dismissed the claim. In 2023, investigative journalist
Scott Carney released a documentary linking the deaths of thirteen people to the practice of the Wim Hof Method. == Records ==