Depressed Sweating during Exercise at Altitude
Abstract
The physical effect of a hypobaric environment on the control of sweating in humans has not been extensively studied. During acute exposure to simulated altitude, whole body sweating was elevated compared to sea level in men exercising at the same metabolic rate. In another study, which evaluated long term altitude exposure, the core temperature threshold for sweating onset was elevated compared to sea level. An earlier evaluation from our laboratory demonstrated the responsiveness (gain) of both local sweating and forearm cutaneous blood flow to increasing core temperature during exercise was suppressed by both moderate and high altitude in a temperature environment. Exposure to altitude is generally associated with a cool environmental temperature and the metabolic rate during exercise may be compromised by the level of hypoxia. Thus bias may result in experimental design of the study because exercise intensity may not be replicated between normobaria and hypobaria. In the current study, we evaluated local sweating at three skin sites during exercise at sea level, moderate and high altitude. To further investigate the reported attenuation in sweating response seen during exercise at altitude, both a low and a moderate exercise intensity were evaluated in cool and temperate environments. Keywords: Stress physiology; Reprints.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA212637
Entities
People
- Lou A. Stephenson
- Margaret A. Kolka
- Richard R. Gonzalez
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine