Abstract

The limited heat stores of the human body impose certain constraints upon exercise in cold environments. Immediate mechanisms of defence against the cold include the wearing of adequate clothing, shivering, and an increase of heat production by voluntary physical activity. Repeated cold exposure gives rise to a cerebral acclimation and possibly also to non-shivering thermogenesis through a hypertrophy of brown fat. Repeated exposure to moderate cold reduces body fat reserves, more so in men than in women, a finding of interest in the treatment of obesity. Cold also gives rise to a small immediate increase of aerobic performance, but a relationship between aerobic fitness and cold tolerance is not clearly established. Verf.-Referat