Development of a practical body cooling method using a low-temperature carbonated spring

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K11384
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka,Shizuoka College
• Principal Investigator: Hayashi Keiji 静岡県立大学短期大学部, 短期大学部, 教授 (00431677)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 皮膚血管拡張 / 皮膚血流量 / 二酸化炭素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this research project was to collect basic data and examine how skin blood flow changes depending on the water temperature, concentration, and skin temperature of the CO2-rich water. The results also showed that cutaneous vasodilation was maintained when the skin temperature was maintained relatively high during immersion even the water temperature was low. In addition, the effect of immersion in the lower limbs was examined as a cooling method, and it became clear that the cooling effect of the CO2-rich water cannot be expected unless the cooling area is large. These findings suggest that in order to obtain the body cooling effect of CO2-rich water, it is important to start cooling at high skin temperature and to increase the cooling area.

Free Research Field

運動生理学、環境生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

通常、炭酸泉は温浴効果を高めることを目的として使用される。これを、高体温状態からの素早い回復を目的とした身体冷却を目的として使用する点で独創的な研究である。研究の結果、炭酸泉が水道水よりも高い冷却効率を示すには、炭酸泉の水温や濃度、冷却開始時の皮膚温の状態などが影響し、冷却面積をある程度確保しておかないと効果がみられないことも明らかとなった。これらは、炭酸泉を用いて身体冷却を行う際に抑えておくべきポイントであり、これらの条件を満たすことで、低温炭酸泉浸漬が新しい身体冷却方法として提案できるものと期待できる。