[Changes in body fluids and minerals after cold adaptation]

To characterize fluid and ion shifts during 5-weeks cold adaptation, 6 nonadapted volunteers underwent cold acclimation programme (CAP), consisted of 1 h head-out immersion in water 14 +/- 1 degrees C 3 times a week. Blood samples were analyzed before/after the immersion and in the first and in the last week of CAP. Urine was collected for 10 h before, during, and after immersion for 4 h. Plasma volume (PV) decreased during first immersion (-18%) and less after CAP (-12). Blood volume reduction was 8.5% before and 5.2% after the CAP. Mean corpuscular volume was not changed either after the cold exposition or after the cold adaptation. The concentration of serum proteins increased by 12.1% after first immersion and by 8.1% after the CAP. The changes in serum concentration of Na+, K+ and Cl- before and after the CAP were not significant. Urine flow increased by 102% after first immersion, and by 165% after CAP. Urinary excretion of Na+ increased by 167% and 283%, excretion of K+ by 222% and 362% during first immersion and after CAP, respectively. Serum concentration of aldosterone increased nonsignificantly (+30%) during immersion before CAP and it did not changed after CAP. After the cold adaptation we observed the reduction of PV decrease, and increased diuresis with higher excretions of cations.