%0 Journal Article
%T Improvement in exercise capacity and delayed anaerobic metabolism induced by far
%A Ada Ferri
%A Francesca Dotti
%A Maurizia Botti
%A Mauro Contini
%A Piergiuseppe Agostoni
%A Pierluigi Berardi
%A Valentina Mantegazza
%J European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
%@ 2047-4881
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/2047487318768598
%X Far-infrared-emitting garments have several biological properties including the capability to increase blood perfusion in irradiated tissues. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether far-infrared radiation increases exercise capacity and delays anaerobic metabolism in healthy subjects. With a double-blind, crossover protocol, a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed in 20 volunteers, wearing far-infrared or common sport clothes, identical in texture and colour. Comparing far-infrared with placebo garments, higher oxygen uptake at peak of exercise and longer endurance time were observed (peak oxygen uptake 38.0£¿¡À£¿8.9 vs. 36.2£¿¡À£¿8.5£¿ml/kg/min, endurance time 592£¿¡À£¿85 vs. 570£¿¡À£¿71 seconds; P£¿<£¿0.01); the anaerobic threshold was significantly delayed (anaerobic threshold time 461£¿¡À£¿93 vs. 417£¿¡À£¿103 seconds) and anaerobic threshold oxygen uptake and anaerobic threshold oxygen pulse were significantly higher (25.3£¿¡À£¿6.4 vs. 20.9£¿¡À£¿5.4£¿ml/kg/min and 13.3£¿¡À£¿3.8 vs. 12.4£¿¡À£¿3.3£¿ml/beat, respectively). In 10 subjects the blood lactate concentration was measured every 2 minutes during exercise and at peak; lower values were observed with far-infrared fabrics compared to placebo from the eighth minute of exercise, reaching a significant difference at 10 minutes (3.6£¿¡À£¿0.83 vs. 4.4£¿¡À£¿0.96£¿mmol/l; P£¿=£¿0.02). In healthy subjects, exercising with a far-infrared outfit is associated with an improvement in exercise performance and a delay in anaerobic metabolism. In consideration of the acknowledged non-thermic properties of functionalised clothes, these effects could be mediated by an increase in oxygen peripheral delivery secondary to muscular vasodilation. These data suggest the need for testing far-infrared-emitting garments in patients with exercise limitation or in chronic cardiovascular and respiratory patients engaged in rehabilitation programmes
%K Far-infrared-emitting fabrics
%K muscular perfusion
%K peripheral oxygen delivery
%K exercise performance
%K cardiopulmonary exercise test
%K anaerobic metabolism
%K anaerobic threshold
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2047487318768598