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Body temperature and plasma prolactin and norepinephrine relationships during exercise in a warm environment: effect of dehydration

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Summary

The effects of euhydration (Eh) and light (Dh1) and moderate (Dh2) dehydrations on plasma prolactin (PRL) levels were studied in 5 young male volunteers at rest and during exercise to exhaustion (50% of\(\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2}} {\text{max}}} } \)) in a warm environment (Tdb=35° C, rh=20–30%). Light and moderate dehydrations (loss of 1.1 and 1.8% body respectively) were obtained before exercise by controlled hyperthermia. Compared to Eh, time for exhaustion was reduced in Dh1 and Dh2 (p<0.01) and rectal temperature (Tre) rose faster in Dh2 (p<0.05). Both venous plasma PRL and norepinephrine (NE) increased during exercise at any hydration level (p<0.05). Plasma PRL reached higher values after 40 and 60 min in Dh2 and Dh1 (p<0.05). Plasma NE values were higher in Dh2 at rest and at the 40th min during exercise (p<0.05). Plasma PRL was linearly correlated to Tre and plasma NE (p<0.001) but unrelated to plasma volume variation and osmolality. Our results provide further evidence for the major effect of body temperature in exercise-induced PRL changes. Moreover, the plasma PRL-NE relationship suggests that these changes may result from central noradrenergic activation.

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Abbreviations

Tdb:

dry bulb temperature

rh:

relative humidity

PRL:

prolactin

NE:

norepinephrine

HR:

heart rate

Tre:

rectal temperature

¯Tsk:

mean skin temperature

Eh:

euhydration test

Dh1 :

light dehydration test

Dh2 :

moderate dehydration test

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division de Physiologie, Centre de Recherches du Service de Santé des Armées, 108 Boulevard Pinel, F-69275, Lyon Cedex 03, France

    B. Melin, M. Curé & J. Bittel

  2. Laboratoire de Physiologie A, Faculté de Médecine, UA CNRS 1196, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, F-69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France

    J. M. Pequignot

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  1. B. Melin
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  2. M. Curé
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  3. J. M. Pequignot
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  4. J. Bittel
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Melin, B., Curé, M., Pequignot, J.M. et al. Body temperature and plasma prolactin and norepinephrine relationships during exercise in a warm environment: effect of dehydration. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 58, 146–151 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00636618

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00636618

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