TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of topical menthol gel on thermoregulation and perception while walking in the heat
AU - Rosales, Alejandro M.
AU - Walters, Matthias J.
AU - McGlynn, Mark L.
AU - Collins, Christopher W.
AU - Slivka, Dustin R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Fund for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences (FUSE) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Purpose: Menthol is known to elicit opposing thermoregulatory and perceptual alterations during intense exercise. The current purpose was to determine the thermoregulatory and perceptual effects of topical menthol application prior to walking in the heat. Methods: Twelve participants walked (1.6 m s−1, 5% grade) for 30 min in the heat (38 °C, 60% relative humidity) with either a 4% menthol or control gel on the upper (shoulder to wrist) and lower (mid-thigh to ankle) limbs. Skin blood flow (SkBF), sweat (rate, composition), skin conductivity, heart rate, temperature (skin, core), and thermal perception were measured prior to and during exercise. Results: Skin conductivity expressed as time to 10, 20, 30, and 40 µS was delayed due to menthol (559 ± 251, 770 ± 292, 1109 ± 301, 1299 ± 335 s, respectively) compared to the control (515 ± 260, 735 ± 256, 935 ± 300, 1148 ± 298 s, respectively, p = 0.048). Sweat rate relative to body surface area was lower due to menthol (0.55 ± 0.16 L h−1 m(2)−1) than the control (0.64 ± 0.16 L h−1 m(2)−1, p = 0.049). Core temperature did not differ at baseline between the menthol (37.4 ± 0.3 °C) and control (37.3 ± 0.4 °C, p = 0.298) but was higher at 10, 20, and 30 min due to menthol (37.5 ± 0.3, 37.7 ± 0.2, 38.1 ± 0.3 °C, respectively) compared to the control (37.3 ± 0.4, 37.4 ± 0.3, 37.7 ± 0.3 °C, respectively, p < 0.05). The largest rise in core temperature from baseline was at 30 min during menthol (0.7 ± 0.3 °C) compared to the control (0.4 ± 0.2 °C, p = 0.004). Overall, the menthol treatment was perceived cooler, reaching “slightly warm” whereas the control treatment reached “warm” (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Menthol application to the limbs impairs whole-body thermoregulation while walking in the heat despite perceiving the environment as cooler.
AB - Purpose: Menthol is known to elicit opposing thermoregulatory and perceptual alterations during intense exercise. The current purpose was to determine the thermoregulatory and perceptual effects of topical menthol application prior to walking in the heat. Methods: Twelve participants walked (1.6 m s−1, 5% grade) for 30 min in the heat (38 °C, 60% relative humidity) with either a 4% menthol or control gel on the upper (shoulder to wrist) and lower (mid-thigh to ankle) limbs. Skin blood flow (SkBF), sweat (rate, composition), skin conductivity, heart rate, temperature (skin, core), and thermal perception were measured prior to and during exercise. Results: Skin conductivity expressed as time to 10, 20, 30, and 40 µS was delayed due to menthol (559 ± 251, 770 ± 292, 1109 ± 301, 1299 ± 335 s, respectively) compared to the control (515 ± 260, 735 ± 256, 935 ± 300, 1148 ± 298 s, respectively, p = 0.048). Sweat rate relative to body surface area was lower due to menthol (0.55 ± 0.16 L h−1 m(2)−1) than the control (0.64 ± 0.16 L h−1 m(2)−1, p = 0.049). Core temperature did not differ at baseline between the menthol (37.4 ± 0.3 °C) and control (37.3 ± 0.4 °C, p = 0.298) but was higher at 10, 20, and 30 min due to menthol (37.5 ± 0.3, 37.7 ± 0.2, 38.1 ± 0.3 °C, respectively) compared to the control (37.3 ± 0.4, 37.4 ± 0.3, 37.7 ± 0.3 °C, respectively, p < 0.05). The largest rise in core temperature from baseline was at 30 min during menthol (0.7 ± 0.3 °C) compared to the control (0.4 ± 0.2 °C, p = 0.004). Overall, the menthol treatment was perceived cooler, reaching “slightly warm” whereas the control treatment reached “warm” (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Menthol application to the limbs impairs whole-body thermoregulation while walking in the heat despite perceiving the environment as cooler.
KW - Body temperature
KW - Galvanic skin response
KW - Skin conductivity
KW - Sweat rate
KW - Thermoregulation
KW - Transient receptor potential melastatin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165993822&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00421-023-05279-0
DO - 10.1007/s00421-023-05279-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 37505231
AN - SCOPUS:85165993822
SN - 1439-6319
VL - 124
SP - 317
EP - 327
JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology
JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology
IS - 1
ER -