No abstract

To delineate age- and gender-related differences in physiological responses to cold exposure, men and women between the ages of 20 and 29 yr and 51 and 72 yr, wearing minimal clothing, were exposed at rest for 2 h to 28, 20, 15, and 10 degrees C room temperatures with 40% relative humidity. During the coldest exposure, the rates of increase in metabolic rate (W X m-2 or ml X kg lean body mass-1 X min-1 were similar for all groups. However, older women (n = 7) may have benefited from a larger (P less than 0.05) early metabolic (M) increase (40% within 15 min) than young men (18%) (n = 10), young women (5%) (n = 10), or older men (5%) (n = 10). A similar rapid M response in older women occurred during the 15 degrees C exposure. During all cold exposures, older women maintained constant rectal temperature (Tre) and young women maintained Tre only during the 20 degrees C exposures, whereas Tre of the men declined during all cold exposures (P less than 0.01). Changes in Tre and mean skin temperature (Ts) during cold exposure were largely related to body fat, although age and surface area/mass modified the changes in men. The data suggest that older men are more susceptible to cold ambients than younger people, since they did not prevent a further decline in their initially relatively low Tre. Despite greater insulation from body fat, the older women maintained a constant Tre at greater metabolic cost than men or younger women.

No abstract

This study was conducted since virtually no information was available concerning age- and gender-related differences in cardiovascular adjustments to cold exposure. Men and women between the ages of 20 and 30 and 51 and 72 yr, wearing swim suits, rested for 2 h in 28, 20, 15, and 10 degrees C ambient temperatures (Ta), with 40% relative humidity. Cardiac output (Qc) and stroke volumes (Qs) were higher in younger than older subjects regardless of Ta. Cardiac output was not influenced by gender, but all cold exposures resulted in increased Qs and decreased heart rate in men but not women. Regardless of age or gender, Qc increased about 10% only during exposure to 10 degrees C. Cold exposure resulted in minimal increases in the mean systolic and diastolic pressures (Pa) of the younger subjects. The Pa of older subjects were higher than in the young during 28 degrees C exposures and increased during all cold exposures. Total peripheral resistance and forearm blood flows were higher in older than young subjects exposed to cold. Total peripheral resistance, systolic and diastolic Pa, and finger and forearm blood flows were not affected by gender, but hand plus forearm blood flows were higher in men than women exposed to 28 degrees C. Although Qc appeared adequate to meet increased oxygen demands of shivering in the older subjects, rising Pa may become limiting in extended exposures. A similar response in hypertensive or angina-prone individuals may result in some untoward responses.

To assess thermoregulatory responses occuring under actual marathon racing conditions, rectal (Tre) and five skin temperatures were measured in two runners approximately every 9 min of a competitive marathon run under cool conditions. Race times and total water losses were: runner 1 = 162.7 min, 3.02 kg; runner 2 = 164.6 min, 2.43 kg. Mean skin temperature was similar throughout the race in the two runners, although they exhibited a marked disparity in temperature at individual skin sites. Tre plateaued after 35--45 min (runner 1 = 40.0--40.1, runner 2 = 38.9--39.2 degrees C). While runner 2 maintained a relatively constant level for the remainder of the race, runner 1 exhibited a secondary increase in Tre. Between 113 and 119 min there was a precipitous rise in Tre from 40.9 to 41.9 degrees C. Partitional calorimetric calculations suggested that a decrease in sweating was responsible for this increment. However, runner 1's ability to maintain his high Tre and running pace for the remaining 44 min of the race and exhibit no signs of heat illness indicated thermoregulation was intact.

Cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were studied in dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, and while awake resting or exercising for 30 min at either 6.4 km/h, 10% grade (32% VO2 max) or 8.0 km/h, 16% grade (50% VO2 max). The anesthetized dogs had lower cardiac outputs, stroke volumes, arterial-mixed venous oxygen differences, oxygen uptakes, rectal temperatures, and higher diastolic and mean arterial pressures than awake resting dogs. Heart rates and arterial systolic pressures were similar in the two conditions. The increased oxygen uptakes during exercise were associated with approximately equal percentage increments in cardiac outputs and oxygen extractions. Cardiac output increases during exercise were largely due to increases in heart rates. Arterial CO2 tension and CO2 contents as well as venous O2 and CO2 gas tensions and contents declined, and pH and rectal temperatures increased during exercise. The dogs became alkalotic during exercise. Elevated central body temperatures appeared to be the major factor controlling respiration.

The physiological adjustments of the men to both aerobic (5.6 km/h, up 9% grade), and maximal treadmill work were first determined when they were healthy college students, ages 18-22 yr. They were restudied at ages 40-44, and again at ages 49-53 yr. In the aerobic walk VO2 increased in proportion to weight gain, but efficiency did not change with age. The men who had gained most weight showed the greatest elevations of heart rate, blood lactate and "ventilatory equivalent," and reductions of the "O2 pulse" in the walk. At age 50 mean "O2 pulse" in exhausting work had declined 13%, even though mean maximal heart rate had declined 15 beats/min from values observed in youth. At ages 40-44 yr mean VO2 max had declined 25% to values 12% lower than mean values reported in 1938 for men of this age. Eight of the men imporved an average of 11% in VO2 max between ages 40-44 and 49-53 yr; mean VO2 max of the others continued to decline with age. The five men who improved most had increased their participation in vigorous activities (tennis, squash, skiing, jogging, etc.) and had quit or reduced their smoking.

Twelve subjects completed a progressive treadmill test to maximal aerobic capacity while breathing air or a 79% helium--21% oxygen gas mixture (HeO2). Metabolic and thermoregulatory responses to work while breathing the two mixtures were compared at rest, 30-40%, 60-70%, and 85-90% of maximal performance, and at maximal effort. Ventilation, ventilatory equivalent, and respiratory rates were increased and oxygen uptakes decreased by breathing HeO2 when the level of work exceeded 85-90% of maximum. Heat loss through the respiratory tract was greater breathing HeO2. The reduction in maximal oxygen uptake is probably due to a reduction in the oxygen cost of breathing a less dense gas. It was not related to a lower body temperature and probably not to O2 transport or circulatory limitation. HeO2 breathing had no effect on maximal mechanical work capacity.