In order to investigate the effects of the concentration of chemical components of sea water on thermoregulatory functions, rectal, skin and mean body temperatures were measured continuously before, during total body bathing as well as during recovery period on land.
Eight healthy young men were subjected in the experiment. Their physical characteristics were in average 19.8±1.0yrs in age, 169.2±5.0cm in height, 57.1±3.1kg in weight and 14.0±2.6% in body fat fraction, respectively. Each subject bathed in sea water or in tap water for 15 minutes in the long-sitting position at 38.5°C of water temperature during bathing and took recovery on land for 60 minutes. Water bathing was conducted in individual subject with the concentration of chemical components of sea water at 0, 1, 3.5 and 7%, respectively.
The rectal temperature increased during bathing and decreased gradually during recovery period on land. Statistically significant difference (p<.05) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the rectal temperature during bathing and recovery period. The mean skin temperature showed a continuous increase during bathing and showed a rapid decrease during 20 minutes in recovery, and a gradual decrease after then. Statistically significant difference (p<.05) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the mean skin temperatures during recovery period. The mean body temperature also showed a continuous increase during bathing and rapid decrease during the first 20 minutes in the recovery period, and decreased gradually thereafter. Statistically significant difference (p<.01) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the mean body temperature during bathing and recovery period.