Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elevated core temperature by exposure to heat stress vs. heat exposure without elevated core temperature (mean skin temperature only) in addition to mental fatigue on aerobic exercise capacity in the heat. Seven highly trained athl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Takashi Naito, Tatsuya Saito, Hirotsugu Morinaga, Nobuhiko Eda, Yohei Takai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Physiological Anthropology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-024-00377-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846147331440771072
author Takashi Naito
Tatsuya Saito
Hirotsugu Morinaga
Nobuhiko Eda
Yohei Takai
author_facet Takashi Naito
Tatsuya Saito
Hirotsugu Morinaga
Nobuhiko Eda
Yohei Takai
author_sort Takashi Naito
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elevated core temperature by exposure to heat stress vs. heat exposure without elevated core temperature (mean skin temperature only) in addition to mental fatigue on aerobic exercise capacity in the heat. Seven highly trained athletes completed two experimental conditions: elevation in core and skin temperatures (hyperthermia: HYP), and skin temperatures (SKIN). Participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task and Stroop Task to induce mental fatigue during a warm water immersion at 40 °C (HYP) and a passive seated heat exposure in a climatic chamber at 35 °C and 60% relative humidity (SKIN) for 45 min before exercise. Thereafter, participants performed running trial at 80% maximal oxygen uptake until voluntary exhaustion in the same chamber as the SKIN. Exercise time to exhaustion was significantly shorter in the HYP trial (538 ± 200 s) than in the SKIN trial (757 ± 324 s). Rectal temperature at the end of tasks in the HYP trial increased by 0.86 ± 0.26℃ and was significantly higher (37.69 ± 0.18℃) than that of the SKIN trial (36.96 ± 0.13℃), albeit no significant differences in mean skin temperature. Self-reported mental fatigue using visual analog scale was significantly higher after tasks in both trials, but no significant difference between trials was found. Throughout the trial, salivary cortisol concentration and perceptual responses were not affected by hyperthermia. This study demonstrated that a combination of high core temperature and mean skin temperature, and mental fatigue limit aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in hot environments compared with heat exposure without an elevation of core temperature.
format Article
id doaj-art-0e0d6f308bcd4f41b7729cc1ea53985b
institution Kabale University
issn 1880-6805
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Physiological Anthropology
spelling doaj-art-0e0d6f308bcd4f41b7729cc1ea53985b2024-12-01T12:49:59ZengBMCJournal of Physiological Anthropology1880-68052024-11-0143111010.1186/s40101-024-00377-0Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heatTakashi Naito0Tatsuya Saito1Hirotsugu Morinaga2Nobuhiko Eda3Yohei Takai4Faculty of Law, Hokkai-Gakuen UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityDepartment of Sports and Life Science, National Institute of Fitness and Sports in KanoyaDepartment of Fundamental Educaion, Dokkyo Medical UniversityDepartment of Sports and Life Science, National Institute of Fitness and Sports in KanoyaAbstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elevated core temperature by exposure to heat stress vs. heat exposure without elevated core temperature (mean skin temperature only) in addition to mental fatigue on aerobic exercise capacity in the heat. Seven highly trained athletes completed two experimental conditions: elevation in core and skin temperatures (hyperthermia: HYP), and skin temperatures (SKIN). Participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task and Stroop Task to induce mental fatigue during a warm water immersion at 40 °C (HYP) and a passive seated heat exposure in a climatic chamber at 35 °C and 60% relative humidity (SKIN) for 45 min before exercise. Thereafter, participants performed running trial at 80% maximal oxygen uptake until voluntary exhaustion in the same chamber as the SKIN. Exercise time to exhaustion was significantly shorter in the HYP trial (538 ± 200 s) than in the SKIN trial (757 ± 324 s). Rectal temperature at the end of tasks in the HYP trial increased by 0.86 ± 0.26℃ and was significantly higher (37.69 ± 0.18℃) than that of the SKIN trial (36.96 ± 0.13℃), albeit no significant differences in mean skin temperature. Self-reported mental fatigue using visual analog scale was significantly higher after tasks in both trials, but no significant difference between trials was found. Throughout the trial, salivary cortisol concentration and perceptual responses were not affected by hyperthermia. This study demonstrated that a combination of high core temperature and mean skin temperature, and mental fatigue limit aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in hot environments compared with heat exposure without an elevation of core temperature.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-024-00377-0
spellingShingle Takashi Naito
Tatsuya Saito
Hirotsugu Morinaga
Nobuhiko Eda
Yohei Takai
Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
Journal of Physiological Anthropology
title Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
title_full Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
title_fullStr Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
title_full_unstemmed Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
title_short Elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
title_sort elevated core temperature in addition to mental fatigue impairs aerobic exercise capacity in highly trained athletes in the heat
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-024-00377-0
work_keys_str_mv AT takashinaito elevatedcoretemperatureinadditiontomentalfatigueimpairsaerobicexercisecapacityinhighlytrainedathletesintheheat
AT tatsuyasaito elevatedcoretemperatureinadditiontomentalfatigueimpairsaerobicexercisecapacityinhighlytrainedathletesintheheat
AT hirotsugumorinaga elevatedcoretemperatureinadditiontomentalfatigueimpairsaerobicexercisecapacityinhighlytrainedathletesintheheat
AT nobuhikoeda elevatedcoretemperatureinadditiontomentalfatigueimpairsaerobicexercisecapacityinhighlytrainedathletesintheheat
AT yoheitakai elevatedcoretemperatureinadditiontomentalfatigueimpairsaerobicexercisecapacityinhighlytrainedathletesintheheat