Abstract
The effects of heat acclimation, its decay and subsequent reacclimation were investigated. Acclimation (A) comprised 6 d, 70% ˙VO2 max cycling, 50 min, 34°C, 70% RH. This was followed by 21 d decay and 6 d reacclimation (R). Heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (Trec) and sweat rate (SR) were monitored in 8 cyclists (˙VO2 max = 61.8 ml.kg-1.min-1 ± 5.6 SD). Tests were conducted during winter. All variables changed over time (p<0.05). During A, final exercise HR decreased from 182 bpm on day one to 164 bpm on day six. Trec decreased from 39.33 °C to 38.82 °C and SR increased from 1.30 L.hr-1 to 1.64 L.hr-1 with acclimation. As a result of 21 d with no heat exposure there was decay in HR and SR (p<0.05). However, Trec showed no decay at all. During R, there was a decreased(p<0.05) HR (174 bpm to 163 bpm) and increased SR (1.34 L.hr-1 to 1.60 L.hr-1). Trec showed no change throughout R (38.74 °C to 38.64 °C). There were no differences between final A and R values for any variable. It was concluded that the high humidity and high exercise intensity produced full acclimation in 6 d and that during R the subjects could not achieve a greater level of heat tolerance. The lack of decay in Trec indicates some retention of the adaptations even after 21 d without heat exposure.
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