Effect of Water Biking in Hot Versus Neutral Water for Heat Acclimatation (THERMIDOR)

Effect of Hot Versus Neutral Water for Heat Acclimatation and Sport Performance During a Water Biking Training Protocol : Controlled Randomised Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the efficiency of water biking training in hot (35°C) versus neutral (25°C) temperature water to elicite heat acclimation in healthy recreative athletes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy; Heat Exposure
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Water Biking in hot water condition; Other: Water Biking in neutral water condition

Detailed Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the efficiency of water biking training in hot (35°C) versus neutral (25°C) temperature water to elicite heat acclimation in healthy recreative athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the water biking training protocol in hot versus neutral temperature water improve the time trial in an artificially hot and humid indoor environment?
• Does the water biking training protocol in hot versus neutral temperature water improve the VO2 max performance and force/velocity profile in neutral indoor environment?
• What are the main acclimation adaptations (central and cutaneous temperature), heart rate, cardiac function, sweating quality, sleep quality, haematologic profile.

Participants will have to do pre and post training tests in both normal environment (cardiorespiratory stress test, force/velocity profile test, echocardiography) and artificially hot and humid indoor environment (time trial). The training protocols consists in 10 sessions of 1 hour of water bike aerobic training (5 times a week for 2 weeks) at an intensity based on the heart rate corresponding to the 1st respiratory threshold, in hot (interventional group IG: 35°C) versus neutral (control group CG: 25°C) water.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Montpellier, France, 34295
    • Département de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy people
• Sports practicing

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acclimatation already done (recent training in hot and/or humid) less than 2 months
• Heart disease recent or non controlled
• Heat intolerance
• Water phobia or inable to swim

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Hot water condition; Participants do the water biking training for two weeks, 1 hour a day, in hot water temperature (35°C)	Other: Water Biking in hot water condition; Training protocol includes 10 water biking sessions in hot water temperature (35°C) for this group
Sham Comparator: Neutral water condition; Participants do the water biking training for two weeks, 1 hour a day, in neutral water temperature (25°C)	Other: Water Biking in neutral water condition; Training protocol includes 10 water biking sessions in neutral water temperature (25°C) for this group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change of the distance traveled (meter) on a Time Trial between pre and post training tests in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room)	The participant has to perform the longer distance possible in 30 min on a stationary bike in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room). The change of distance (measured in meter) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st Time Trial will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd Time Trial will be performed the week following the program training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in VO2 Max (ml/kg/min) between pre and post training tests in normal environment	The participant has to perform a maximal cardiorespiratory test on a stationary bike in normal environment. The change in VO2 Max (measured in ml/kg/min) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st maximal cardiorespiratory test will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd maximal cardiorespiratory test will be performed the week following the program training
Change in Maximal Aerobic Power (Watts) between pre and post training tests in normal environment	The participant has to perform a maximal cardiorespiratory test on a stationary bike in normal environment. The change in Maximal Aerobic Power (measured in Watts) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st maximal cardiorespiratory test will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd maximal cardiorespiratory test will be performed the week following the program training
Change of "global longitudinal strain of left ventricule" (%) measured during an echocardiography between pre and post training tests in normal environment	The participant has to pass an echocardiography with specific measurment of "global longitudinal strain of left ventricule" (united in %). The change will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st echocardiography will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd echocardiography will be performed the week following the program training
Change on central temperature (°C) between pre and post training test in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room)	Central temperature will be measured during Time Trial in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room). The change on central temperature (measured in °C) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st Time Trial will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd Time Trial will be performed the week following the program training
Change on cutaneours temperature (°C) between pre and post training test in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room)	Cutaneous temperature will be measured during Time Trial in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room). The change on cutaneours temperature (measured in °C) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st Time Trial will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd Time Trial will be performed the week following the program training
Change of Na concentration (mmol/L) in the sweat between pre and post training test in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room)	Sweat quality will be measured during Time Trial in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room). The change of Na concentration (measured in mmol/l) will be assessed before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st Time Trial will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd Time Trial will be performed the week following the program training
Change of body weight loss (Kg) between pre and post training test in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room)	Body weight loss will be measured before and after Time Trial in hot and humid atmosphere (environmental room). The change of the body weight (measured in Kg) will be assessed between before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st measure of body weight will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd measure of body weight will be performed the week following the program training
Change of Sleep quality between the first and the last training session of water biking	Sleep quality will be measured after the first and the last training session using a specific sleep self-questionnaire (PSQI) to detect the effect of hot or neutral water training during the 2 weeks training program. PSQI : Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Qualitative questionnaire, no score measured.	The sleep self-questionnaire will be performed immediately after the first training session (Day 1) and immediately after the last training session (Day 10) of water biking
Change of force/velocity power (N/m) between pre and post training test	The participant has to perform a maximal force/velocity test to measure the force/velocity power on a specific fitness testing cycle (Monark 818 E). The change of force/velocity power (measured in N/m) will be assessed between before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st measure of force/velocity power will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd measure of force/velocity power will be performed the week following the program training
Change of sytemic low grade inflammation (CRP = C-Reactive Protein, mg/l) between pre and post training test	A blood test will be performed to measure the change of CRP concentration (measured in mg/l) between before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st measure of CRP will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd measure of CRP will be performed the week following the program training
Change of haematocrit (%) between pre and post training test	A blood test with complete blood count will be performed to measure the change of haematocrit (which is expressed in %) between before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st measure of haematocrit will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd measure of haematocrit will be performed the week following the program training
Change of hemoglobin level (g/100ml) between pre and post training test	A blood test with complete blood count will be performed to measure the change of hemoglobin level (measured in g/100ml) between before and after the 2 weeks training program.	The 1st measure of hemoglobin level will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd measure of hemoglobin level will be performed the week following the program training
Change of Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) on a Time Trial between pre and post training tests	The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) will be used to measure physical activity intensity level. The scale is from 6 to 20. The higher the score is, the higher the perception of effort is. RPE will be measured after the first Time Trial and after the second Time Trial (post training protocol).	The 1st Time Trial will be performed the week preceding the program training. The 2nd Time Trial will be performed the week following the program training

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Montpellier

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Periard JD, Travers GJS, Racinais S, Sawka MN. Cardiovascular adaptations supporting human exercise-heat acclimation. Auton Neurosci. 2016 Apr;196:52-62. doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.002. Epub 2016 Feb 12.
• Kelly M, Gastin PB, Dwyer DB, Sostaric S, Snow RJ. Short Duration Heat Acclimation in Australian Football Players. J Sports Sci Med. 2016 Feb 23;15(1):118-25. eCollection 2016 Mar.
• Zurawlew MJ, Walsh NP, Fortes MB, Potter C. Post-exercise hot water immersion induces heat acclimation and improves endurance exercise performance in the heat. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2016 Jul;26(7):745-54. doi: 10.1111/sms.12638. Epub 2015 Dec 9.
• Zurawlew MJ, Mee JA, Walsh NP. Post-exercise Hot Water Immersion Elicits Heat Acclimation Adaptations in Endurance Trained and Recreationally Active Individuals. Front Physiol. 2018 Dec 18;9:1824. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01824. eCollection 2018.
• Racinais S, Alonso JM, Coutts AJ, Flouris AD, Girard O, Gonzalez-Alonso J, Hausswirth C, Jay O, Lee JK, Mitchell N, Nassis GP, Nybo L, Pluim BM, Roelands B, Sawka MN, Wingo J, Periard JD. Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Sep;49(18):1164-73. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094915. Epub 2015 Jun 11.
• Zurawlew MJ, Mee JA, Walsh NP. Post-exercise Hot Water Immersion Elicits Heat Acclimation Adaptations That Are Retained for at Least Two Weeks. Front Physiol. 2019 Aug 28;10:1080. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01080. eCollection 2019.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 8, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 10, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): March 10, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 12, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 13, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): February 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 13, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 11, 2023
• Last Verified: February 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Acclimatization; Water biking
• Other Study ID Numbers: RECHMPL22_0076

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No