Study of Alcohol Effects on Body Responses and Perceptions in Hot Indoor Conditions for Adults Over 19

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how alcohol consumption affects physiological responses and perception during conditions similar to indoor extreme heat events. This study focuses on younger and older adults and aims to understand sex- and age-specific changes caused by alcohol intake in heat, building on recent findings that acute alcohol consumption does not negatively affect thermoregulation, hydration, or fluid balance markers compared to control fluids. Participants will be randomly assigned to consume either a placebo non-alcoholic beverage or an alcoholic beverage. Females will receive 0.75 b1 0.1 grams of ethanol per kilogram of body weight, while males will receive 1.0 b1 0.1 grams per kilogram. After consumption, they will rest in a climate-controlled room set at 40b0C and 30% relative humidity for 120 minutes, with the total study time lasting 180 minutes. During the study, heart rate, skin temperature, core temperature, blood pressure, heart rate variability, arrhythmia presence, skin blood flow, sweat loss, urine output, postural sway, and thermal sensation and comfort will be measured at baseline and every 30 minutes up to 120 minutes after drinking. Blood alcohol concentration and subjective alcohol effects will also be assessed over this period. These measures will help understand how alcohol impacts the bodys responses during heat exposure under controlled conditions.

Ethanol Consumption in the Heat