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The influence of acute and 23 days of intermittent hypoxic exposures on the exercise-induced forehead sweating response

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Abstract

The effect of acute and 23 days of intermittent exposures to normobaric hypoxia on the forehead sweating response during steady-state exercise was investigated. Eight endurance athletes slept in a normobaric hypoxic room for a minimum of 8 h per day at a simulated altitude equivalent to 2,700 m for 23 days (sleep high–train low regimen). Peak oxygen uptake \( {\left( {\ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{peak}}}} } \right)} \) and peak work rate (WRpeak) were determined under normoxic (20.9%O2) and hypoxic (13.5%O2) conditions prior to (pre-IHE), and immediately after (post-IHE) the intermittent hypoxic exposures (IHE). Also, each subject performed three 30-min cycle-ergometry bouts: (1) normoxic exercise at 50% WRpeak attained in normoxia (control trial; CT); (2) hypoxic exercise at 50% WRpeak attained in hypoxia (hypoxic relative trial; HRT) and (3) hypoxic exercise at the same absolute work rate as in CT (hypoxic absolute trial; HAT). Exposure to hypoxia induced a 33 and 37% decrease (P < 0.001) in \( \ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{peak}}}} \) pre-IHE and post-IHE, respectively. Despite similar relative oxygen uptake during HAT pre-IHE and post-IHE, the ratings of perceived whole-body exertion decreased substantially (P < 0.05) post-IHE. Pre-IHE the sweat secretion on the forehead \( {\left( {\ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{m}_{{{\text{sw}}}} f} \right)} \) was greater (P < 0.01) in the HAT (2.60 (0.80) mg cm−2 min−1) compared to the other two trials (CT = 1.87 (1.09) mg cm−2 min−1; HRT = 1.57 (0.82) mg cm−2 min−1) despite a similar exercise-induced elevation in body temperatures, resulting in an augmented (P < 0.01) gain of the sweating response \( {\left( {\ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{m}_{{{\text{sw}}}} f/\Delta T_{{{\text{re}}}} } \right)}. \) The augmented \( \ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{m}_{{{\text{sw}}}} f \) and \( \ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{m}_{{{\text{sw}}}} f/\Delta T_{{{\text{re}}}} \) during the HAT were no longer evident post-IHE. Thus, it appears that exercise sweating on the forehead is potentiated by acute exposure to hypoxia, an effect which can be abolished by 23 days of intermittent hypoxic exposures.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported, in part, by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, and the Sport Foundation of the Republic of Slovenia to Igor B. Mekjavic. Alan Kacin was recipient of a Young Investigator Postgraduate Fellowship from the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Alan Kacin & Igor B. Mekjavic

  2. Department of Sport and Exercise Science & Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK

    Alan Kacin & Michael J. Tipton

  3. Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Studies, University of Ljubljana, Poljanska c. 26a, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia

    Alan Kacin

  4. University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska 13, 5000, Nova Gorica, Slovenia

    Petra Golja

  5. Swedish Defence Research Agency, Karolinska Institutet, Berzelius v. 13, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ola Eiken

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  1. Alan Kacin
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  2. Petra Golja
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  3. Ola Eiken
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  4. Michael J. Tipton
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  5. Igor B. Mekjavic
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Correspondence to Alan Kacin.

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Kacin, A., Golja, P., Eiken, O. et al. The influence of acute and 23 days of intermittent hypoxic exposures on the exercise-induced forehead sweating response. Eur J Appl Physiol 99, 557–566 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0364-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0364-9

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