Children in sauna: hormonal adjustments to intensive short thermal stress.
Hormonal response to Finnish sauna bath was investigated in 20 prepubertal children (age 5-10 years). Blood leukocyte count, plasma potassium, serum aldosterone, growth hormone and prolactin concentrations increased; plasma volume, plasma sodium, catecholamines, serum antidiuretic hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), cortisol, and thyrotropin concentrations remained unchanged during sauna bath. One hour after sauna, serum thyrotropin, atrial natriuretic peptide and blood glucose concentrations decreased, whereas the rest of the hormones remained unchanged. Our results implicate that maintenance of homeothermia resulted in moderate hormonal changes in children during Finnish sauna bath which indicate similar adequate hormonal thermoregulatory adjustment as previously documented in adults.
Jokinen
E
E
Cardiorespiratory Research Unit, University of Turku, Finland.
Välimäki
I
I
Marniemi
J
J
Seppänen
A
A
Irjala
K
K
Simell
O
O
D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029002:Steam Bath; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology
D002395:Catecholamines; D006728:Hormones