Effect of ice slurry ingestion on core temperature and blood pressure response after exercise in a hot environment

Delays in the restoration of thermoregulation after exercise in a hot environment has been associated with post-exercise hypotension. This study tested the hypothesis that simultaneous internal cooling and rehydration by ingesting ice slurry prevents the excessive decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and promotes recovery of core and skin temperatures in male athletes. Seven male athletes participated in this randomized controlled trial with a crossover design. The participants ran on a treadmill at 75% of their maximal oxygen uptake in the heat (35 °C, 60% relative humidity), up to exhaustion. Immediately after exercise, participants ingested either 4 g⋅kg ^-1 body weight of ice slurry (0.5 °C, ICE) or a control beverage (28 °C, CON). The participants then recovered by sitting for 20 min. We measured participants' rectal temperature (T_re), skin temperature (T_sk), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and physiological strain index (PSI) before exercise (Pre), after running to exhaustion (PEx), and at 0 (P0), 10 (P10), and 20 (P20) minutes after ice slurry or control beverage ingestion. MAP, CO, HR, TPR, or PSI did not change significantly during the recovery period. At P10 and P20, T_re and T_sk significantly decreased in the ICE group compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). These results suggested that ingestion of ice slurry, post-exercise, promoted core and skin temperature recovery but did not affect the central and peripheral cardiovascular responses during the acute recovery period.