One of the latest trends in never ending search for the magical elixirs of health, youth, beauty, wisdom, etc. I have a few thoughts on these things:
If any of them would work you would have to see significant results in the real world and not just in papers. Like somebody living 120 years because they always drink antioxidant teas. Or a geographical area where psychological well being is incredible because meditation is a local custom. For saunas and cold baths as well, they are long traditions in some places. What can we observe in those populations that is clearly out of the ordinary? If nothing, then they can't be doing much, can they?
We already know elixirs that really boost our "stats". We have PEDs which have very clear effects. You don't need to calculate p-values to see that somebody has 3 times the muscle mass of a normal person or can focus to study uninterrupted for 48 hours after taking some pills. And we already know why the general population doesn't use PEDs on the regular. Because they have serious side effects. Why would you assume that we can find something with significant beneficial effects in one area that would have no drawbacks? It's like putting weights on one side of the scale to push it, but expect nothing to happen on the other side.
Your points are valid. However, I think it's important that we have standard frameworks for evaluating the impact of new interventions that aim to improve wellbeing (lifestyle changes, pills, neuromodulation)
The number of years a person has lived is a good metric but that means if we're trying something new now, we need to wait for X years before saying this has an effect. X in your example being someone reaching 120years.
No one is claiming it’s a magic elixir that will make you live 120 years (well I’m sure someone is, but that’s not the goal)
At a bare minimum there’s a mental aspect to forcing yourself to do something extremely uncomfortable.
Lots of people are seeing results in the real world.
It’s really not equivalent to PEDs or medicine, or trying to replace those things. It’s just another tool that people into fitness can use in their routines
I’d recommend trying it before having such a strong opinion on it
If any of them would work you would have to see significant results in the real world and not just in papers. Like somebody living 120 years because they always drink antioxidant teas. Or a geographical area where psychological well being is incredible because meditation is a local custom. For saunas and cold baths as well, they are long traditions in some places. What can we observe in those populations that is clearly out of the ordinary? If nothing, then they can't be doing much, can they?
We already know elixirs that really boost our "stats". We have PEDs which have very clear effects. You don't need to calculate p-values to see that somebody has 3 times the muscle mass of a normal person or can focus to study uninterrupted for 48 hours after taking some pills. And we already know why the general population doesn't use PEDs on the regular. Because they have serious side effects. Why would you assume that we can find something with significant beneficial effects in one area that would have no drawbacks? It's like putting weights on one side of the scale to push it, but expect nothing to happen on the other side.