Sex differences in adaptation to intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing in trained middle-distance runners
Kirby NV, Lucas SJE, Cable TG, Armstrong OJ, Weaver SR, Lucas RAI
Sports medicine - open · 8 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Controlled clinical trial (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- University of Birmingham
- University or hospital
- university of birmingham
- Nonprofit
- Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund
Based on 3 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2021-07-23 · Sports Med Open · vol. 7 · issue 1 · p. 51
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Cited
- 12 citations · more than 64% of similar papers · 0.6× the field average
- References
- 83 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Exercise and Physiological Responses · Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- Medicine, VO2 max, Heart rate, Animal science, Thermoregulation, Internal medicine, Acclimatization, Cardiology, Blood pressure, Biology, Ecology
6 authors
From CA, GB
- Nathalie V. Kirby · correspondingUniversity of Ottawa; University of Birmingham
- Samuel J. E. LucasUniversity of Birmingham
- Thomas G. CableLoughborough University; University of Birmingham
- Oliver J. ArmstrongBirmingham City University; University of Birmingham
- Samuel R. WeaverUniversity of Birmingham
- Rebekah A. I. LucasUniversity of Birmingham
Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on the efficacy of intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing to induce heat acclimation and improve markers of temperate exercise performance in trained athletes.
Methods
Twenty-six trained runners (16 female; mean ± SD, age 19 ± 1 years, V̇O2max F: 52.6 ± 6.9 mL⋅kg-1⋅min-1, M: 64.6 ± 2.4 mL⋅kg-1⋅min-1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30 min, 9 km⋅h-1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) and temperate (18 °C) exercise tests (maximal aerobic capacity [V̇O2max] and lactate profile) pre and post 3 weeks of normal exercise training plus 29 ± 1 min post-exercise sauna bathing (101-108 °C) 3 ± 1 times per week.
Results
Females and males exhibited similar reductions (interactions p > 0.05) in peak rectal temperature (- 0.3 °C; p -1; p = 0.001) during the HTT at post- vs pre-intervention. Only females exhibited an increase in active sweat glands on the forearm (measured via modified iodine technique; F: + 57%, p 0.05) improvements in V̇O2max (+ 5%; p = 0.02) and running speed at 4 mmol·L-1 blood lactate concentration (+ 0.4 km·h-1; p = 0.001).
Conclusions
Three weeks of post-exercise sauna bathing effectively induces heat acclimation in females and males, though possibly amid different thermoeffector adaptations. Post-exercise sauna bathing is also an effective ergogenic aid for both sexes.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.