Immersion with menthol improves recovery between two cycling exercises in hot and humid environment.

Endurance exercise performance is impaired in a hot and humid environment. This study compared the effects of cold water immersion, with (CMWI) and without (CWI) menthol, on the recovery of cycling performance. Eight heat-acclimatized cyclists (24.1 ± 4.4 years; 65.3 ± 5.2 kg) performed two randomized sessions, each consisting of a 20-min cycling trial (T1) followed by 10 min of immersion during recovery and then a second 20-min cycling trial (T2). Mean power output (PO) and perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded for both trials. Rectal and skin temperatures (Trec and Tskin) were measured before and immediately after T1, immersion, and T2. Perceived thermal sensation (TS) and comfort (TC) were measured immediately after T1 and T2. Power output was significantly improved in T2 compared with T1 in the CMWI condition (+15.6%). Performance did not change in the CWI condition. After immersion, Trec was lower in CWI (-1.17°C) than in CMWI (-0.6°C). TS decreased significantly after immersion in both conditions. This decline was significantly more pronounced in CMWI (5.9 ± 1 to 3.6 ± 0.5) than in CWI (5.6 ± 0.9 to 4.4 ± 1.2). In CMWI, RPE was significantly higher in T1 (6.57 ± 0.9) than in T2 (5.14 ± 1.25). However there was no difference in TC. This study suggests that menthol immersion probably (1) improves the performance of a repeated 20-min cycling bout, (2) decreases TS, and (3) impairs thermoregulation processes.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author