Resumo
Ten women, aged 18 to 34 years, served as subjects for this project to determine whether there was an acclimation effect due to repeated resting cold air (10(DEGREES)C) exposures.
The subjects were divided into two groups of five women each. One group, the acclimated (A) was exposed 10 times within two weeks, the first and the last exposures being the pre- and post-tests, respectively. The second group, the control (C) was exposed twice (pre- and post-tests) within 18 days. Measurements of rectal and skin temperatures, oxygen uptake, time to onset of shivering, and perceived cold were performed during all exposures.
A significant increase was seen in time to onset of shivering, and a significant decrease was seen in thermoregulatory heat production in the A group, and these changes were evident after about fiveexposures. A reduction in the feeling of discomfort was also seen with acclimation. However, no difference was seen in final body temperatures (rectal, mean skin, mean body and great toe) or in tissue insulation.
There was an acclimation effect from the repeated cold air exposures evidenced by the delayed onset of shivering, reduced cold induced thermogenesis, reduced heat loss, and increased feeling of well being by the acclimated subjects over the 10 exposures, and the adaptive responses appeared around the fifth and sixth exposures.
