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Gender differences in physiological reactions to thermal stress
G S Anderson1, R Ward, I B Mekjavić
1School of Kinesiology, University College of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.
Summary
Men and women exhibit similar core body temperature thresholds for sweating and shivering during immersed exercise. However, women show a reduced sweating response rate compared to men, despite equal heat loss distribution.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Human Thermoregulation
- Environmental Physiology
Background:
- Thermoregulation during exercise in water is crucial for performance and safety.
- Understanding gender-specific responses to thermal stress is important for tailored exercise protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender differences in thermoregulatory responses during immersed exercise and recovery.
- To compare sweating and shivering thresholds, core cooling rates, and heat loss patterns between men and women.
Main Methods:
- Nine men and nine women underwent anthropometric evaluation and immersed exercise in 28°C water.
- Esophageal temperature, oxygen consumption, heat flux, and skin blood perfusion were monitored.
- Sweating and shivering thresholds were determined by changes in esophageal temperature (delta Tes).
Main Results:
- No significant gender differences were found in sweating/shivering thresholds or core cooling rates.
- The slope of the sweating response was significantly lower in women than in men (P < 0.01).
- Men and women lost equal proportions of heat flux from central and peripheral sites.
Conclusions:
- While core thermoregulatory thresholds are similar, women exhibit a blunted sweating response during immersed exercise.
- Adipose tissue distribution does not significantly alter overall heat loss patterns between genders in this context.