Modification of blood serum DSC profiles by sauna treatments in cross-country skiers during the exercise cycle

The study has evaluated the effect of sauna treatments on the blood serum of professional cross-country skiers (3 women and 6 men) during two exercise sessions: the first without any treatments and the second after ten sauna treatments. Aqueous solutions of serum samples from the blood of athletes collected in four stages in both exercise sessions: at rest, after exercise, after 1 h and 24 h rest and additionally only at rest after the first sauna treatment, were measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC results allowed to register characteristic post-exercise changes in the profile of thermal denaturation transition of serum. A trend of these changes was similar regardless of the use of sauna, but their intensity was stronger in the exercise session after the sauna treatments. In particular, the differences relating to the use of sauna have revealed in the higher temperature range of serum denaturation transition. Regarding the recovery process after exercises, a large individual variability was observed in both sessions.