HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- University of Houston scientists say they are investigating ways to identify people who are most susceptible to heat- and cold-related illnesses.
"Our group is interested in how exercise disturbs the immune system," Associate Professor Brian McFarlin said. "We are interested in developing potential risk factors that can be measured in an individual so that medical personnel can be alerted to those with an increased risk to cold or heat illness. Those are the people you are going to want to watch very closely, and possibly implement aggressive hydration strategies and more monitoring techniques."
The research is centered in a stainless steel, 10-foot-by-10-foot environmental chamber in which the temperature can be adjusted from 120 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. There scientists study subjects' blood and body temperature as they exercise on stationary bikes.
McFarlin says athletes who push themselves for marathons and other competitions place a lot of stress on their bodies, and that stress can impact their immune systems for up to 24 hours after their aerobic activity. He said recreational athletes can suffer the same immunity suppression by exercising in, or being exposed to, extreme heat or cold.
"We're certainly interested in collecting data that we can publish, but we're also interested in generating data that might be helpful to the larger population," he said.
