Improving females' health and performance by mitigating heat strain

通过缓解热应激改善女性的健康和表现

• 批准号: MR/X036235/1
• 负责人: Jessica Mee
• 金额: $ 99.13万
• 依托单位: University of Worcester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FX036235%2F1
• 关键词: Improving; females; health; performance; mitigating

Climate change refers to the long-term shift in global temperatures, which may occur naturally, but human activities relating to burning fossil fuels is considered a main driver. As a result, the frequency and intensity of heat waves is increasing, exposing humans to unseasonable and dangerously high temperatures which harms human health. In the UK during the five heat-periods in 2022, where temperatures exceeded 40 degree Celsius, 3,271 excess deaths were reported which is estimated to increase to over 7,000 by 2050. Furthermore, audits reveal six cases of heat illness per 100,000 in an occupational setting, two cases per 1,000 in military personnel, and nine cases per 100 in athletes. Heat illnesses are largely avoidable with the implementation of appropriate, effective, accessible, and sustainable heat mitigation strategies combined with appropriate education for more susceptible individuals.To prepare for heat stress, consensus recommendations suggest individuals should exercise in the heat, for up to 14 occasions for >60-min, where core and skin temperatures are elevated and sweating is initiated (Racinais et al., 2015). This requires relocation to a hot climate or access to an environmental chamber, which can be costly and impractical. The widespread use of air conditioning is another approach widely used to help mitigate heat strain. However, the use of air conditioning is not accessible to some of the most vulnerable, in areas of poverty, and in occupations involving outside activity. Collectively, these heat mitigation strategies increase greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming and increasing the risk of future extreme heat events (Lane 2021). An improved understanding and utility of techniques for mitigating heat strain that are more sustainable, accessible, time efficient, and simple to administer such as adapting using hot water immersion, and cooling using electric fans, wetting the skin and cold-water immersion, has become an urgent research priority. Males and females differ in their responses to heat stress (i.e., external heat load) largely due to females having a reduced sweating capacity, especially during periods of high heat loss requirements (i.e., during high intensity exercise). As such, females may reach dangerously high body temperatures quicker than males and consequently, have been more frequently diagnosed as heat intolerant. Hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle modify responses to heat strain. For example, elevated progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (i.e., after ovulation before next period) increases resting body temperature, the onset threshold for sweating and the shift of blood to the skin surface for heat dissipation. Furthermore, perimenopausal and menopausal females experience additional heat sensitives, with the occurrence of hot flushes and night sweats which elevate their thermal discomfort. Despite known sex differences, audits reveal an under-representation of females as study participants, as such, heat mitigation guidelines, are underpinned almost exclusively by research conducted in men, without consideration of issues associated with the biological and phenotypical sex differences.The overarching aim of this proposal is to support females to navigate extreme heat episodes. We will assess more sustainable and accessible methods compared to current consensus, e.g., hot water immersion to adapt to the heat and cooling the skin to manage the heat. We will then generate bespoke female heat mitigation guidelines and distribute these to the public through available platforms to improve females' health and performance.

气候变化是指可能自然发生的全球温度的长期变化，但是与燃烧化石燃料有关的人类活动被认为是主要驱动因素。结果，热浪的频率和强度正在增加，使人类暴露于危害人类健康的不合理和危险的高温。在英国，在2022年的五个热周期期间，温度超过40摄氏度，据报道3,271例过量死亡，到2050年到2050年，估计会增加到7,000多人。此外，审计显示，在职业环境中，每100,000例热病六例，军事人员中有2例每1000例，在100例中，有100名运动员的案例。通过实施适当，有效，可及性和可持续的降温策略以及适当的教育，以使更易感性的个体进行适当的教育。要为热压力做好准备，共识建议表明，在> 60分钟以来，核心温度和汗水升高和汗水是Racinais et a Racinais等。）。这需要搬迁到炎热的气候或进入环境室，这可能是昂贵和不切实际的。空调的广泛使用是另一种广泛用于减轻热应变的方法。但是，在贫困地区以及涉及外部活动的职业中，某些最脆弱的人无法使用空调。总的来说，这些降温策略增加了温室气体排放，导致全球变暖并增加了未来极端热量事件的风险（Lane 2021）。对缓解热应变的技术的理解和实用性更为可持续，易于访问，时间效率且易于管理，例如使用热水浸没进行调整，并使用电风扇进行冷却，润湿皮肤和冷水的浸入，已成为紧迫的研究优先事项。男性和女性对热应激的反应（即外部热负荷）的反应很大，这主要是由于女性出汗能力降低，尤其是在高热量损失需求（即在高强度运动中）的时期。因此，女性可能比男性更快地达到危险的高体温，因此，雌性被诊断为不耐热的频繁诊断出。与月经周期相关的激素波动改变了对热应变的反应。例如，在月经周期的黄体期（即下一个时期排卵后）孕激素浓度升高会增加静息体温度，出汗的起始阈值以及血液向皮肤表面的转移以进行热量耗散。此外，围绝经期和绝经的女性会产生额外的热敏感性，并发生热潮和夜汗，从而提高了他们的热不适。尽管有已知的性别差异，但审计表明，女性作为研究参与者的代表性不足，因此，减轻降低指南几乎完全受男性进行的研究的基础，而没有考虑到与生物学和表型性别差异相关的问题。该提案的总体目的是为了支持女性来支持女性以导致极端热量epigation extrementy Extreme Featode。与当前共识相比，我们将评估更可持续和可访问的方法，例如，热水浸入以适应热量并冷却皮肤以管理热量。然后，我们将生成定制的女性降温指南，并通过可用平台将其分发给公众，以改善女性的健康和绩效。