PHYS30012 - Week7 - Heat Acclimation

Department of Physiology | School of 9/3/2021
Biomedical Sciences
Adaptation to extreme
environmental
temperature
Joseph Rathner
Joseph.rathner@unimelb.edu.au
Department of Anatomy and Physiology

School of Biomedical Sciences
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Biomedical Sciences
Ambient conditions:
Heat index and Windchill
Physiological thermoregulatory responses
• Metabolism
• Heat production
- Non-shivering
thermogenesis
- Shivering thermogenesis
Rigor – febrile shivering
• Skin blood flow
• Radiation and conduction
- Heat conservation
- Heat loss
• Sweating
• Evaporation
• Insatiable water loss
• Evaporation
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Biomedical Sciences
Heat transfer from/to the body

Radiation
• Transfer of heat from core to skin
surface – emitted to environment as
infrared rays
• 60%
Evaporation
• Energy expended to vaporize water
(heat transfer to water leads to cooling)
• 22%
Conduction and convection
• Conduction – kinetic transfer of heat
by contact
• Convection movement of
environmental media in contact with
the body
• 15%
Koop LK, Tadi P. Physiology, Heat Loss. [Updated 2021 Jul 22]. In:
StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing;
2021 Jan-. Available from:
Department of Anatomy and Physiology https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541107/
Thermal comfort and humidity – Heat

Index
Humidity restrict ability to

regulate heat via evaporative
cooling
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Biomedical Sciences
Thermal comfort in the cold – Wind Chill
Wind increases heat loss due to

convection
Heat defence is a bigger

challenge that cold
defence
Limits of head defence is determined by humidity
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Biomedical Sciences
Skin temperature at different extremes of

environmental temperature
Cold exposure Mild exposure Hot exposure
Conclusion:
• Thermoneutral skin temperature can be maintained in cold and mild environments
• Warm environments, challenge to maintain thermoneutrality
UTCI= Universal thermal climate index
Measure of environmental thermal comfort accounting for wind, radiation, humidity and ambient temperature
• Cold UTCI<90C
• Mild 260C <UTCI>90C
• Hot UTCI >260C
Lai et al 2017. Measurement and prediction of the skin temperature in human subjects on outdoor
Department of Anatomy and Physiology environments DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.07.0009
Limits of heat defence
• Radiation and conductive can

only facilitate heat loss as
long as skin temperature is
greater than ambient
• At extreme temperature heat
loss in evaporative (and
convective – air movement)
Department of Anatomy and Physiology Wang et al 2016 Human local and total heat losses in different temperature DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.018
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Biomedical Sciences
Effects of clothing on heat transfer from/to

body
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Biomedical Sciences
Limitation of heat regulation
Heat gradient
High heat Low heat
450C 370C 210C
Humidity – limitation on evaporative heat

loss
Humidity
High humidity Low humidity
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Biomedical Sciences
Wet heat (330C)

10C
Dry heat (500C)
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on

Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM,
editor. Nutritional Needs in Hot
Environments: Applications for Military
Personnel in Field Operations. Washington
(DC): National Academies Press (US); 1993.
5, Water Requirements During Exercise in
the Heat. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK23623
7/
Sweating alters water

balance, osmolarity and
MAP
Identifier footer 8
Biomedical Sciences
Physiology of Sweating
Lindsay B. Baker (2019): Physiology of sweat gland function: The

roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health,
Department of Anatomy and Physiology Temperature, DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145
Identifier footer 9
Biomedical Sciences
Aldosterone regulates sweat [Na+]
Mechanism of action of Aldosterone in

preventing Na+ loss
Verrey F, Pearce D, Pfeiffer R, Spindler B, Mastroberardino L, Summa V, Zecevic M.

Pleiotropic action of aldosterone in epithelia mediated by transcription and post-
transcription mechanisms. Kidney Int. 2000 Apr;57(4):1277-82. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-
1755.2000.00962.x. PMID: 10760054.
Identifier footer 10
Biomedical Sciences
Heat acclimation-
sweat response
Heat acclimation decreases sweat [Na+]
Periard et al Cardiovascular adaptations supporting human exercise in heat acclimation DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.002
Biomedical Sciences
Fig. 8
Sweat rate increases with heat acclimation
Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 2016 19652-62DOI: (10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.002)
Sweating heat acclimation

• Heat
acclimation and
exercise training
can lower
threshold for
the initiation of
sweating
• Maximal
sweating
capacity can
increase from
1.5l/hr to 2-
3l/hr
Lindsay B. Baker (2019): Physiology of sweat gland function: The
roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health,
Temperature, DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145
Biomedical Sciences
Heat acclimation-
cardiovascular responses
Distribution of blood during exercise
Biomedical Sciences
Data figures like these can be a little

misleading
• Since reports organ blood flow as % of CO
• Larger CO – more blood flow to the skin even
as % of blood flow does not change.
• Larger % of CO goes to skeletal muscle which
are producing heat
Plasma volume expansion: Heat

acclimatization
Biomedical Sciences
Increase plasma volume is correlated with

decrease in heart rate
Department of Anatomy and Physiology Periard et al Cardiovascular adaptations supporting human exercise in heat acclimation DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.002
Heat acclimation leads to improved

exercise performance
• Q = cardiac output
• SV = Stroke volume
• LBF = Leg blood flow
• Exh – voluntary exhaustion
• Pre acclimation exercise performance vs exercise
performance after 9-12 days heat acclimation
Biomedical Sciences
Summary of cardiovascular responses to

heat acclimation
Department of Anatomy and Physiology Periard et al Cardiovascular adaptations supporting human exercise in heat acclimation DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.002
Age related impairment

of heat defence
Biomedical Sciences
Initial stage
of heat
exposure Stage 2:
sees increase sweat
in plasma response
volume Stage 3: decreased
volume depletion due
to inhibition of sweat
production and
conservation of water
in the body
Haemodilution in initial 30 minutes of heat exposure
Age alteration in thermoregulation

Older
• 64±1.0 years of age (mean±SEM)
• VO2max = 38±2.3 ml/kg/min
Younger
• 26±0.7 years of age
• VO2max – 52.1±2.2 ml/kg/min
Ambient environment
• 450C
• 25% humidity
• (Heat index ≈ 500C)
Activity
• Passive heat exposure
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research;

Marriott BM, editor. Fluid Replacement and Heat Stress. Washington (DC):
National Academies Press (US); 1994. 16, Changes in Plasma Volume During
Heat Exposure in Young and Older Men. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK231117/
Biomedical Sciences
Age alteration in thermoregulation
Note:
• High plasma osmolarity of
older participants
• Are older individuals
dehydrated from start?
• Lack of haemodilation
response
• Indicative of dehydration
• Stable protein levels in young
• Despite fluid loss – where
is the protein going?
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research;
Marriott BM, editor. Fluid Replacement and Heat Stress. Washington (DC):
National Academies Press (US); 1994. 16, Changes in Plasma Volume During
Heat Exposure in Young and Older Men. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK231117/
Heat defence and sleep
Biomedical Sciences
Thermoregulation and sleep
Effect of thermal comfort on sleep
Tsuzuki et al 2004; Effects of humid exposure on sleep, thermoregulation, melatonin

Department of Anatomy and Physiology and microclimate. DOI:10.1016/j.therbio.2003.10.003
Biomedical Sciences

School of Biomedical Sciences

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Department of Physiology | School of 9/3/2021

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Physiological thermoregulatory responses

Heat transfer from/to the body

Thermal comfort and humidity – Heat

Humidity restrict ability to

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Thermal comfort in the cold – Wind Chill

Wind increases heat loss due to

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Heat defence is a bigger

Limits of head defence is determined by humidity

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Skin temperature at different extremes of

Limits of heat defence

• Radiation and conductive can

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Effects of clothing on heat transfer from/to

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Limitation of heat regulation

High heat Low heat

450C 370C 210C

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Humidity – limitation on evaporative heat

High humidity Low humidity

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Wet heat (330C)

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Sweating alters water

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Lindsay B. Baker (2019): Physiology of sweat gland function: The

Aldosterone regulates sweat [Na+]

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Mechanism of action of Aldosterone in

Verrey F, Pearce D, Pfeiffer R, Spindler B, Mastroberardino L, Summa V, Zecevic M.

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Heat acclimation decreases sweat [Na+]

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Sweat rate increases with heat acclimation

Sweating heat acclimation

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Distribution of blood during exercise

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Data figures like these can be a little

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Plasma volume expansion: Heat

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Increase plasma volume is correlated with

Heat acclimation leads to improved

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Summary of cardiovascular responses to

Age related impairment

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Haemodilution in initial 30 minutes of heat exposure

Department of Anatomy and Physiology

Age alteration in thermoregulation

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research;

Department of Anatomy and Physiology