Acute Physiological Effects of Full-Body Far-Infrared Emitting Textiles on Young Road Cyclists

Acute Physiological Effects of Full-Body Far-Infrared Emitting Textiles on Body Temperature, Heart Rate, Power Output, Oxygen Consumption, Hydration, Perceived Comfort, and Hematological Parameters in Young Road Cyclists

Road cycling is a sport characterized by long, high-intensity training sessions. Cyclists train and compete in varying temperatures, which can affect their performance. Therefore, thermoregulation is a fundamental capacity in endurance sports such as cycling. Far-infrared (FIR) emitting fibers have recently been used in garments during and after exercise to modulate thermoregulation and enhance muscle recovery. Every competitive cyclist voluntarily underwent testing at a temperature-controlled laboratory after reading and signing the informed consent document. Participants were invited to three separate sessions at the laboratory. During the first session, essential personal information (name, surname, sex, age, height and weight) was recorded. In addition, an incremental test was performed on a cycle ergometer to measure VO2Max and ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1). Subsequently, they were randomly divided into two conditions: an experimental garment (EG) with FIR and a control garment (CG). Each test session consisted of 40 minutes at VT1, followed by a 5-second sprint at the end. During the test, various physiological parameters were assessed: Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate, body temperature (skin and core temperature), and sensations of exertion and sweating.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Athletes; Cyclists
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: FIR; Device: Placebo

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 9
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • The Marches
    • Urbino, The Marches, Italy, 61029
      • University of Urbino

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• competitive cyclists with at least two years of racing experience

Exclusion Criteria:

• No current or past traumatic or overuse injuries within the 6 months prior to the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Far infrared (FIR) garment; FIR is a passive emitter composed of textile fibers integrated with bioceramics and photoemissive minerals. The fabric utilizes the blackbody principle: it absorbs the infrared spectrum emitted by body heat and reflects it back toward the skin in the form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, with wavelengths that penetrate up to 5 cm into the tissues, inducing resonance in the underlying cellular molecules. These fibers were used to create a suit that participants wore throughout the test.	Device: FIR; FIR is a passive emitter composed of textile fibers integrated with bioceramics and light-emitting minerals.; Other Names: Far-Infrared
Placebo Comparator: Control Garment (CG); A suit that looked identical but lacked the FIR properties was used	Device: Placebo; a similar-looking suit but without FIR

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body Temperature: Skin and Core	During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, skin and core temperature were continuously recorded using Calera Research (greenTEG A.G., Rümlang, Switzerland) connected to a personal computer with dedicated software. The system is a heat-flux sensor and research device that eliminates outside environmental influences when monitoring core body temperature, and therefore delivers accurate results independent of the user's physical activity level or external conditions. The device provides access to high-resolution (1Hz) raw data including Core Temperature, Skin Temperature, Accelerometer, and Heat-Flux.	From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour
Heart Rate	During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, heart rate (HR) was continuously measured using a Polar H10 chest strap sensor, a device known for its measurement accuracy. The sensor was connected to the cycle ergometer software to analyze heart rate in relation to the cyclist's power output.	From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour
Oxygen Consumption	During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, oxygen consumption (VO₂) was measured using a metabolimeter (K5 Cosmed, Italy). Breath-by-breath analysis of exhaled gases was performed.	From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sprint Peak Power	5-second sprints were performed at the end of the 40-minute steady-state test. To measure power output, an SRM Ergometer was used, which is capable of measuring and setting a specific power level. The system is able to maintain a specific power level by adjusting the flywheel resistance and the cyclist's cadence.	After the end of treatment at 1 hour
Rate of Perceived Exertion	The modified Borg 6-20 scale for assessing perceived exertion (RPE) was used during the 40-minute constant-load exercise test at VT1. Measurements were taken continuously at 5-minute intervals throughout the test.	From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Palermo
• Collaborators: University of Urbino "Carlo Bo"

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 25, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 31, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Performance; Thermoregulation; Competitive Cycling
• Other Study ID Numbers: 60_15/03/2023

Drug and device information, study documents

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