Modification of blood serum DSC profiles by sauna treatments in cross-country skiers during the exercise cycle

Abstract

The study has evaluated the effect of sauna treatments on the blood serum of professional crosscountry skiers (3 women and 6 men) during two exercise sessions: the first without any treatments and the second after ten sauna treatments. Aqueous solutions of serum samples from the blood of athletes collected in four stages in both exercise sessions: at rest, after exercise, after 1 h and 24 h rest and additionally only at rest after the first sauna treatment, were measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC results allowed to register characteristic post-exercise changes in the profile of thermal denaturation transition of serum. A trend of these changes was similar regardless of the use of sauna, but their intensity was stronger in the exercise session after the sauna treatments. In particular, the differences relating to the use of sauna have revealed in the higher temperature range of serum denaturation transition. Regarding the recovery process after exercises, a large individual variability was observed in both sessions.

The Effect of Medium-Term Sauna-Based Heat Acclimation (MPHA) on Thermophysiological and Plasma Volume Responses to Exercise Performed under Temperate Conditions in Elite Cross-Country Skiers

“…Recently, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in analyzing plasma heat capacity changes, Mourtakos et al [ 85 ] indicated that 5 days of exhaustive physical exercise of highly trained individuals enhanced the thermal stability of plasma albumin shifting its denaturational transition to a higher temperature. In our previous study, using DSC to assess potential alterations in the plasma heat capacity and to register characteristic post-exercise changes in the profile of thermal denaturation transition of serum after the sauna treatments [ 86 ], we indicated that the alterations in the plasma proteome denaturational profiles were not persistent. In accordance with Rocker et al [ 65 ], the change in intravascular plasma protein mass (TPP) was estimated.…”

“…Net total protein gained during and after the exercise test in group T2 was found not to be significantly different from that gained in control (T1). We reported that similar quantities of protein were added to the vascular volume in both the control and the MPHA groups after the exercise test; however, changes in the athlete’s blood serum proteome, conditioning the modification of serum DSC profiles in the session held after sauna treatments, were stronger than those in the session not preceded by treatments [ 86 ].…”