YAMAMOTO A and TAMURA T. Changes of thermoregulation during the menstrual cycle. Jpn. J. Biometeor., 35: 45-52, 1998. -The effects of the human menstrual cycle on thermoregulatory responses were examined on eight healthy women in a climatic chamber controlled at 28 Ž and 50% r.h. The physiological and psychological responses of each subject were measured in the three stages of her menstrual cycle : luteal phase(l), menstrual phase(m) and follicular phase(f). Rectal and oral temperatures were higher in L than in M and F (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in the metabolic rate, but the mean value was slightly higher in L than in the other two phases.weight loss due to perspiration in L was the lowest of all (p < 0.01). Mean skin temperature was higher in L than in M(p <0.05), but not significantly different between L and F. This is because skin temperature of the trunk regions was higher in L than in F, whereas skin temperature of the peripheral regions was lower in L than in F. As for thermal sensation, most subjects felt cooler in L than in F and M, dispite no change in the environment. These results show that the menstrual cycle affects both thermoregulation and thermal sensation in women. Key words: Menstrual cycle, Skin temperature, Thermoregulation, Thermal sensation, Insensible perspiration Faculty of Home Economics, Bunka Women's University Correspondence Address: Teruko TAMURA, Faculty of Home Economics, Bunka Women's University, 3-22-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8523
Table 1. Physical characteristics of the subjects *S.E.: standard error.
Fig. 1 Measuring regions of skin temperature. Table 2. Scales for thermal and comfortable sensation
Fig. 2 Changes of rectal and oral temperature during menstrual cycle. Values are means }SE. Datum marked with was obtained from the experimental data of four subjects. **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. Fig. 3 Changes of metabolic rate during menstrual cycle. Values are means }S.E. Fig. 4 Changes of weight loss during menstrual cycle. Values are means }S.E. **p< 0.01.
Fig. 5-1 Distributions of skin temperature of front human body during menstrual cycle. Values are means }S.E. ** p <0.01, *p < 0.05. Fig. 5-2 Distributions of skin temperature of back human body during menstrual cycle. Values are means } S.E. ** p < 0.01, *p <0.05.
(50) 山 本顕 子 田村 照 子 Fig. 6-1 Thermograms of front human body during menstrual cycle (Subject G). Fig. 6-2 Thermograms of back human body during menstrual cycle (Subject G).
Fig. 7 Changes of mean skin temperature during menstrual cycle. Values are means }S.E. *p < 0.05. Fig. 8 Changes of thermal and comfortable sensation during menstrual cycle. Values are means } S.E. *p < 0.05.
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