| Abstrakt: |
Heat and hypobaric hypoxia independently compromise exercise performance; however, their combined impact on exercise performance has yet to be quantified. This study examined the effects of heat, hypobaric hypoxia, and the combination of these environments on self-paced cycling time trial (TT) performance. Twelve subjects [2 female, 10 male; sea level (SL) peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), 41.5 ± 4.4 mL·kg-1·min-1, mean ± SD] completed 30 min of steady-state cycling exercise (50% SL VO2peak), followed by a 15-min self-paced TT in four environmental conditions: SL thermoneutral [SLTN; 250 m, 20°C, 30-50% relative humidity (rh)], SL hot (SLH; 250 m, 35°C, 30% rh), hypobaric hypoxia thermoneutral (HTN; 3,000 m, 20°C, 30-50% rh), and hypobaric hypoxia hot (HH; 3,000 m, 35°C, 30% rh). Performance was assessed by the total work (kJ) completed. TT performance was lower (P < 0.05) in SLH, HTN, and HH relative to SLTN (-15.4 ± 9.7, <24.1 ± 16.2, and <33.1 ± 13.4 kJ, respectively). Additionally, the total work completed in HTN and HH was lower (P < 0.05) than that in SLH. In SLH, HTN, and HH, work rate was reduced versus SLTN (P < 0.05) within the first 3 min of exercise and was consistent for the remainder of the bout. No differences (P = 0.05) existed for heart rate or Ratings of Perceived Exertion at the end of exercise among conditions. The decrease in self-paced TT performance in the heat and/or hypobaric hypoxia conditions compared with SLTN conditions resulted from a nearly immediate reduction in work rate that may have been regulated by environmentally induced changes in physiological strain and perception of effort in response to TT exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
