Is Drinking Cold Water Bad For You?

Most people recommend cold water after a workout to help cool you down, but while cold water can have the benefit of lowering your temperature, it can also negatively impact your metabolism and can slow down your digestion (via Bustle).    

An expert in Ayurvedic medicine, Dr. Vasant Lad, told Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, "Ice-cold water is poison to the system and hot water is nectar." Ayurvedic medicine is the world's oldest holistic healing system, developed over 3,000 years ago in India, and advises against drinking cold water.

Other ancient traditions also advise against drinking cold water. Healthline reports that Chinese medicine promotes warm water drinking because cold water limits the ability of food to be digested properly. 

A 2012 study found that drinking cold water worsened symptoms in people with issues like achalasia, which is a serious condition that affects the esophagus (via Healthline). Yet, when participants in that study drank warmer water, it helped relax the esophagus and allowed for easier swallowing.

Alongside digestive issues, cold water reportedly can cause other health issues like a sore throat and a decrease in heart rate (via NDTV Food).