The effects of face cooling during hyperthermic exercise in man: evidence for an integrated thermal, neuroendocrine and behavioural response

The present study investigated whether face cooling reduced both the perceived exertion (RPE) and prolactin (PRL) release during hyperthermic exercise. Ten, non‐heat‐acclimated males (23 ± 2 years; maximal oxygen consumption, 56 ± 7 ml kg –1 min –1 [mean ± s.d. ]) exercised for 40 min on a cycle ergometer at 65% of their peak aerobic power, at an ambient temperature of 33°C (27% relative humidity) with (FC) and without face cooling as a control (CON). With FC, forehead temperature was maintained ∼6°C lower than CON, while other skin sites were similar or slightly warmer in the FC condition. Rectal temperature increased by ∼1.5°C with the same time course in both conditions. A relative bradycardia was observed during FC, with heart rate approximately 5 beats min –1 lower than CON ( P < 0.05). Mean plasma lactate was lower during FC (FC, 5.0 ± 0.3 mmol l –1 ; CON, 5.9 ± 0.3 mmol l –1 ; P < 0.05) but no differences were observed for plasma glucose, which remained constant during exercise. Levels of PRL were maintained at 175 ± 17 mIU l –1 during exercise for FC, while values for CON increased to a peak of 373 ± 22 mIU l –1 so that towards the end of the exercise, for the same rectal temperature, PRL was significantly lower in the FC condition ( P < 0.05). Global and breathing RPE were reduced but only towards the end of the 40 min of exercise during FC, whilst subjective thermal comfort was significantly lower during FC ( P < 0.05). We confirm the substantial effect that FC has on the secretion of PRL during hyperthermic exercise but show that it makes a relatively small contribution to the perception of effort when compared to the effect of a cool total skin area as occurs with exercise in a thermoneutral environment.