A woman in Paris, France, lost her life following a nitrogen leak during a cryotherapy session, raising concerns about the dangers of this holistic treatment promoted on social media.
The tragedy occurred on Monday (April 14) at the On Air gym on the Boulevard Voltaire in Paris.
A 29-year-old gym employee was reportedly supervising a 34-year-old client in the cryotherapy tank when nitrogen replaced the oxygen in the room, causing both women to collapse.
Nitrogen is an odorless and colorless gas that is commonly used in cryotherapy treatments.
A woman lost her life at a gym in Paris following a nitrogen leak during a cryotherapy session
Image credits: Anthony Choren / Unsplash
Both women went into cardiorespiratory arrest after exposure to the gas. Emergency services arrived at the gym before 6:30 p.m. local time but were unable to revive the employee, who reportedly suffocated.
The client is fighting for their life at the nearby Lariboisière hospital.
Three people who attempted to revive the employee were also hospitalized.
All 150 people at the gym were evacuated following the accident. The facility has been closed indefinitely.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said the gym and authorities are investigating the cause of the fatal accident.
“An autopsy and toxicology analysis will be carried out to determine the precise cause of d*ath,” a spokesperson said, as per CBS News.
AFP journalists present at the scene saw a body covered with a white sheet being carried out of the gym.
Cryotherapy is an increasingly popular treatment in which patients expose their bodies to subfreezing temperatures, between -166°F and -230°F (-110 °C and -145 °C) inside a walk-in chamber.
The 29-year-old, a gym employee, was supervising a client in the cryotherapy tank when nitrogen replaced the oxygen in the room
Advocates promote the treatment for reducing muscle soreness, stress, pain related to rheumatoid arthritis, and different skin conditions.
Several actors, models, and athletes, including Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lewis Hamilton, have turned to cryotherapy as an alternative to ice packs and cold water baths.
However, many experts advise against its use, warning that more research is needed to fully understand its short- and long-term effects.
The European Industrial Gases Association cited how nitrogen could cause the risk of “oxygen depletion and potential asphyxiation,” as well as cold burns (frostbites).
“Open cryo-cabins are cooled by injecting liquid nitrogen via a cold gas generator or directly into the open cryocabin. Inside the cabin, the oxygen concentration then decreases drastically,” a 2018 report reads.
“The low oxygen concentrations could endanger the life of the occupant due to the risk of asphyxiation.
“If not properly extracted from the cabin and from the room with the cryosauna, the cold gaseous nitrogen can result in a depletion of the oxygen concentration in and around the cryo-cabin.
“The occupant can feel well in this oxygen depleted atmosphere, but can quickly lose consciousness and could d*e.”
It also warns that nitrogen has no odor; therefore, if someone slips or faints while in the cabin, they or anybody who goes to their aid will not recognize the risk.
In cryotherapy, patients expose their bodies to subfreezing temperatures to reduce muscle soreness, stress, or pain related to rheumatoid arthritis, among other ailments
Cryotherapy first raised safety concerns in the United States in 2015 after a woman froze at a Las Vegas spa.
The 24-year-old was believed to have entered one of the spa’s cold chambers after business hours to relieve some aches and was discovered the next day by a co-worker.
Four years later, a 71-year-old who used the therapy to alleviate his arthritis and back pain suffered a cold burn injury after a session.
The man developed a blistering rash on his back after a nozzle in the cryo-chamber malfunctioned, causing liquid nitrogen to come into direct contact with his skin.
There have also been reported cases of accidents unrelated to asphyxiation or burns. A 56-year-old man suffered an aortic dissection after multiple cryo-chamber sessions, and a 47-year-old developed cold panniculitis—the inflammation of the fat beneath the skin—after eight cryotherapy sessions.
While some studies have shown the benefits of the treatment, experts warn that more research is needed to understand its short- and long-term effects
The Mayo Clinic describes the therapy as an “intense and acute form of intervention” that may work for some people but not for others.
“Notably, humans have a much lower capacity to adapt to prolonged exposure to cold compared with prolonged exposure to heat.
“Even if cryotherapy sessions are very short, they still may be too extreme for some people.”
Additionally, it notes that, while cryotherapy appears to be effective in helping treat some ailments, there are “other negative effects that aren’t known yet.”
The European Industrial Gases Association warned that nitrogen leaks could lead to asphyxiation and cold burns (frostbites)
If you’re considering cryotherapy, make sure to discuss it first with your healthcare provider and proceed with caution.
The clinic notes that some benefits of cryotherapy can be achieved without entering a cryotherapy chamber. Using an ice pack or taking a dip in a cold lake or the sea can also help relieve pain from swollen joints or sore muscles.
People sent their condolences to the 29-year-old’s family and continued to raise concerns about the treatment
