Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
  • 2 Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
  • 3 Lifestyle Science Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
  • 4 Laboratory for Applied Human Physiology, Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
  • 5 School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
  • 6 School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. T.Mundel@massey.ac.nz
Eur J Appl Physiol, 2020 Apr;120(4):841-852.
PMID: 32072226 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-020-04322-8

Abstract

PURPOSE: Recent studies have determined that ambient humidity plays a more important role in aerobic performance than dry-bulb temperature does in warm environments; however, no studies have kept humidity constant and independently manipulated temperature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of dry-bulb temperature, when vapor pressure was matched, on the thermoregulatory, perceptual and performance responses to a 30-min cycling work trial.

METHODS: Fourteen trained male cyclists (age: 32 ± 12 year; height: 178 ± 6 cm; mass: 76 ± 9 kg; [Formula: see text]: 59 ± 9 mL kg-1 min-1; body surface area: 1.93 ± 0.12 m2; peak power output: 393 ± 53 W) volunteered, and underwent 1 exercise bout in moderate heat (MOD: 34.9 ± 0.2 °C, 50.1 ± 1.1% relative humidity) and 1 in mild heat (MILD: 29.2 ± 0.2 °C, 69.4 ± 0.9% relative humidity) matched for vapor pressure (2.8 ± 0.1 kPa), with trials counterbalanced.

RESULTS: Despite a higher weighted mean skin temperature during MOD (36.3 ± 0.5 vs. 34.5 ± 0.6 °C, p 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.