Acute Physiological Effects of Full-Body Far-Infrared Emitting Textiles on Young Road Cyclists

NCT07503977 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 60_15/03/2023
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 9
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Road cycling is a sport characterized by long, high-intensity training sessions. Cyclists train and compete in varying temperatures, which can affect their performance. Therefore, thermoregulation is a fundamental capacity in endurance sports such as cycling. Far-infrared (FIR) emitting fibers have recently been used in garments during and after exercise to modulate thermoregulation and enhance muscle recovery. Every competitive cyclist voluntarily underwent testing at a temperature-controlled laboratory after reading and signing the informed consent document. Participants were invited to three separate sessions at the laboratory. During the first session, essential personal information (name, surname, sex, age, height and weight) was recorded. In addition, an incremental test was performed on a cycle ergometer to measure VO2Max and ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1). Subsequently, they were randomly divided into two conditions: an experimental garment (EG) with FIR and a control garment (CG). Each test session consisted of 40 minutes at VT1, followed by a 5-second sprint at the end. During the test, various physiological parameters were assessed: Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate, body temperature (skin and core temperature), and sensations of exertion and sweating.

Conditions

Athletes; Cyclists

Keywords

Competitive Cycling; Performance; Thermoregulation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Body Temperature: Skin and Core

  During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, skin and core temperature were continuously recorded using Calera Research (greenTEG A.G., Rümlang, Switzerland) connected to a personal computer with dedicated software. The system is a heat-flux sensor and research device that eliminates outside environmental influences when monitoring core body temperature, and therefore delivers accurate results independent of the user's physical activity level or external conditions. The device provides access to high-resolution (1Hz) raw data including Core Temperature, Skin Temperature, Accelerometer, and Heat-Flux.

  From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

• Heart Rate

  During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, heart rate (HR) was continuously measured using a Polar H10 chest strap sensor, a device known for its measurement accuracy. The sensor was connected to the cycle ergometer software to analyze heart rate in relation to the cyclist's power output.

  From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

• Oxygen Consumption

  During the constant-power test at VT1 intensity, oxygen consumption (VO₂) was measured using a metabolimeter (K5 Cosmed, Italy). Breath-by-breath analysis of exhaled gases was performed.

  From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Sprint Peak Power

  After the end of treatment at 1 hour

• Rate of Perceived Exertion

  From warm-up to the end of treatment at 1 hour

Study Arms (2)

Far infrared (FIR) garment

EXPERIMENTAL

FIR is a passive emitter composed of textile fibers integrated with bioceramics and photoemissive minerals. The fabric utilizes the blackbody principle: it absorbs the infrared spectrum emitted by body heat and reflects it back toward the skin in the form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, with wavelengths that penetrate up to 5 cm into the tissues, inducing resonance in the underlying cellular molecules. These fibers were used to create a suit that participants wore throughout the test.

Device: FIR

Control Garment (CG)

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

A suit that looked identical but lacked the FIR properties was used

Device: Placebo

Interventions

FIR DEVICE

FIR is a passive emitter composed of textile fibers integrated with bioceramics and light-emitting minerals.

Also known as: Far-Infrared

Far infrared (FIR) garment

Placebo DEVICE

a similar-looking suit but without FIR

Control Garment (CG)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• competitive cyclists with at least two years of racing experience

You may not qualify if:

• No current or past traumatic or overuse injuries within the 6 months prior to the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Urbino "Carlo Bo": collaborator
• University of Palermo: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Urbino

Urbino, The Marches, 61029, Italy

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: The participants dressed in a suit with FIR (Far-Infrared) properties that looked identical to the placebo suit. The evaluators also did not know which suit was the experimental one and which was the control suit.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Model Details: Double-blind crossover study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2026
• First Posted: March 31, 2026
• Study Start: April 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 25, 2025
• Study Completion: June 25, 2025
• Last Updated: March 31, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

IT (1)