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Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology 12/2018

01-12-2018 | Original Article

The effect of hot and cold drinks on thermoregulation, perception, and performance: the role of the gut in thermoreception

Authors: Martin J. Barwood, Stuart Goodall, Jon Bateman

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 12/2018

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Abstract

Purpose

Hot compared to cold drinks alter sweating responses during very low intensity exercise in temperate conditions. The thermoregulatory, perceptual, and performance effects of hot compared to cold drinks in hot, dry conditions during high-intensity exercise have not been examined.

Method

Ten participants [mean ± SD characteristics age 25 ± 5 years, height 1.81 ± 0.07 m, body mass 73.5 ± 10.6 kg, maximal power output (PMax) 350 ± 41 W] completed two conditions, where they drank four boluses (ingested at − 9, 15, 30, and 45 min, respectively) of 3.2 mL kg− 1 (~ 960 mL total) of either a COLD (5.3 °C) or a HOT drink (49.0 °C), which were contrasted to a no-drink CONTROL. They cycled for 60-min [55% PMax in hot (34.4 °C) dry (34% RH)] ambient conditions followed by a test to exhaustion (TTE; 80% PMax). The thermoregulatory, performance, and perceptual implications of drink temperature were measured.

Results

TTE was worse in the CONTROL (170 ± 132 s) than the COLD drink (371 ± 272 s; p = 0.021) and HOT drink conditions (367 ± 301 s; p = 0.038) which were not different (p = 0.965). Sweat responses [i.e., reflex changes in mean skin temperature (Tmsk) and galvanic skin conductance] indicated transient reductions in sweating response after COLD drink ingestion. The COLD drink improved thermal comfort beyond the transient changes in sweating.

Conclusion

Only COLD drink ingestion changed thermoregulation, but improved perceptual response. Accordingly, we conclude a role for gut thermoreception in thermal perception during exercise in hot, dry conditions.
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Metadata
Title
The effect of hot and cold drinks on thermoregulation, perception, and performance: the role of the gut in thermoreception
Authors
Martin J. Barwood
Stuart Goodall
Jon Bateman
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 12/2018
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3987-8

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