Heat Acclimation in Females

NCT ID: NCT06551168

Last Updated: 2025-04-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

14 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-09-01

Study Completion Date

2026-04-24

Brief Summary

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Heat acclimation is when you repeatedly exposure yourself to heat so that your body adapts and better tolerates heat.

This project will determine if completing a heat acclimation maintenance period after heat acclimation is more beneficial than heat acclimating alone for exercise performance in the heat. To determine this, participants will exercise in the heat before heat acclimation, after heat acclimation, and after heat acclimation maintenance. Researchers will assess the heart's pumping capacity, blood volume, body temperature, and exercise performance to determine which approach is more effective.

Detailed Description

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Purpose and Hypothesis: Global warming combined with increased frequency of heat waves exposes those who are working, exercising, or competing outdoors to considerable thermal strain. Excessive heat stress decreases exercise performance and can lead to heat illnesses. Deliberate serial exposure to natural (acclimatization) or artificial (acclimation) heat (HA) is the most efficacious method to defend homeostasis at rest and during exercise in hot environments. Our project will determine if three weeks of heat acclimation maintenance (HAM) further potentiates exercise performance in the heat than exercise performance measured after 10 days of HA in females.

Justification: Female participation in arduous occupations and professional sport is increasing. Presently a paucity of data regarding the female response to heat acclimation exist. Findings from this study will help females undertake effective and efficient strategies to mitigate thermal strain.

Research design: This is an experimental trial with a treatment and a control group. VO2max, plasma volume (PV), core temperature, and cardiac output will be measured pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Participants will complete 10 sessions of HA over two weeks. Participants will then undergo three weeks of HAM with three heat sessions per week. A heat performance test will be completed pre-, mid-, and post-intervention to examine performance changes. A control group will complete the same test schedule but will not perform any HA or HAM.

Statistical analysis: Sample size will be 8 females in the experimental and 6 females in the control group. Data will be analyzed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Descriptive statistics will be presented as the mean and standard deviation. Statistical significance will be determined at P \<0.05. A two-way repeated measure ANOVA will be used to measure differences between groups and hemodynamic, cardiovascular and performance variable differences pre- and post-HA, and pre- post-HAM. If significant effects are present, these will be followed by a post-hoc Tukey's test. Pearson's r correlations (two-tailed) will be conducted between VO2max, and intravascular volumes and heat performance test outcome.

Conditions

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Heat Exposure Blood Volume Cardiac Output

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

The experimental group will undergo heat acclimation The control group will not undergo heat acclimation. The control group will undergo heart rate matched exercise of the same quantity but in a cool environment
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Heat Acclimation

Participants in this arm will undergo heat acclimation sessions

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Heat exposure

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants will exercise at home while wearing a clothing ensemble over 19 one hour sessions. They will use validated perceptual scales to guide their effort and thermal sensation.

Control

Participants in this arm will undergo heart rate matched training volume

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control group

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants will exercise at home over 19 one hour sessions. They will use heart rate to guide their effort. The exercise will take place in cool conditions

Interventions

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Heat exposure

Participants will exercise at home while wearing a clothing ensemble over 19 one hour sessions. They will use validated perceptual scales to guide their effort and thermal sensation.

Intervention Type OTHER

Control group

Participants will exercise at home over 19 one hour sessions. They will use heart rate to guide their effort. The exercise will take place in cool conditions

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Familiar with the sport of cycling and own a bicycle and smart trainer (or a trainer and a power meter).
* Endurance athlete or currently engaging in endurance exercise
* Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) greater than 40 ml/kg/min
* Between the ages of 18 and 55
* Able to speak, read, and write in English

Exclusion Criteria

* Unable to exercise
* Previous or current heat intolerance
* Pregnant
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Trinity Western University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Anita Cote

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Anita T Coté, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Trinity Western University

Locations

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Trinity Western Unversity

Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Anita T Coté, PhD

Role: CONTACT

604.513.2121 ext. 3726

Normand A Richard, MSc

Role: CONTACT

604.513.2121 ext. 3726

Facility Contacts

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Anita T Cote, PhD

Role: primary

1 604-513-2121 ext. 3726

Other Identifiers

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22G18

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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