What is it recommended for?
- Joint and muscle pain
- Swelling
- Inflammtion
- Recovery from intense exercise.
How does Ultimate Performance Cold Gel work?
Cold therapy gels primarily work by creating a sensation of coolness on the skin. However, they do not significantly lower the skin's temperature. The key ingredient in many cold therapy gels is menthol, which activates cold-sensitive receptors in the skin.
These receptors, known as transient receptor potential channels (TRPM8), are responsible for the sensations of cold, cooling, and freshness. When activated by menthol, these receptors send signals to the brain. As a result, the brain interprets this as the skin feeling cold, even without a significant decrease in temperature.
While the gel itself might have a slightly cool temperature if stored in a cool environment, the primary mechanism for the feeling of coldness comes from this chemical activation of cold receptors. Therefore, the cooling effect is more about perception than a physical reduction in temperature.
This perceived cooling is still beneficial for pain relief and can help to reduce discomfort, inflammation, and swelling by providing a numbing effect and potentially reducing the nerve activity that signals pain.