Growth hormone and prolactin responses during partial and whole body warm-water immersions

To elucidate the role of core and skin thermoreceptors in the release of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL), a sequence of two experiments using whole-body (head-out) and partial (one forearm) hot water immersions was performed.

Experiment 1: Nine healthy men were exposed to head-out and partial water immersions (25 min, 38-39 degrees C).

Head-out immersion increased the core temperature (38.0 +/- 0.1 vs. 36.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C, P < 0.001) and plasma concentration of the hormones (GH, 16.1 +/- 4.5 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.4 ng mL(-1), P < 0.01; PRL, 9.1 +/- 1.0 vs. 6.4 +/- 0.4 ng mL(-1), P < 0.05). During the partial immersion the core temperature was slightly elevated (36.8 +/- 0.1 vs. 36.6 +/- 0.1, P < 0.001), the concentration of GH increased (4.8 +/- 1.7 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.3, P < 0.05), while plasma PRL decreased (7.6 +/- 0.8, 6.0 +/- 0.6, 5.2 +/- 0.6, P < 0.01). Experiment 2: Seven volunteers immersed one forearm once in 39 degrees C and once in 38 degrees C water. The measurements were performed in 5-min intervals. The GH concentration increased gradually from the beginning of the immersions (min 10; 39 degrees C: 1.9 +/- 1.0 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.3 ng mL(-1), P < 0.01; 38 degrees C: 0.19 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.14 +/- 0.03, P < 0.05) and peaked after their completion (39 degrees C: +10 min, 3.7 +/- 2.0, P < 0.001; 38 degrees C: +15 min, 0.86 +/- 0.61, P < 0.01). The core temperature was unchanged until min 15 of the 39 degrees C bath. Thereafter, it increased about 0.15 degrees C above the baseline (P < 0.01). Immersion in 38 degrees C water did not induce core temperature changes.

Peripheral thermoreceptors are involved in GH release when the body is exposed to elevated environmental temperature while a substantial elevation of core temperature is a precondition of PRL release.