Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners

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Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners. / Kirby, Nathalie; Lucas, Sam; Armstrong, Ollie; Weaver, Samuel; Lucas, Becky.

In: European Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 2020, 19.11.2020, p. 1-15.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Harvard

Kirby, N, Lucas, S, Armstrong, O, Weaver, S & Lucas, B 2020, 'Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners', European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 2020, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z

APA

Kirby, N., Lucas, S., Armstrong, O., Weaver, S., & Lucas, B. (2020). Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2020, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z

Vancouver

Kirby N, Lucas S, Armstrong O, Weaver S, Lucas B. Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2020 Nov 19;2020:1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z

Author

Kirby, Nathalie ; Lucas, Sam ; Armstrong, Ollie ; Weaver, Samuel ; Lucas, Becky. / Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners. In: European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2020 ; Vol. 2020. pp. 1-15.

Bibtex

@article{c20e11314e5a4731847960022170dee7,
title = "Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners",
abstract = "PURPOSE: This study investigated whether intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing across three-weeks endurance training improves exercise heat tolerance and exercise performance markers in temperate conditions, compared to endurance training alone. The subsidiary aim was to determine whether exercise-heat tolerance would further improve following 7-Weeks post-exercise sauna bathing.METHODS: Twenty middle-distance runners (13 female; mean ± SD, age 20 ± 2 years, [Formula: see text]O2max 56.1 ± 8.7 ml kg-1 min-1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30-min, 9 km h-1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) and temperate (18 °C) exercise tests (maximal aerobic capacity [[Formula: see text]O2max], speed at 4 mmol L-1 blood lactate concentration ([La-]) before (Pre) and following three-weeks (3-Weeks) normal training (CON; n = 8) or normal training with 28 ± 2 min post-exercise sauna bathing (101-108 °C, 5-10%RH) 3 ± 1 times per week (SAUNA; n = 12). Changes from Pre to 3-Weeks were compared between-groups using an analysis of co-variance. Six SAUNA participants continued the intervention for 7 weeks, completing an additional HTT (7-Weeks; data compared using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance).RESULTS: During the HTT, SAUNA reduced peak rectal temperature (Trec; - 0.2 °C), skin temperature (- 0.8 °C), and heart rate (- 11 beats min-1) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre (all p < 0.05). SAUNA also improved [Formula: see text]O2max (+ 0.27 L-1 min-1; p = 0.02) and speed at 4 mmol L-1 [La-] (+ 0.6 km h-1; p = 0.01) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre. Only peak Trec (- 0.1 °C; p = 0.03 decreased further from 3-Weeks to 7-Weeks in SAUNA (other physiological variables p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Three-weeks post-exercise sauna bathing is an effective and pragmatic method of heat acclimation, and an effective ergogenic aid. Extending the intervention to seven weeks only marginally improved Trec.",
keywords = "Post-exercise sauna, Thermoregulation, Exercise performance, Heat acclimation, Ergogenic aid",
author = "Nathalie Kirby and Sam Lucas and Ollie Armstrong and Samuel Weaver and Becky Lucas",
year = "2020",
month = nov,
day = "19",
doi = "10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z",
language = "English",
volume = "2020",
pages = "1--15",
journal = "European Journal of Applied Physiology",
issn = "1439-6319",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners

AU - Kirby, Nathalie

AU - Lucas, Sam

AU - Armstrong, Ollie

AU - Weaver, Samuel

AU - Lucas, Becky

PY - 2020/11/19

Y1 - 2020/11/19

N2 - PURPOSE: This study investigated whether intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing across three-weeks endurance training improves exercise heat tolerance and exercise performance markers in temperate conditions, compared to endurance training alone. The subsidiary aim was to determine whether exercise-heat tolerance would further improve following 7-Weeks post-exercise sauna bathing.METHODS: Twenty middle-distance runners (13 female; mean ± SD, age 20 ± 2 years, [Formula: see text]O2max 56.1 ± 8.7 ml kg-1 min-1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30-min, 9 km h-1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) and temperate (18 °C) exercise tests (maximal aerobic capacity [[Formula: see text]O2max], speed at 4 mmol L-1 blood lactate concentration ([La-]) before (Pre) and following three-weeks (3-Weeks) normal training (CON; n = 8) or normal training with 28 ± 2 min post-exercise sauna bathing (101-108 °C, 5-10%RH) 3 ± 1 times per week (SAUNA; n = 12). Changes from Pre to 3-Weeks were compared between-groups using an analysis of co-variance. Six SAUNA participants continued the intervention for 7 weeks, completing an additional HTT (7-Weeks; data compared using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance).RESULTS: During the HTT, SAUNA reduced peak rectal temperature (Trec; - 0.2 °C), skin temperature (- 0.8 °C), and heart rate (- 11 beats min-1) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre (all p < 0.05). SAUNA also improved [Formula: see text]O2max (+ 0.27 L-1 min-1; p = 0.02) and speed at 4 mmol L-1 [La-] (+ 0.6 km h-1; p = 0.01) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre. Only peak Trec (- 0.1 °C; p = 0.03 decreased further from 3-Weeks to 7-Weeks in SAUNA (other physiological variables p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Three-weeks post-exercise sauna bathing is an effective and pragmatic method of heat acclimation, and an effective ergogenic aid. Extending the intervention to seven weeks only marginally improved Trec.

AB - PURPOSE: This study investigated whether intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing across three-weeks endurance training improves exercise heat tolerance and exercise performance markers in temperate conditions, compared to endurance training alone. The subsidiary aim was to determine whether exercise-heat tolerance would further improve following 7-Weeks post-exercise sauna bathing.METHODS: Twenty middle-distance runners (13 female; mean ± SD, age 20 ± 2 years, [Formula: see text]O2max 56.1 ± 8.7 ml kg-1 min-1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30-min, 9 km h-1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) and temperate (18 °C) exercise tests (maximal aerobic capacity [[Formula: see text]O2max], speed at 4 mmol L-1 blood lactate concentration ([La-]) before (Pre) and following three-weeks (3-Weeks) normal training (CON; n = 8) or normal training with 28 ± 2 min post-exercise sauna bathing (101-108 °C, 5-10%RH) 3 ± 1 times per week (SAUNA; n = 12). Changes from Pre to 3-Weeks were compared between-groups using an analysis of co-variance. Six SAUNA participants continued the intervention for 7 weeks, completing an additional HTT (7-Weeks; data compared using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance).RESULTS: During the HTT, SAUNA reduced peak rectal temperature (Trec; - 0.2 °C), skin temperature (- 0.8 °C), and heart rate (- 11 beats min-1) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre (all p < 0.05). SAUNA also improved [Formula: see text]O2max (+ 0.27 L-1 min-1; p = 0.02) and speed at 4 mmol L-1 [La-] (+ 0.6 km h-1; p = 0.01) more than CON at 3-Weeks compared to Pre. Only peak Trec (- 0.1 °C; p = 0.03 decreased further from 3-Weeks to 7-Weeks in SAUNA (other physiological variables p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Three-weeks post-exercise sauna bathing is an effective and pragmatic method of heat acclimation, and an effective ergogenic aid. Extending the intervention to seven weeks only marginally improved Trec.

KW - Post-exercise sauna

KW - Thermoregulation

KW - Exercise performance

KW - Heat acclimation

KW - Ergogenic aid

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096322319&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z

DO - 10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z

M3 - Article

C2 - 33211153

VL - 2020

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology

JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology

SN - 1439-6319

ER -