Thermoregulatory changes in the cold induced by physical training in humans

Abstract

It has previously been demonstrated that metabolic heat production (M˙) during cold exposure at rest was related to maximal oxygen uptake (O_2max). Consequently, an increase in O_2max could allow an increase M˙ in the cold. The aim of the present study was therefore to test this hypothesis. Eight male volunteers undertook interval training (periods of 25% V˙O_2max of 30-s duration and 110% V˙O_2max of 60-s duration until exhaustion, five times a week over 8 weeks) to increase V˙O_2max. Both before and after this physical training, they were subjected to a 10^∘, 5^∘ and 1^∘C 2-h cold air test in a climatic chamber. During the cold exposure, rectal temperature (T _re), tympanic temperature (T _ty), mean skin temperature () and M˙ were measured as well as the time to onset of shivering (t) and body temperatures () at t. The results showed that physical training involved an increase in O_2max (14%–15%, P < 0.05). During the cold exposure, T _re was higher after training both at 10^∘,5^∘ and 1^∘C (P < 0.05) whereas were not significantly changed. However, an increase in the sensitivity of the thermoregulatory system was attested by a decreased t at higher These slight physiological changes found after training were not related to the increases in V˙O_2max. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that interval training induced slight thermoregulatory changes unrelated to changes in V˙O_2max and it suggested that M˙ during cold exposure could be related mainly to the level of V˙O_2max observed before training, since increases in V˙O_2max did not modify M˙.