Thermorregulation in long distance race: Literature rewiew

Abstract

The literature review of the present study demonstrates that during physical exercise, the body produces heat through the working muscles, generating thermal stress. Through the analysis of articles mainly from the last five years, we concluded that to maintain stable body temperature, the body uses regulatory mechanisms dependent on environmental, task and personal parameters. In intense exercise and in hot environments, blood flow to the skin can increase significantly, and sweating is also increased. However, non-thermal reflexes during exercise cause the regulation of blood flow in the skin to be different from that at rest. The body adjusts the threshold for dilation of skin blood vessels to a higher core body temperature and modifies sensitivity to this temperature change. Regular training improves these adaptations, allowing athletes to dissipate heat more effectively. This review highlights the physiological mechanisms involved in thermal regulation during exercise, discusses the estimation of core temperature in humans, and presents new nutritional approaches to evaluate parameters to maintain stable core temperature.