A new method for evaluating sweat function associated with preventing heat stroke based on ion reabsorption of eccrine sweat glands

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560319
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: KONDO Narihiko 神戸大学, 人間発達環境学研究科, 教授 (70215458)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OHMI Masato 大阪大学, 大学院医学研究科, 教授 (60273645) ; INOUE Yoshimitsu 大阪国際大学, 人間科学部, 教授 (70122566)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 環境適応能 / 発汗調節 / 汗の成分 / 汗腺 / 体温調節

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop and describe a simple method to evaluate the rate of ion (mainly sodium) reabsorption of eccrine sweat glands in human using the measurement of galvanic skin conductance and sweating rate. Seven healthy non-heat-acclimated male subjects received passive heat treatment both before and after 7 days of cycling in hot conditions. We confirmed that the sweating rate threshold for increasing galvanic skin conductance was near the predicted sweating rate during passive heating before exercise heat acclimation, and increased significantly after training. These results suggests that the relationship between galvanic skin conductance and sweating rate can serve as a new index for assessing the maximum rate of sweat sodium reabsorption of eccrine sweat glands in humans. The method is useful, and of interest to thermal and exercise physiologists, and may add reliable information on sweat gland capacities to reabsorb sweated ions.

Free Research Field

運動生理学