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Ventilatory responses to whole body cryotherapy.
Lucy Hammond1, Katie Mitchell2, Saul Cuttell3
1Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
Journal of Thermal Biology
|July 28, 2020
Summary
Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) significantly increases respiratory function, including oxygen consumption and ventilation, likely due to a transient shivering response. Females experienced a greater decrease in thermal sensation post-WBC compared to males.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Sports Science
- Thermotherapy
Background:
- The impact of whole body cryotherapy (WBC) on respiratory function remains largely unexplored.
- Interactions between WBC, sex, and anthropometry in physiological responses are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ventilatory responses following WBC exposure.
- To examine the influence of sex and anthropometric characteristics on these responses.
Main Methods:
- 22 recreationally active participants (male and female) underwent WBC and a control condition.
- Evaluated thermal sensation, heart rate, blood pressure, and ventilatory measures (expired volume [V˙E], oxygen consumption [V˙O2], respiratory exchange ratio, metabolic equivalents [METS]) pre- and post-exposure.
Main Results:
- WBC significantly increased V˙E (10.8 L.min⁻¹), V˙O2 (0.4 L.min⁻¹), and METS (1.0) compared to control (p<.001).
- Females reported a greater decrease in thermal sensation post-WBC than males (p=.001).
- Significant negative correlations were found between fat mass index/body fat percentage and ΔV˙O2/ΔMETS (p≤.004), and positive correlations between BSA to mass ratio/BSA/fat-free mass index and thermal sensation (p≤.005).
Conclusions:
- Short-term WBC exposure elicits a transient ventilatory response characterized by increased V˙O2, V˙E, and METS, likely driven by shivering.
- Anthropometric factors, particularly body fat, influence the magnitude of metabolic and ventilatory responses to WBC.
- Sex differences exist in thermal sensation response to WBC.
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