Biomedical Research

Purpose: This study examined the effects of wear of functional clothing included germanium fabrics for single short time on the anaerobic exercise capacity and fatigue, oxygen carrier capacity.

Methods: Ten middle-age female subjects (52.7 ± 3.3 years) were randomly assigned double blind test to wear of germanium-treated functional clothing (Ge) or control clothing (CON) by cross-over repeated design with biweekly. Functional fiber was treated with ion such as germanium, magnesium or silicon (patent application: 2016-0063434). Subjects were performed Wingate test to measure total work and fatigue index, and blood was collected before and after the test. Two-way (2 by 2 or 6) repeated measured ANOVA was used to find out the interaction between the group and time, and the criterion for significance was set at an alpha level of 5%.

Results: There were no significant differences between the two treatment groups in fatigue index, total work and peak power (p>0.05), and no differences were observed in blood lactate, glucose and oxygen saturation (SpO₂), blood pressure (p>0.05). No significant differences were also observed between the two treatment groups in serum fatigue variables such blood ammonia, dopamine, LDH, CK and cortisol (p>0.05). However, RBC, hemoglobin and red cell distribution width (RDW) of Ge group significantly increased after test (p<0.05, p<0.01 respectively) in spite of there were no changes in CON group.

Conclusion: These results suggest that wear of germanium functional clothing might to affect the improved oxygen carrying capacity.

Author(s): Kim Ji-yeon, Park Dong-ho, Kim Hyo-jin, Kim Gi-won, Shin Yun-a, Kim Chang-sun
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