Influence of tocopherol on temperature of upper limbs at local cooling.

The influence of tocopherol (300 mg/day for 7 days) on skin temperature, arterial blood pressure and pulse rate at local cooling of upper limbs (submersion of both hands in water at +10 degrees C for 10 minutes) in volunteers living in Dixon (74 degrees N in the Taimir national region) was investigated. The findings indicate that the intake of tocopherol prevents temperature decrease in response to cold exposure and promotes more effective initial temperature recovery. Under the influence of tocopherol the spastic reactions of microvessels in the skin to cold became milder.

Cold resistance estimated on the basis of fetal hemoglobin changes during acute general cooling.

In order to find a criterion for human cold resistance and adaptability we studied the reaction of hematological indices to acute general cooling of the whole organism (12 degrees C, 1 h) in 60 male volunteers 19-25 years old living in Norilsk (69 degrees N) for about 2 1/2 years. The first group of subjects comprised of cold adapted individuals whose professional activity was associated with 4-5 hrs daily work outdoor in cold environment. The volunteers of the second group regularly worked indoor and are considered a priori cold unadapted.