Changes in thermal insulation during underwater exercise in Korean female wet-suit divers

The present work was undertaken to examine the effect of wet suits on the pattern of heat exchange during immersion in cold water. Four Korean women divers wearing wet suits were immersed to the neck in water of critical temperature (Tcw) while resting for 3 h or exercising (2-3 met on a bicycle ergometer) for 2 h. During immersion both rectal (Tre) and skin temperatures and O2 consumption (VO2) were measured, from which heat production (M = 4.83 VO2), skin heat loss (Hsk = 0.92 M +/- heat store change based on delta Tre), and thermal insulation were calculated. The average Tcw of the subjects with wet suits was 16.5 +/- 1.2 degrees C (SE), which was 12.3 degrees C lower than that of the same subjects with swim suits (28.8 +/- 0.4 degrees C). During the 3rd h of immersion, Tre and mean skin temperatures (Tsk) averaged 37.3 +/- 0.1 and 28.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C, and skin heat loss per unit surface area 42.3 +/- 2.66 kcal X m-2 X h. The calculated body insulation [Ibody = Tre - Tsk/Hsk] and the total shell insulation [Itotal = (Tre - TW)/Hsk] were 0.23 +/- 0.02 and 0.5 +/- 0.04 degrees C X kcal-1 X m2 X h, respectively. During immersion exercise, both Itotal and Ibody declined exponentially as the exercise intensity increased. Surprisingly, the insulation due to wet suit (Isuit = Itotal - Ibody) also decreased with exercise intensity, from 0.28 degrees C X kcal-1 X m2 X h at rest to 0.12 degrees C X kcal-1 X m2 X h at exercise levels of 2-3 met.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)