Does the Ice Hack Diet Help You Lose Weight? Exploring the Viral TikTok Trend

Understanding the Viral Ice Hack Diet Trend

A new diet trend called the ice hack or alpine diet has recently gone viral on TikTok and other social media platforms. Proponents of the ice hack claim that eating ice or drinking icy water can boost your metabolism and help you burn fat, especially belly fat. But is there any truth to these claims? Let's explore the science and potential effectiveness of the ice hack for weight loss.

What is the Ice Hack Diet?

The ice hack is a modern take on the concept behind drinking more water to lose weight. The diet involves eating crushed ice or drinking very cold glacier water in an effort to raise your metabolism and burn more calories. The claim is that the energy and work your body uses to heat up the icy water can lead to more fat burning, especially if done before meals.

Most ice hack followers consume at least one bowl of crushed ice (about 2 cups) or 12-24 oz of icy water before 1-3 meals per day. The ice consumption is supposed to act like a natural appetite suppressant while revving up calorie burn so you eat less overall and create a daily calorie deficit for weight loss.

Where Did the Ice Hack Originate?

The ice hack diet exploded in popularity on TikTok during 2022 and into early 2023. Videos with the hashtag #icehack have over 330 million views already. Most people credit TikTok user @maggiejulien as one of the first to share about eating bowls of ice to get thinner.

In an interview with the Today Show, Maggie said she discovered the diet trick after her doctor recommended drinking 2-3 bowls of ice a day to help combat a health condition. She soon noticed changes to her weight and body composition as well.

The hack may have origins in traditional Chinese medicine or old weight loss paradigms as well. But it seems to have hit peak popularity as a "new" easy trick for shedding belly fat on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram today.

Proposed Benefits of the Ice Hack Diet

Why does eating ice supposedly help you slim down faster exactly? Here are some of the commonly touted benefits:

• Eating ice is said to burn more calories because it takes energy for your body to warm the cold water to body temperature. This calorie burn adds up over time.
• The coldness of the ice may give your metabolism a boost for a short time, helping you burn slightly more calories after consuming it.
• Filling your stomach with crushed ice or icy water before meals can suppress your appetite, causing you to eat less calories overall.
• Staying hydrated with extra water intake from the ice may give you more energy for workouts and daily activity too.

Most ice hack devotees claim that biting into ice cubes or sipping on frosty water Trains your body to burn fat via various mechanisms like those listed above. They say the ice helps specifically target visceral belly fat so you lose weight in your midsection first.

Examining the Ice Hack's Claims and Effectiveness

The ideas behind the popular ice hack diet certainly make logical sense on paper. But does the science actually back up the claims that ice helps melt away stubborn body fat?

Here is what the research has to say so far:

Ice's Thermic Effect for Calorie Burn

There is proof that ingesting very cold or frozen water requires your body to use extra energy and burn some additional calories in the process. The technical term is "thermic effect." One study found that drinking about 2 cups (500 ml) of water chilled to 39 F (4C) did burn an average of 8.5 additional calories.

However, the researchers determined that this calorie burn from the thermic effect was temporary. It accounted for just 4-5% of the total energy expenditure at most.

So while converting icy water to body temperature does technically incinerate a few bonus calories short-term, the actual fat burning or weight loss effects may be insignificant overall.

Impact on Metabolism

Drinking more cold beverages seems to provide a small uptick to your metabolic rate as well. But studies confirm that this metabolism influence is also minimal and temporary after consuming chilled water.

One trial using indirect calorimetry found that metabolic rate did go up 30 minutes after people drank about 17 ounces (500ml) of chilled water. However, their metabolism went back to baseline levels within an hour of consumption.

This research suggests a bowl of ice or icy glass of water may briefly speed up your calorie burn slightly. But just like with the thermic effect, the metabolism bump from cold water is short-lived and likely not enough to significantly impact weight by itself.

Appetite Suppressing Effects

Filling up on water between meals often acts as a natural hunger squasher for many people trying to lose weight. So snacking on ice in place of higher calorie foods could theoretically help in this way.

Studies do indicate water helps suppress appetite, whether this water is cold or at room temperature. But more research is still needed on crushed ice specifically to know if it curbs hunger and leads to eating less to the same degree as plain water.

Visceral Fat Loss

Despite the popularity of shocking your body with ice water for targeted belly fat burning, no studies support spot reducing fat by consuming freezing cold water or ice.

As with most weight loss methods, the ice hack seems to come down to its effectiveness at creating an overall daily calorie deficit to drop excess pounds. And research has not confirmed definitively that it burns enough extra calories or suppresses appetite enough to consistently cause the needed deficit for fat loss to occur.

How to Follow the Ice Hack Diet

If you do want to test out the buzzy ice hack diet trend for potential weight loss benefits, here are some tips to follow:

• Consume at least 2 cups of crushed ice or ice water 30+ minutes before 1-3 meals per day. Go for more ice consumption if you can tolerate it.
• Chew each ice cube thoroughly and allow it to melt fully in your mouth for maximum chilled water intake.
• Continue your regular balanced diet, activity levels, and caloric intake while adding in ice eating.
• Aim for a 300-500 daily calorie deficit through ice snacks plus diet and exercise to see weight loss.
• Don't eliminate high fiber fruits, veggies and whole grains from your diet or crash diet.
• Check with your dentist first if you have sensitive teeth or conditions like enamel erosion or cold intolerance.

As the research shows, just eating bowls of ice alone may not melt fat away. But when combined with a healthy calorie controlled diet and active lifestyle, some people report slimming success with the icy hack.

Safety Considerations of Consuming Ice

While natural ice is calorie-free and technically safe to consume, there are some safety factors to consider before switching to an all-ice diet plan:

• Dental Risks - Crunching down on hard ice can possibly crack teeth or damage dental work. The cold can also irritate nerve endings and tooth enamel over time.
• Esophageal Spasms - Some people experience throat discomfort or spasms from rapid ice intake, especially those prone to esophageal issues already.
• Brain Freeze Headaches - If you gulp icy water too quickly, temporary brain freeze headaches could result from the cold stimulating nerves in the roof of your mouth.
• Constipation - Ramping up water intake along with fiber is recommended to avoid potential constipation from increasing plain ice water consumption only.
• Hypothermia - In extreme excess, eating pounds of ice daily could theoretically lower body temperature and risk hypothermia.

While uncomfortable, most side effects like brain freeze or sensitive teeth issues resolve quickly on their own. But discuss any concerning negative reactions with your doctor promptly to rule out underlying conditions.

Who Should Not Follow the Ice Hack Diet?

Since lack of research exists on the safety and efficacy of eating lots of plain ice for weight loss, certain groups should use caution or avoid the diet completely:

• Those with chronic kidney disease or reduced kidney function.
• People prone to gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or diarrhea.
• Anyone with a history of disordered eating habits or eating disorders.
• Those with enamel erosion, cavities, or other dental problems.
• Anyone clinically underweight or malnutritioned.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• People taking medications that list dry mouth or increased thirst as side effects.
• Those with hypothyroidism or other metabolic conditions.
• Anyone with decreased sensation in the throat or mouth that risks aspiration.
• People prone to headaches, fatigue, or rapid temperature changes.

For certain populations vulnerable to dehydration, malnutrition, or metabolic issues already, discuss trying popular diet social media trends with your doctor first to assess safety and modify needs.

The Bottom Line on the Ice Hack

At the end of the day, does the science support or refute the hype over frozen water as a quick fix for weight loss? Heres what the current research tells us:

• Some small thermic calorie burn and metabolic boosting effects exist when ingesting very cold water or ice, but effects are temporary and minimal overall.
• Filling up on plain ice or icy water before meals can help suppress appetite to lower daily caloric intake for weight loss in some people.
• No evidence specifically supports targeted belly fat reduction just by consuming bowls of ice or frozen drinks.
• Safety issues like dental sensitivity, headaches, throat irritation may occur with excessive ice intake for certain groups.
• Overall caloric deficit from diet and exercise seems to matter more than icy water alone for significant, lasting fat loss to happen.

While unlikely to be harmful for most people in moderation, downing mounds of crushed ice all day may not melt away fat by itself. The best approach seems to be balancing the popular icy hack with proper lifestyle factors for weight management.

Focus on sustainable, health-focused moves like eating nutritious whole foods, staying adequately hydrated, reducing calories modestly if needed, and exercising more for long-term fat loss rather than banking on the next viral quick fix.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.