Physiological adjustments of facial cooling during exercise

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Human Performance

Background:

• Facial cooling is explored as a potential ergogenic aid.
• Understanding its impact on physiological and metabolic responses is crucial for optimizing athletic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physiological and metabolic effects of facial cooling during maximal and prolonged submaximal exercise.
• To determine if facial wind stimulation influences key exercise performance indicators.

Main Methods:

• Five male subjects performed graded maximal and 30-minute prolonged submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer.
• Exercise was conducted both with and without facial cooling (10°C, 4.6 m/s).
• Measurements included plasma lactate, VO2 max, heart rate, rectal temperature, workload, lactate threshold, ventilatory threshold, and OBLA.

Main Results:

• Facial cooling showed no significant effect on plasma lactate, VO2 max, maximal heart rate, rectal temperature, lactate threshold, ventilatory threshold, or OBLA during maximal exercise.
• Facial cooling significantly altered heart rate and workload during prolonged submaximal exercise.
• Facial wind stimulation during maximal exercise did not induce sufficient stress to alter metabolic and physiological responses.

Conclusions:

• Facial cooling does not appear to enhance physiological or metabolic output during maximal exercise.
• The application of facial cooling during prolonged submaximal exercise may influence cardiovascular and workload responses.
• Facial wind stimulation alone may not be a potent enough stimulus to elicit significant changes in maximal exercise performance metrics.