Skip to main content

The Induction and Decay of Heat Acclimatisation in Trained Athletes

Sports Medicine volume 12, pages 302–312 (1991)Cite this article

Summary

Heat acclimatisation/acclimation involves a complex of adaptations which includes decreased heart rate, rectal temperature, perceived exertion as well as increased plasma volume and sweat rate. These adaptations serve to reduce physiological strain, improve an athlete’s ability to exercise in a hot environment, and reduce the incidence of some forms of heat illness. Few differences exist in the ability of men and women to acclimatise to heat. Typically, older runners do not perform in the heat as well as younger runners, but physical training can negate differences between these groups. Hormonal adaptations (e.g. aldosterone, vasopressin) during heat acclimatisation encourage fluid-electrolyte retention and cardiovascular stability. Athletes with high maximal aerobic power (V̇O2max) acclimatise to heat faster (and lose adaptations slower when they are inactive in a cool environment) than athletes with low V̇O2max values. Physical training in a cool environment improves physiological responses to exercise at high ambient temperatures. In attempting to optimise heat acclimatisation, athletes should maintain fluid-electrolyte balance, exercise at intensities greater than 50% V̇O2max for 10 to 14 days, and avoid factors (e.g. sleep loss, infectious disease) which are known to reduce heat tolerance. Once acclimatisation has been achieved, inactivity results in a decay of favourable adaptations, after only a few days or weeks.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 49.95

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

References

  • Adams JM, Fox RH, Grimby G, Kidd DJ, Wolff HS. Acclimatization to heat and its rate of decay in man. Journal of Physiology 152: 26P–27P, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Costill DL, Fink WJ. Changes in body water and electrolytes during heat acclimation: effects of dietary sodium. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine 58: 143–148, 1987a.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Costill DL, Fink WJ, Bassett D, Hargreaves M, et al. Effects of dietary sodium on body and muscle potassium content during heat acclimation. European Journal of Applied Physiology 54: 391–397, 1985.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, De Luca JP, Hubbard RW. Time course of recovery and heat acclimation ability of prior exertional heatstroke patients. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 22: 36–48, 1990.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Dziados JE. Effects of heat exposure on the exercising adult. In Bernhardt DB (Ed.) Sports physical therapy, Churchill Livingstone, New York, NY, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Francesconi RP, Kraemer WJ, Leva N, De Luca JP, et al. Plasma cortisol, renin, and aldosterone during an intense heat acclimation program. International Journal of Sports Medicine 10: 38–42, 1989.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, De Luca JP, Christensen EL. Self-paced heat acclimation procedures. Technical Report No. T8-86, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, 1986b.

  • Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, De Luca JP, Christensen EL. Heat acclimatization during summer running in the Northeastern United States. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 19: 131–136, 1987b.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, Jones BH, Daniels JT. Preparing Alberto Salazar for the heat of the 1984 Olympic Marathon. Physician and Sportsmedicine 14: 73–81, 1986c.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, Kraemer WJ, De Luca JP, Christensen EL. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion during strenuous exercise. Annals of Sports Medicine 3: 182–189, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong LE, Pandolf KB. Physical training, cardiorespiratory physical fitness and exercise-heat tolerance. In Pandolf KB, et al. (Eds) Human performance physiology and environmental medicine at terrestrial extremes, Benchmark Press, Indianapolis, IN, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avellini BA, Kamon E, Krajewski JT. Physiology responses of physically fit men and women to acclimation to humid heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 49: 254–261, 1980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bass DE. Thermoregulatory and circulatory adjustments during acclimatization to heat in man. In Hardy JD (Ed.) Temperature: its measurement and control in science and industry, Reinhold Publishing Co., New York, NY, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bean WB, Eichna LW. Performance in relation to environmental temperature. Federation Proceedings 2: 144–158, 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonner RM, Harrison MH, Hall CJ, Edwards RJ. Effect of heat acclimatization on intravascular responses to acute heat stress in man. Journal of Applied Physiology 41: 708–713, 1976.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callaham ML. Emergency management of heat illness, Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Convertino VA, Keil LC, Bernauer EM, Greenleaf JE. Plasma volume, osmolality, vasopressin, and renin activity during graded exercise in man. Journal of Applied Physiology 50: 123–128, 1981.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costill DL, Cote R, Miller E, Miller T, Wynder S. Water and electrolyte replacement during repeated days of work in the heat. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine 46: 795–800, 1975.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coyle EF, Hamilton M. Fluid replacement during exercise: effects on physiological homeostasis and performance. In Gisolfi CV & Lamb DR (Eds) Perspectives in exercise science and sports medicine, Vol. 3, Fluid homeostasis during exercise, Benchmark Press, Carmel, IN, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels JT. A physiologist’s view of running economy. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 17: 332–338, 1985.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • England AC, Fraser DW, Hightower AW. Preventing severe heat injury in runners: suggestions from the 1979 Peachtree Road Race experience. Annals of Internal Medicine 97: 196–201, 1982.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein Y. Heat intolerance: predisposing factor or residual injury? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 22: 29–35, 1990.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fellman N. Hormonal and plasma volume alterations following endurance exercise: a brief review. Sports Medicine, in press, 1991.

  • Finberg JP, Berlyne GP. Modification of renin and aldosterone response to heat by acclimation in man. Journal of Applied Physiology 42: 554–558, 1977.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Francesconi RP, Armstrong LE, Leva N, Moore R, Szlyk P, et al. Endocrinological responses to dietary salt restriction during heat acclimation. National Academy Press, Washington DC.

  • Francesconi RP, Sawka MN, Hubbard RW, Pandolf KB. Hormonal regulation of fluid and electrolytes: effects of heat exposure and exercise in the heat. In Claybaugh JR & Wade CE (Eds) Hormonal regulation of fluid and electrolytes, Plenum Publishing, New York, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francesconi RP, Sawka MN, Pandolf KB, Hubbard RW, Young AJ, et al. Plasma hormonal responses at graded hypohydration levels during exercise-heat stress. Journal of Applied Physiology 59: 1855–1860, 1985.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gisolfi CV. Work-heat tolerance derived from interval training. Journal of Applied Physiology 35: 349–354, 1973.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gisolfi CV, Robinson S. Relations between physical training, acclimatization, and heat tolerance. Journal of Applied Physiology 26: 530–534, 1969.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez RR, Pandolf KB, Gagge AP. Heat acclimation and decline in sweating during humidity transients. Journal of Applied Physiology 36: 419–425, 1974.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf JE, Greenleaf CJ. Human acclimation and acclimatization to heat: a compendium of research. Technical report No. TMX-62008, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Moffett Field, CA, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haymes EM. Physiological responses of female athletes to heat stress: a review. Physician and Sportsmedicine 12: 45–55, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henane R. Acclimatization to heat in man: giant or windmill, a critical reappraisal. 28th International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Pecs, pp. 275–284, 1980.

  • Henane R, Flandrois R, Charbonnier JP. Increase in sweating sensitivity by endurance conditioning in man. Journal of Applied Physiology 43: 822–828, 1977.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houmard JA, Costill DL, Davis JA, Mitchell JB, Pascoe DD, et al. The influence of exercise intensity on heat acclimation in trained subjects. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 22: 615–620, 1990.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard RW, Armstrong LE. The heat illnesses: biochemical, ul-trastructural and fluid-electrolyte considerations. In Pandolf KB et al. (Eds) Human performance physiology and environmental medicine at terrestrial extremes, Benchmark Press, Indianapolis, IN, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard RW, Szlyk PC, Armstrong LE. Influence of thirst and fluid palatability on fluid ingestion during exercise. In Gisolfi CV & Lamb DR (Eds) Perspectives in exercise science and sports medicine, Vol. 3, Fluid homeostasis during exercise, Benchmark Press, Carmel, IN, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughson RL, Green HJ, Houston ME. Heat injuries in Canadian mass participation runs. Canadian Medical Association Journal 122: 1141–1142, 1980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer WJ, Armstrong LE, Marchitelli LJ, Hubbard RW, Leva N. Plasma opioid peptide responses during heat acclimation in humans. Peptides 8: 715–719, 1987.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer WJ, Armstrong LE, Hubbard RW, Marchitelli LJ, Leva N, et al. Responses of plasma human atrial natriuretic factor to high intensity submaximal exercise in the heat. European Journal of Applied Physiology 57: 399–403, 1988.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladell WSS. Heat cramps. Lancet 2: 836–839, 1949.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moroff SV, Bass DE. Effects of overhydration on man’s physiological responses to work in the heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 20: 267–270, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neufer PD, Young AJ, Sawka MN. Gastric emptying during exercise: effects of heat stress and hypohydration. European Journal of Applied Physiology 58: 433–439, 1989.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandolf KB. Effects of physical training and cardiorespiratory physical fitness on exercise-heat tolerance: recent observations. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 11: 60–65, 1979.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandolf KB, Burse RL, Goldman RF. Role of physical fitness in heat acclimatization, decay and reinduction. Ergonomics 20: 399–408, 1977.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandolf KB, Cadarette BS, Sawka MN, Young AJ, Francesconi RP, et al. Thermoregulatory responses of middle-aged men and young men during dry-heat acclimation. Journal of Applied Physiology 65: 65–71, 1988.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piwonka RW, Robinson S. Acclimatization of highly trained men to work in severe heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 22: 9–12, 1967.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson S, Turrell ES, Beiding HS, Horvath SM. Rapid acclimatization to work in hot climates. American Journal of Physiology 140: 168–176, 1943.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts MF, Wenger CB. Control of skin circulation during exercise and heat stress. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 11: 36–41, 1979.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawka MN, Pandolf KB, Avellini BA, Shapiro Y. Does heat acclimation lower the rate of metabolism elicited by muscular exercise? Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine 54: 27–31, 1983.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawka MN, Young AJ, Francesconi RP, Muza SR, Pandolf KB. Thermoregulatory and blood responses during exercise at graded hypohydration levels. Journal of Applied Physiology 59: 1394–1401, 1985.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sciaraffa D, Fox SC, Stockman R, Greenleaf JE. Human acclimation and acclimatization to heat: a compendium of research — 1968–1978. Technical Memorandum No. 81181, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Moffettfield, CA, 1981.

  • Shapiro Y, Hubbard RW, Kumbrough CM, Pandolf KB. Physiological and hematological responses to summer and winter dry-heat acclimatization. Journal of Applied Physiology 50: 792–798, 1981.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shvartz E, Convertino VA, Keil LC, Haines RF. Orthostatic, fluid-electrolyte and endocrine responses in fainters and nonfain-ters. Journal of Applied Physiology 51: 1404–1410, 1981.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shvartz E, Shapiro Y, Magazanik A, Meroz A, Birnfeld H, et al. Heat acclimation, physical fitness, and responses to exercise in temperature and hot environment. Journal of Applied Physiology 43: 678–683, 1977.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stein HJ, Eliot JW, Bader RA. Physiological reactions to cold and their effects on the retention of acclimatization to heat. Journal of Applied Physiology 1: 575–585, 1949.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wade CE. Response, regulation, and action of vasopressin during exercise: a review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 16: 506–511, 1984.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner JA, Robinson S, Tzankoff SP, Marino RP. Heat tolerance and acclimatization to work in the heat in relation to age. Journal of Applied Physiology 33: 616–622, 1972.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenger CB. Human heat acclimatization. In Pandolf KB, et al. (Eds) Human performance physiology and environmental medicine at terrestrial extremes, Benchmark Press, Indianapolis, IN, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams CG, Wyndham CH, Morrison JF. Rate of loss of acclimatization in summer and winter. Journal of Applied Physiology 22: 21–26, 1967.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wyndham CH, Jacobs GE. Loss of acclimatization after six days of work in cool conditions on the surface of a mine. Journal of Applied Physiology 11: 197–199, 1957.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport, Leisure, and Exercise Sciences, University of Connecticut, 2095 Hillside Road, Box U-110, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269-1110, USA

    Lawrence E. Armstrong & Carl M. Maresh

Authors
  1. Lawrence E. Armstrong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carl M. Maresh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Armstrong, L.E., Maresh, C.M. The Induction and Decay of Heat Acclimatisation in Trained Athletes. Sports Medicine 12, 302–312 (1991). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199112050-00003

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199112050-00003

Keywords

  • Heat Tolerance
  • Apply Physiology
  • Heat Exposure
  • Sweat Rate
  • Heat Acclimatisation