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Haemodynamic and hormonal responses to heat exposure in a Finnish sauna bath

European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology volume 58, pages 543–550 (1989)Cite this article

Summary

Eight healthy young men were studied during three periods of heat exposure in a Finnish sauna bath: at 80° C dry bulb (80 D) and 100° C dry bulb (100 D) temperatures until subjective discomfort, and in 80° C dry heat, becoming humid (80 DH) until subjective exhaustion. Oral temperature increased 1.1° C at 80 D, 1.9° C at 100 D and 3.2° C at 80 DH. Heart rate increased about 60% at 80 D, 90% at 100 D and 130% at 80 DH. Plasma noradrenaline increased about 100% at 80 D, 160% at 100 D and 310% at 80 DH. Adrenaline did not change. Plasma prolactin increased 2-fold at 80 D, 7-fold at 100 D and 10-fold at 80 DH. Blood concentrations of the beta-endorphin immunoreactivity at 100 D, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) at 100 D and 80 DH, growth hormone at 100 D and testosterone at 80 DH also increased, but cortisol at 80 D and 100 D decreased. The plasma prostaglandin E2 and serum thromboxane B2 levels did not change. Patterns related to heat exposure were observed for heart rate, plasma noradrenaline, ACTH and prolactin in the three study periods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. President Urho Kaleva Kekkonen Institute for Health Promotion Research, P. O. Box 30, SF-33501, Tampere, Finland

    Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula, Pekka Oja & Ilkka Vuori

  2. Wihuri Research Institute, Kalliolinnantie 4, SF-00140, Helsinki, Finland

    Kai Laustiola

  3. Department of Neurology, University of Kuopio, P. O. Box 6, SF-70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Jukka Jolkkonen

  4. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, P. O. Box 607, SF-33101, Tampere, Finland

    Simo Siitonen & Heikki Vapaatalo

Authors
  1. Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula
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  2. Pekka Oja
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  3. Kai Laustiola
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  4. Ilkka Vuori
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  5. Jukka Jolkkonen
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  6. Simo Siitonen
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  7. Heikki Vapaatalo
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Kukkonen-Harjula, K., Oja, P., Laustiola, K. et al. Haemodynamic and hormonal responses to heat exposure in a Finnish sauna bath. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 58, 543–550 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330710

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330710

Key words

  • Finnish sauna bath
  • Catecholamines
  • Pituitary hormones
  • Prostanoids