Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of a Live-high Train-high exercise regimen on behavioural temperature regulation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Acute hypoxia alters the threshold for sensation of cutaneous thermal stimuli. We hypothesised that hypoxia-induced alterations in cutaneous temperature sensation may lead to modulation of the perception of temperature, ultimately influencing behavioural thermoregulation and that the magnitude of this effect could be influenced by daily physical training.

Methods

Fourteen men were confined 10 days to a normobaric hypoxic environment (PIO2 = 88.2 ± 0.6 mmHg, corresponding to 4175 m elevation). Subjects were randomly assigned to a non-exercising (Live-high, LH, N = 6), or exercising group (Live-high Train-high, LH-TH, N = 8) comprised of 1-h bouts of cycle ergometry, twice daily, at a work-rate equivalent to 50% hypoxic peak power output. A subset of subjects (N = 5) also completed a control trial under normoxic conditions. The thermal comfort zone (TCZ) was determined in normoxia, and during hypoxic confinement days 2 (HC2) and 10 (HC10) in both groups using a water-perfused suit in which water temperature was regulated by the subjects within a range, they deemed thermally comfortable. Mean skin temperature and proximal–distal temperature gradients (two sites: forearm-fingertip, calf-toe) were recorded each minute throughout the 60-min protocol.

Results

The average width of the TCZ did not differ between the control group (9.0 ± 6.9 °C), and the LH and LH-TH groups on days HC2 (7.2 ± 4.2 °C) and HC10 (10.2 ± 7.5 °C) of the hypoxic exposure (p = 0.256). \(\bar{T}_{\text{SK}}\) was marginally higher on HC2 (35.9 ± 1.0 °C) compared to control (34.9 ± 0.8 °C, p = 0.040), but not on HC10 (35.6 ± 1.0 °C), reflecting the responses of hand perfusion.

Conclusion

There was a little systematic effect of hypoxia or exercise training on TCZ magnitude or boundary temperatures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

\(\bar{T}_{\text{SK}}\) :

Mean skin temperature

\({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{ 2\,{\text{peak}}}}\) :

Peak rate of oxygen consumption

CON:

Control group

FIO2 :

Fraction of inspired oxygen

HC:

Hypoxia confinement

HR:

Heart rate

LH:

Live-high group

LH-TH:

Live-high train-high group

PIO2 :

Partial pressure of inspired oxygen

R:

Recovery day

SpO2 :

Capillary oxyhaemoglobin saturation

TCZ:

Thermal comfort zone

TTY :

Tympanic temperature

WPS:

Water-perfused suit

References

  • Araki T, Matsushita K, Umeno K, Tsujino A, Toda Y (1981) Effect of physical training on exercise-induced sweating in women. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 51(6):1526–1532

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bonne TC, Lundby C, Jørgensen S, Johansen L, Morgan M, Bech SR, Sander M, Papoti M, Nordsborg NB (2014) “Live High–Train High” increases hemoglobin mass in Olympic swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 114(7):1439–1449

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burke W, Mekjavic IB (1991) Estimation of regional cutaneous cold sensitivity by analysis of the grasping response. J Appl Physiol 71:1933–1940

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castellani JW, Young AJ (2010) Health and performance challenges during sports training and competition in cold weather. Br J Sports Med 46(11):788–791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castellani JW, Young AJ, Ducharme MB, Giesbrecht GG, Glickman E, Sallis RE (2006) American College of Sports Medicine position stand: prevention of cold injuries during exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38(11):2012–2029

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ciuha U, Mekjavic IB (2016) Regional thermal comfort zone in males and females. Physiol Behav 161:123–129

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ciuha U, Eiken O, Mekjavic IB (2015) Effects of normobaric hypoxic bedrest on the thermal comfort zone. J Therm Biol 49–50:39–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Czuba M, Maszczyk A, Gerasimuk D, Roczniok R, Fidos-Czuba O, Zając A, Gołaś A, Mostowik A, Langfort J (2014) The effects of hypobaric hypoxia on erythropoiesis, maximal oxygen uptake and energy cost of exercise under normoxia in elite biathletes. J Sports Sci Med 13(4):912–920

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Debevec T, Pialoux V, Mekjavic IB, Eiken O, Mury P, Millet GP (2014a) Moderate exercise blunts oxidative stress induced by normobaric hypoxic confinement. Med Sci Sport Exerc 41:33–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debevec T, Simpson EJ, Macdonald IA, Eiken O, Mekjavić IB (2014b) Exercise training during normobaric hypoxic confinement does not alter hormonal appetite regulation. PLoS One 9:e98874

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • DiPasquale DM, Kolkhorst FW, Buono MJ (2015) Acute normobaric hypoxia reduces body temperature in humans. High Alt Med 16:61–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fritzsche RG, Coyle EF (2000) Cutaneous blood flow during exercise is higher in endurance-trained humans. J Appl Physiol 88(2):738–744

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golja P (2004) The effect of normobaric hypoxia on temperature regulation in humans. Doctoral dissertation, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

  • Golja P, Mekjavic IB (2003) Effect of hypoxia on preferred hand temperature. Aviat Space Environ Med 74(5):522–526

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golja P, Kacin A, Tipton M, Eiken O, Mekjavic IB (2004) Hypoxia increases the cutaneous threshold for sensation of cold. Eur J Appl Physiol 92:62–68

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golja P, Kacin A, Tipton M, Mekjavic IB (2005) Moderate hypoxia does not affect the zone of thermal comfort in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:708–713

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon C (2001) The therapeutic potential of regulated hypothermia. Emerg Med 18:81–89

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon C, Fogelson L (1991) Comparative effects of hypxia on behavioural thermoregulation in rats, hamsters and mice. Am J Physiol 260:R120–R125

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hicks J, Wood S (1985) Temerature regulation in lizards: effects of hypoxia. Am J Physiol 248:R595–R600

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • House JR, Tipton MJ (2002) Using skin temperature gradients or skin heat flux measurements to determine thresholds of vasoconstriction and vasodilatation. Eur J Appl Physiol 88(1–2):141–145

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kenshalo D (1976) Sensory functions of the skin in primates: with special reference to man. In: Zotterman Y (ed) Proceedings of the international symposium. Pergamon Press, Stockholm, pp 305–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Keramidas ME, Kölegård R, Mekjavic IB, Eiken O (2014) Acute effects of normobaric hypoxia on hand-temperature responses during and after local cold stress. High Alt Med Biol 15(2):183–191

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Keramidas ME, Kölegård R, Mekjavic IB, Eiken O (2015) Hand temperature responses to local cooling after a 10-day confinement to normobaric hypoxia with and without exercise. Scand J Med Sci Sports 25(5):650–660

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malanda UL, Reulen JP, Saris WH, van Marken Lichten-belt WD (2008) Hypoxia induces no change in cutaneous thresholds for warmth and cold sensation. Eur J Appl Physiol 104:375–381

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McDonnell AC, Eiken O, Mekjavic PJ, Mekjavic IB (2014) Circadian rhythm of peripheral perfusion during 10-day hypoxic confinement and bed rest. Eur J Appl Physiol 114(10):2093–2104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mekjavic IB, Eiken O (2006) Contribution of thermal and nonthermal factors to the regulation of body temperature in humans. J Appl Physiol 100(6):2065–2072

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mercer J (2001) Glossary of terms for thermal physiology. Jpn J Physiol 51:245–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyagawa K, Kamijo Y, Ikegawa S, Goto M, Nose H (2011) Reduced hyperthermia-induced cutaneous vasodilation and enhanced exercise-induced plasma water loss at simulated high altitude (3200 m) in humans. J Appl Physiol 110:157–165

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nadel ER, Pandolf KB, Roberts MF, Stolwijk JA (1974) Mechanisms of thermal acclimation to exercise and heat. J Appl Physiol 37(4):515–520

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramanathan NL (1964) A new weighting system for mean surface temperature of the human body. J Appl Physiol 19:531–533

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson A, Watt P, Maxwell N (2009) Hydration and the physiological responses to acute normobaric hypoxia. Wilderness Environ Med 20:212–220

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts MF, Wenger CB, Stolwijk JA, Nadel ER (1977) Skin blood flow and sweating changes following exercise training and heat acclimation. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 43(1):133–137

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson KA, Haymes EM (1990) Metabolic effects of exposure to hypoxia plus cold at rest and during exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol 68:720–725

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein EH, Sessler DI (1990) Skin-surface temperature gradients correlate with fingertip blood flow in humans. Anesthesiology 73:541–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlader ZJ, Sarker S, Mündel T, Coleman GL, Chapman CL, Sackett JR, Johnson BD (2016) Hemodynamic responses upon the initiation of thermoregulatory behavior in young healthy adults. Temperature 3(2):271–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons GH, Minson CT, Cracowski JL, Halliwill JR (2007) Systemic hypoxia causes cutaneous vasodilation in healthy humans. J Appl Physiol 103(2):608–615

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons GH, Barrett-O’Keefe Z, Minson CT, Halliwill JR (2011) Cutaneous vascular and core temperature responses to sustained cold exposure in hypoxia. Exp Physiol 96:1062–1071

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yogev D, Mekjavic IB (2007) A new method for evaluation of behavioural thermoregulation in humans. In: Mekjavic IB, Kounalakis S, Taylor N (eds) Proceedings of the 12th international conference on environmental ergonomics (ICEE XII). Biomed, Ljubljana, pp 359–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Yogev D, Eiken O, Pisot R, Biolo G, di Prampero P, Narici M, Mekjavic IB (2010) Effect of 21 days of horizontal bed rest on behavioural thermoregulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 108:281–288

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The researchers would like to thank the subjects for their participation and enthusiasm in the study. We are grateful to Mr. Adi Kosenina for and Mr. Bogomir Vrhovec for their technical assistance. This work was supported by the Slovene Research Agency (Grants L3-4328 and L3-3654) and a European Space Agency (ESA) Programme for European Cooperating States (ESTEC/Contract No. 40001043721/11/NL/KML) to Igor B. Mekjavic. Urša Ciuha was a recipient of a SPIRIT Slovenia Scholarship (Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for the Promotion of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Development, Investment and Tourism), with operation partly financed by the European Union, European Social Fund.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Shawnda A. Morrison, Urša Ciuha & Igor B. Mekjavic

  2. Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technology, University of Primorska, Titov trg 4, 6000, Koper, Slovenia

    Shawnda A. Morrison

  3. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia

    Daniela Zavec-Pavlinić

  4. Department of Environmental Physiology, Swedish Aerospace Physiology Centre, Royal Institute of Technology, Berzelius v. 13, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ola Eiken

  5. Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada

    Igor B. Mekjavic

Authors
  1. Shawnda A. Morrison
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Urša Ciuha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniela Zavec-Pavlinić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ola Eiken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Igor B. Mekjavic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shawnda A. Morrison.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, associated with this work.

Additional information

Communicated by Narihiko Kondo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Morrison, S.A., Ciuha, U., Zavec-Pavlinić, D. et al. The effect of a Live-high Train-high exercise regimen on behavioural temperature regulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 255–265 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3515-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3515-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation