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Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2020) | Viewed by 23780

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Dr. Toby Mündel

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Guest Editor

School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand
Interests: exercise physiology; thermal physiology and thermoregulation; heat stress; sporting performance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on the impact that human movement—whether recreational, occupational, or sporting—has on temperature regulation, in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

Physical activity can challenge (and enhance) human body temperature regulation, which can have consequences on health and wellbeing, sports performance, and occupational productivity. Climate change (i.e., global warming), natural disasters (e.g., emergency services battling wildfires), and international sporting events held in thermally stressful climates (e.g., Olympic Games) continue to bring to our attention some of the associated challenges and risks. Notably, impaired thermoregulation is displayed by older individuals and those suffering from several chronic diseases, something that our societies cannot ignore. Therefore, advancing our knowledge and understanding of this field should positively impact a significant proportion of the population.

This Special Issue is open to submissions related to the impact that physical work has on body temperature regulation. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Assoc. Prof. Toby Mündel
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Exercise and sports performance
Environmental stress (heat, cold, and micro-climate)
Human biometeorology
Occupational physiology
Thermal adaptation
Exertional heat illness
Clothing and textiles

Published Papers (7 papers)

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14 pages, 1420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accuracy of Algorithm to Non-Invasively Predict Core Body Temperature Using the Kenzen Wearable Device

by Nicole E. Moyen, Rohit C. Bapat, Beverly Tan, Lindsey A. Hunt, Ollie Jay and Toby Mündel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413126 - 13 Dec 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5969

Abstract

With climate change increasing global temperatures, more workers are exposed to hotter ambient temperatures that exacerbate risk for heat injury and illness. Continuously monitoring core body temperature (T_C) can help workers avoid reaching unsafe T_C. However, continuous T_C measurements are currently cost-prohibitive or invasive for daily use. Here, we show that Kenzen’s wearable device can accurately predict T_C compared to gold standard T_C measurements (rectal probe or gastrointestinal pill). Data from four different studies (n = 52 trials; 27 unique subjects; >4000 min data) were used to develop and validate Kenzen’s machine learning T_C algorithm, which uses subject’s real-time physiological data combined with baseline anthropometric data. We show Kenzen’s T_C algorithm meets pre-established accuracy criteria compared to gold standard T_C: mean absolute error = 0.25 °C, root mean squared error = 0.30 °C, Pearson r correlation = 0.94, standard error of the measurement = 0.18 °C, and mean bias = 0.07 °C. Overall, the Kenzen T_C algorithm is accurate for a wide range of T_C, environmental temperatures (13–43 °C), light to vigorous heart rate zones, and both biological sexes. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating a wearable device can accurately predict T_C in real-time, thus offering workers protection from heat injuries and illnesses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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9 pages, 782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Acute Exercise on Cutaneous Thermal Sensation

by Samuel D. Thomas, Howard H. Carter, Helen Jones, Dick H.J. Thijssen and David A. Low

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2491; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072491 - 6 Apr 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2056

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of exercise intensity on the thermal sensory function of active and inactive limbs. In a randomised and counterbalanced manner, 13 healthy young male participants (25 ± 6 years, 1.8 ± 0.1 m, 77 ± 6 kg) conducted: (1) 30-min low-intensity (50% heart rate maximum, HRmax; LOW) and (2) 30-min high-intensity (80% HRmax; HIGH) cycling exercises, and (3) 30 min of seated rest (CONTROL). Before, immediately after, and 1 h after, each intervention, thermal sensory functions of the non-dominant dorsal forearm and posterior calf were examined by increasing local skin temperature (1 °C/s) to assess perceptual heat sensitivity and pain thresholds. Relative to pre-exercise, forearm heat sensitivity thresholds were increased immediately and 1 hr after HIGH, but there were no changes after LOW exercise or during CONTROL (main effect of trial; p = 0.017). Relative to pre-exercise, calf heat sensitivity thresholds were not changed after LOW or HIGH exercise or during CONTROL (main effect of trial; p = 0.629). There were no changes in calf (main effect of trial; p = 0.528) or forearm (main effect of trial; p = 0.088) heat pain thresholds after exercise in either LOW or HIGH or CONTROL. These results suggest that cutaneous thermal sensitivity function of an inactive limb is only reduced after higher intensity exercise but is not changed in a previously active limb after exercise. Exercise does not affect heat pain sensitivity in either active or inactive limbs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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13 pages, 541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acute Kidney Injury Biomarker Responses to Short-Term Heat Acclimation

by Riana R. Pryor, J. Luke Pryor, Lesley W. Vandermark, Elizabeth L. Adams, Rachel M. Brodeur, Zachary J. Schlader, Lawrence E. Armstrong, Elaine C. Lee, Carl M. Maresh and Douglas J. Casa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(4), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041325 - 19 Feb 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3199

Abstract

The combination of hyperthermia, dehydration, and strenuous exercise can result in severe reductions in kidney function, potentially leading to acute kidney injury (AKI). We sought to determine whether six days of heat acclimation (HA) mitigates the rise in clinical biomarkers of AKI during strenuous exercise in the heat. Twenty men completed two consecutive 2 h bouts of high-intensity exercise in either hot (n = 12, 40 °C, 40% relative humidity) or mild (n = 8, 24 °C, 21% relative humidity) environments before (PreHA) and after (PostHA) 4 days of 90–120 min of exercise per day in a hot or mild environment. Increased clinical biomarkers of AKI (CLINICAL) was defined as a serum creatinine increase ≥0.3 mg·dL⁻¹ or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reduction >25%. Creatinine similarly increased in the hot environment PreHA (0.35 ± 0.23 mg·dL⁻¹) and PostHA (0.39 ± 0.20 mg·dL⁻¹), with greater increases than the mild environment at both time points (0.11 ± 0.07 mg·dL⁻¹, 0.08 ± 0.06 mg·dL⁻¹, p ≤ 0.001), respectively. CLINICAL occurred in the hot environment PreHA (n = 9, 75%), with fewer participants with CLINICAL PostHA (n = 7, 58%, p = 0.007), and no participants in the mild environment with CLINICAL at either time point. Percent change in plasma volume was predictive of changes in serum creatinine PostHA and percent changes in eGFR both PreHA and PostHA. HA did not mitigate reductions in eGFR nor increases in serum creatinine during high-intensity exercise in the heat, although the number of participants with CLINICAL was reduced PostHA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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20 pages, 1636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Behavior Augments Heat Loss Following Low Intensity Exercise

by Nicole T. Vargas, Christopher L. Chapman, Blair D. Johnson, Rob Gathercole, Matthew N. Cramer and Zachary J. Schlader

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010020 - 18 Dec 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2674

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that thermal behavior alleviates thermal discomfort and accelerates core temperature recovery following low intensity exercise. Methods: In a 27 ± 0 °C, 48 ± 6% relative humidity environment, 12 healthy subjects (six females) completed 60 min of exercise followed by 90 min of seated recovery on two occasions. Subjects wore a suit top perfusing 34 ± 0 °C water during exercise. In the control trial, this water continually perfused throughout recovery. In the behavior trial, the upper body was maintained thermally comfortable by pressing a button to receive cool water (3 ± 2 °C) perfusing through the top for 2 min per button press. Results: Physiological variables (core temperature, p ≥ 0.18; mean skin temperature, p = 0.99; skin wettedness, p ≥ 0.09; forearm skin blood flow, p = 0.29 and local axilla sweat rate, p = 0.99) did not differ between trials during exercise. Following exercise, mean skin temperature decreased in the behavior trial in the first 10 min (by −0.5 ± 0.7 °C, p < 0.01) and upper body skin temperature was reduced until 70 min into recovery (by 1.8 ± 1.4 °C, p < 0.05). Core temperature recovered to pre-exercise levels 17 ± 31 min faster (p = 0.02) in the behavior trial. There were no differences in skin blood flow or local sweat rate between conditions during recovery (p ≥ 0.05). Whole-body thermal discomfort was reduced (by −0.4 ± 0.5 a.u.) in the behavior trial compared to the control trial within the first 20 min of recovery (p ≤ 0.02). Thermal behavior via upper body cooling resulted in augmented cumulative heat loss within the first 30 min of recovery (Behavior: 288 ± 92 kJ; Control: 160 ± 44 kJ, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Engaging in thermal behavior that results in large reductions in mean skin temperature following exercise accelerates the recovery of core temperature and alleviates thermal discomfort by promoting heat loss. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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10 pages, 458 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Exposure to Extreme Temperature and Injury at the Workplace

by Junhyeong Lee, Wanhyung Lee, Won-Jun Choi, Seong-Kyu Kang and Seunghon Ham

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(24), 4955; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244955 - 6 Dec 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3065

Abstract

Exposure to extreme temperature is a critical occupational risk factor. This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to extreme temperatures and injury at the workplace using data from 92,238 workers (46,175 male and 46,063 female) from the 2014 and 2017 Korean Working Condition Survey. Exposure to extremely high or low temperatures, injury experiences, and personal protective equipment (PPE) wearing behavior were investigated using a questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between exposure to extreme temperature and injury experience. The association between injury experience and PPE wearing behavior was analyzed for each exposure group. After adjusting for individual and occupational factors, the odds ratios (ORs) for injury experience were 2.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78–2.38) and 1.64 (95% CI: 1.44–1.85) in both high and low temperature exposure groups, respectively, and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.15–1.83) for those not wearing PPE when exposed to high temperature. There was no significant association shown with wearing PPE and injury experience in the low temperature exposure group. Exposure to extreme temperature tended to increase the risk of injury, and was higher in workers not wearing PPE in high temperature. PPE that can be worn comfortably in high temperature is needed to prevent occupational injury. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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12 pages, 581 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Dynamic and Correlation of Skin Temperature and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Male Endurance Runners

by Jonathan Galan-Carracedo, Andrea Suarez-Segade, Myriam Guerra-Balic and Guillermo R. Oviedo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(16), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162869 - 11 Aug 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3212

Abstract

During endurance exercise, skin temperature (Tsk) plays a fundamental role in thermoregulatory processes. Environmental temperature is the biggest determinant of the Tsk. During exercise, the response of the skin temperature might be influenced by aerobic fitness (VO_2peak). The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the dynamic of Tsk in high (HF) and moderately (MF) fit endurance runners during a progressive maximal stress test. Seventy-nine male endurance runners were classified into HF (n = 35; VO_2peak = 56.62 ± 4.31 mL/kg/min) and MF (n = 44; VO_2peak = 47.86 ± 5.29 mL/kg/min) groups. Tsk and cardiovascular data were continuously monitored during an incremental exercise, followed by a recovery period of five minutes. Results revealed that the MF group exhibited lower VO_2peak, Speed_peak, ventilation (VE), muscle mass %, and higher BMI and fat mass % than the HF group (all p < 0.001). HF had significantly higher Tsk at baseline, and at 60% and 70% of peak workload (all p < 0.05). Tsk_peak correlated with age, fat mass %, muscle mass %, VO_2peak, Speed_peak, HR and VE (all p < 0.05). These findings indicate that VO_2peak was positively associated with increased Tsk during incremental exercise in male endurance runners. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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9 pages, 1601 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Thermoregulation in Ectodermal Dysplasia: A Case Series

by Heather Massey, James House and Michael Tipton

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(22), 4514; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224514 - 15 Nov 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2812

Abstract

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a rare genetic disorder occurring as a consequence of gene mutations that code for the ectoderm of the developing embryo and results in numerous disorders of varying severity. The lack of functioning sweat glands in those affected with ED leads to high infant mortality and frequent complaints of hyperthermia. Temperature control of two adolescents affected with ED was assessed by conducting heat and exercise exposures while monitoring insulated auditory canal (T_ac) and skin temperatures, sweating rates, and skin blood flow. One participant was able to sweat and regulate his T_ac while a second participant could not regulate T_ac without a cooling intervention. The heterogeneous nature of ED, and these cases highlight the need for a case-by-case review of temperature control of individuals affected with ED. This will determine cooling strategies that would be of most benefit to the individual. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Human Temperature Regulation)

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