Does Heat Exposure Affect An Athlete?
To what extent does heat exposure affect an athlete?
Heat exposure is a factor that is essential to be considered by athletes to maximise performance level. Researchers have investigated that excessive heat exposure or exercise hyperthermia has detrimental effects on exercise physiology. Little is understood regarding the effects of hyperthermia and how heat exposure affects the body. Localised heat studies using water immersion to increase muscle temperature have been conducted to investigate the effects. This report identifies the effects of exercise induced hyperthermia, its threats and how it affects an athlete’s performance level. In addition, this report also highlights hyponatremia, humidity and why should athletes stay euhydrated. Identifying the factors that increase the core body temperature and how athletes can avoid these to stay cool would be the ultimate solution to maximise …show more content…
An area in the brain called hypothalamus is responsible for the thermoregulatory processes of the body. Receptors in the body are continually sending signals to the hypothalamus and adjustments are made to keep the body temperature at 37°C. The hypothalamus responds to heat increase through a variety of physiological mechanism. Increased sweat rate, body and skin blood flow shifts, cardiac output, respiratory rate, and a sensation of heat intensity are the responses triggered to regulate the core temperature. Bi-directional routes for heat exchange are: convection (Cv), conduction (Cd), and radiation (R) and two uni-directional routes are: metabolic heat (M) which increases thermal load; evaporation (E) which decreases the thermal load. The net heat storage (S) formula is:
S = M +/- Cv +/- Cd +/- R – E
When the net heat storage (S) is positive, body temperature will rise and when (S) is negative, body temperature will drop. Climatic Heat
Heat exposure is a factor that is essential to be considered by athletes to maximise performance level. Researchers have investigated that excessive heat exposure or exercise hyperthermia has detrimental effects on exercise physiology. Little is understood regarding the effects of hyperthermia and how heat exposure affects the body. Localised heat studies using water immersion to increase muscle temperature have been conducted to investigate the effects. This report identifies the effects of exercise induced hyperthermia, its threats and how it affects an athlete’s performance level. In addition, this report also highlights hyponatremia, humidity and why should athletes stay euhydrated. Identifying the factors that increase the core body temperature and how athletes can avoid these to stay cool would be the ultimate solution to maximise …show more content…
An area in the brain called hypothalamus is responsible for the thermoregulatory processes of the body. Receptors in the body are continually sending signals to the hypothalamus and adjustments are made to keep the body temperature at 37°C. The hypothalamus responds to heat increase through a variety of physiological mechanism. Increased sweat rate, body and skin blood flow shifts, cardiac output, respiratory rate, and a sensation of heat intensity are the responses triggered to regulate the core temperature. Bi-directional routes for heat exchange are: convection (Cv), conduction (Cd), and radiation (R) and two uni-directional routes are: metabolic heat (M) which increases thermal load; evaporation (E) which decreases the thermal load. The net heat storage (S) formula is:
S = M +/- Cv +/- Cd +/- R – E
When the net heat storage (S) is positive, body temperature will rise and when (S) is negative, body temperature will drop. Climatic Heat