TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex differences in the physiological adaptations to heat acclimation: A state-of-the-art review

AU - Wickham, Kate Aiko

AU - Wallace, Phillip J

AU - Cheung, Stephen S

N1 - (Ekstern)

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Over the last few decades, females have significantly increased their participation in athletic competitions and occupations (e.g. military, firefighters) in hot and thermally challenging environments. Heat acclimation, which involves repeated passive or active heat exposures that lead to physiological adaptations, is a tool commonly used to optimize performance in the heat. However, the scientific community’s understanding of adaptations to heat acclimation are largely based on male data, complicating the generalizability to female populations. Though limited, current evidence suggests that females may require a greater number of heat acclimation sessions or greater thermal stress to achieve the same magnitude of physiological adaptations as males. The underlying mechanisms explaining the temporal sex differences in the physiological adaptations to heat acclimation are currently unclear. Therefore, the aims of this state-of-the-art review are to: (i) present a brief yet comprehensive synthesis of the current female and sex difference literature, (ii) highlight sex-dependent (e.g. anthropometric, menstrual cycle) and sex-independent factors (e.g. environmental conditions, fitness) influencing the physiological and performance adaptations to heat acclimation, and (iii) address key avenues for future research.

AB - Over the last few decades, females have significantly increased their participation in athletic competitions and occupations (e.g. military, firefighters) in hot and thermally challenging environments. Heat acclimation, which involves repeated passive or active heat exposures that lead to physiological adaptations, is a tool commonly used to optimize performance in the heat. However, the scientific community’s understanding of adaptations to heat acclimation are largely based on male data, complicating the generalizability to female populations. Though limited, current evidence suggests that females may require a greater number of heat acclimation sessions or greater thermal stress to achieve the same magnitude of physiological adaptations as males. The underlying mechanisms explaining the temporal sex differences in the physiological adaptations to heat acclimation are currently unclear. Therefore, the aims of this state-of-the-art review are to: (i) present a brief yet comprehensive synthesis of the current female and sex difference literature, (ii) highlight sex-dependent (e.g. anthropometric, menstrual cycle) and sex-independent factors (e.g. environmental conditions, fitness) influencing the physiological and performance adaptations to heat acclimation, and (iii) address key avenues for future research.

KW - Heat acclimation

KW - Heat stress

KW - Sex differences

KW - Thermal load

KW - Thermal physiology

U2 - 10.1007/s00421-020-04550-y

DO - 10.1007/s00421-020-04550-y

M3 - Review

C2 - 33205218

AN - SCOPUS:85096095670

VL - 121

SP - 353

EP - 367

JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology

JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology

SN - 1439-6319

IS - 2

ER -