Health guru Michael Mosley has had his say on the increasingly popular cold shower therapy.

Speaking on a new BBC Radio 4 podcast called Cold Therapy, Dr Mosley said: "The cold is something we, at times, can work with and harness in ways that can help our health and wellbeing."

During the new podcast series, Mosley is examining how to use the power of the cold, looking at the latest research and speaking to experts along the way.

The podcast host explained that there was a long history of combining the cold with the heat.

Alternating between a hot sauna and a cold dip has long been linked with many benefits, including a long life.

The doctor said: "As well as reducing stress, hot-cold cycling could also boost your energy and, surprisingly, reduce the amount of sick leave you take."

Don’t just take the expert’s word for it, as a study from the Netherlands also backs Dr Mosley’s advice.

Looking at more than 3,000 people split into two groups - those who took hot showers and those who alternated between hot and cold water, the research team found that harnessing both temperatures offers some surprising benefits.

"Most reported a boost in energy levels"

Dr Mosley said: "Over the course of the following winter, those who did the hot-cold combo took nearly 30 percent less sick leave and most reported a boost in energy levels, so much so that nearly two-thirds of the participants carried on with the hot-cold showering after the completion of the study.

“And, for me, the really good news was that ending with a 30-second cold shower was just as effective as the full 90 seconds."

A guest on the podcast, Dr Amir Pakravan, a consultant in sport, exercise and musculoskeletal medicine, suggested starting with water that is a little warmer than body temperature, then switching to something colder.

Dr Pakravan said: "It's not freezing, it's not zero, it's within a range that would be the same temperature as having a cold glass of water."