LactiGo vs Deep Heat (and Deep Freeze): Which Is Better for Sport?

Deep Heat or LactiGo? Heat, cold, or neither? If you've grown up with that familiar Deep Heat smell in the changing room, it's a fair question.

We put the official labels side by side and checked what the research actually says. No study has tested these products head to head, so nobody can tell you one "beats" the other. What we can tell you is how they differ. (Quick heads-up: we're an independent LactiGo affiliate, so we earn a commission if you buy through our links or use code LactiGoGel. It doesn't cost you anything extra.)

The Short Answer

Side by Side: LactiGo vs Deep Heat vs Deep Freeze

Sources: Mentholatum UK's Heat Rub and Cold Gel pages, the Deep Heat Heat Rub patient leaflet, LactiGo's product pages and the LactiGo Drug Facts label. Formulas differ by country.

See LactiGo Regular, Menthol and Go Packets →

What Each One Is, From the Labels

Deep Heat: a warming rub (and a medicine)

Deep Heat is a Mentholatum brand, and the original Heat Rub is the one most people picture. In the UK it's a licensed medicine (PL 00189/5002R) with four actives: methyl salicylate 12.8%, menthol 5.91%, eucalyptus oil 1.97% and turpentine oil 1.47%. Mentholatum recommends it for muscular pains and stiffness, including back and rheumatic pain, sprains and chilblains, and says it can be used before and after exercise.

The formula shifts a little by country. Deep Heat Original in Australia lists methyl salicylate 127.4 mg/g and menthol 58.8 mg/g (ARTG 12821). There are sprays, roll-ons and heat patches too (the patches are odourless, says Mentholatum UK).

Methyl salicylate is a salicylate (the same chemical family as aspirin), which is why the UK label says not to use it if you're allergic to aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs.

Deep Freeze and ICE Gel: the cold side

Deep Freeze is Mentholatum's cooling range (gel, spray and patches in the UK). The current UK Cold Gel lists L-menthol, is described as non-medicinal, "helps soothe minor aches in muscles and joints" and can be used after exercise.

In Australia, the cold gel is ICE Gel under the Deep Heat brand, with menthol 20 mg/g (ARTG 49827). So "deep heat vs ice gel" is really heat vs cold from the same company.

LactiGo: a carnosine gel, in two versions

LactiGo is a clear, fast-drying gel built around L-carnosine and magnesium. Carnosine is a compound your muscles store and use to buffer acid during hard, fast efforts (more in what carnosine is).

LactiGo with Menthol lists menthol 1.25% as its active ingredient, with carnosine and magnesium sulfate as inactive ingredients. LactiGo Regular has no listed active drug ingredient; it's a cosmetic skin gel with no scent and no cooling. See Regular vs Menthol.

Here's the catch: carnosine isn't an approved active ingredient, so any benefit from it has to be judged on the research, not the label.

Heat, Cold or Carnosine: How Each One Feels

This is where most people actually choose.

• Deep Heat: warming, from methyl salicylate plus menthol (counterirritants, meaning sensations that compete with the ache). Strong smell; wash your hands straight after.
• Deep Freeze or ICE Gel: cold, from menthol switching on the skin's cold receptors (TRPM8).
• LactiGo: Regular has nothing to feel, honestly (no heat, no cold, no smell). Menthol adds a light cool and a peppermint scent.

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What the Research Shows

Nobody has compared carnosine gel with Deep Heat, Deep Freeze or ICE Gel in a trial, so this looks at each idea on its own.

Carnosine gel: small and mixed

Four small human trials have tested carnosine gel on performance. Two found a benefit, two found none:

• Soccer, 2016: 11 elite players ran 3 × 1000 m 4.13% faster, but there was no placebo and the gel session always came last; the Yo-Yo test change wasn't significant (Sharpe & Macias, 2016).
• Cycling, 2023: 15 trained cyclists, no improvement in Wingate power or blood lactate versus placebo (Harnish & Miller, 2023).
• Rugby sevens, 2025: 7 world-class players had higher peak power in 3 of 12 sprints against a menthol-matched placebo; mean power, heart rate and effort didn't differ (Beaven et al., 2025).
• Cycling, 2025: 15 trained cyclists, no difference from a menthol placebo in hill climbs, sprints or a 9.1 km time trial (Harnish et al., 2025).

None of these trials measured soreness, and no study has measured muscle carnosine in people after a gel. Our review of every carnosine gel study grades them all.

Menthol: a sensation with a small performance signal

A 2026 meta-analysis of 16 studies found menthol on the skin gave a small performance improvement and lowered perceived effort, mostly in endurance tasks (Wang et al., 2026). That applies to menthol in general, in any of these products.

Which to Use When

So, which one goes in your kit bag? It depends on the job.

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Easiest way to hit LactiGo's 30-to-45-minute window? Put it on while you're changing, then warm up. Full routine: how to use LactiGo.

Deep Heat vs Deep Freeze, Voltaren and Tiger Balm

Here's how the usual suspects line up, from their own labels:

Deep Heat vs Voltaren is a counterirritant rub vs an anti-inflammatory drug (see LactiGo vs Voltaren). Tiger Balm's figures are from its US label (DailyMed). Comparing cooling rubs? See LactiGo vs Biofreeze.

Can You Use LactiGo and Deep Heat Together?

Not on the same spot. Mentholatum UK's own FAQ says Deep Freeze can be used with oral medicines "but not at the same time as topical treatment," and Deep Heat Australia says not to use its rub with heat pads.

Like both? Keep them to different areas, and ask a pharmacist if you're unsure.

Safety Warnings From the Labels

All are for external use only. Where the labels differ:

Deep Heat Australia's product page adds: don't use with anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) medicines or with heat pads.

Price and Availability by Country

Deep Heat is easy to find. LactiGo isn't, yet. Here's the picture on October 10, 2026.

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We're not going to sugarcoat the price. The US store charged $55 for 100 mL of Regular or Menthol on October 10, 2026, and $55 for 10 Go Packets. That's far more than a tube of Deep Heat. Code LactiGoGel takes 10% off.

Australian readers: this section is about ordering only. LactiGo is not TGA registered or approved, and we don't make product claims for Australian audiences. Australians order from the same store in US dollars (there's no A$ price). More in our where to buy guide.

UK, South Africa, Singapore, Nigeria and Kenya: good news is on the way. Direct shipping is coming soon (no dates announced yet), and we'll update this page when it opens.

The Bottom Line

Deep Heat is a licensed warming rub. Deep Freeze and ICE Gel are the cold version. LactiGo is a different idea: a carnosine gel you put on before training, with research that's still small and mixed.

Love the heat? Stick with Deep Heat. Want something scent-free built around carnosine? LactiGo is the one to try.

Start with one 100 mL bottle or a box of Go Packets, and use code LactiGoGel at checkout. Try carnosine gel for yourself →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LactiGo better than Deep Heat?

Neither is better overall; they do different jobs. Deep Heat is a licensed warming rub with methyl salicylate and menthol. LactiGo is a carnosine gel, with or without menthol, put on before activity. No study compares them, and Deep Heat warms while LactiGo Regular has no heat or scent.

What's the difference between Deep Heat and Deep Freeze?

Heat vs cold, from the same company (Mentholatum). Deep Heat Heat Rub warms with methyl salicylate and menthol; Deep Freeze Cold Gel cools with menthol. In Australia the cooling gel is ICE Gel.

Is Deep Heat the same as ICE Gel?

No. Both are sold under the Deep Heat brand in Australia, but Deep Heat Original is a warming cream with methyl salicylate and menthol, and ICE Gel is a cooling gel with menthol 20 mg/g.

Can I use LactiGo and Deep Heat at the same time?

Not on the same area. Use one product per spot, follow each label, and ask a pharmacist if you take blood thinners or other medicines.

Is Deep Heat or LactiGo better before sport?

Both labels allow use before exercise. LactiGo's directions say about 30 to 45 minutes before activity; Deep Heat's UK page says before and after exercise. Pick by the feel you want.

Can I buy LactiGo in the UK, South Africa, Singapore, Nigeria or Kenya?

Not directly yet. The official store ships to the US, Canada and Australia (US$25 flat shipping to Australia), and direct shipping elsewhere is coming soon.

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