Bioceramic arm garment does not increase diameter of brachial artery and blood flow—Compliance and biceps microcirculation in male recreational sports practitioners at rest: A single blinded randomized cross-over study

• Use of a far-infrared (FIR) reflective arm garment for 40-minutes at rest in physically active men did not induce significant effects on brachial artery diameter, carotid–radial pulse wave velocity, tHb, HHb, or O₂Hb and skin temperature. • Under the conditions of our study (i.e., at rest in physically active men), the FIR arm garment are likely ineffective in improving micro- and macrovascular function. • From a practical standpoint, this technology is intended to be used during exercise or recovery. Based on our experimental design, it appears that the FIR arm garment would be ineffective in inducing any vascular benefit at rest if worn for 40 minutes before exercise and during the recovery period, when hemodynamic is stabilized. Interest in clothing that reflects far infrared (FIR) radiation naturally emitted by the body during and after exercise has increased based on the assumption that this can increase arterial and venous blood flow. Indeed, in vitro and animal model research seems to report promising effects of FIR on the nitric oxide pathway and microcirculation. However, to date, there are no well controlled studies investigating the effect of FIR garments on resting microvascular and macrovascular function in humans. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the acute effects of wearing FIR arm garments on vascular function. Thirty-one male recreational sport practitioners (4.9 ± 3.3 h of sport/week; 32.1 ± 9.5 years; 178.6 ± 7.9 cm; 74.1 ± 11.2 kg; 23.2 ± 2.5 kg/m 2 (mean ± SD)) completed 4 visits: repeatability measurements (2 sessions), placebo, and FIR conditions in random order. Measurements (i.e., without arm garment) of brachial artery diameter and blood flow, carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (CR-PWV), as well as total-, oxy-, and deoxy-hemoglobin were completed after 15 min of rest and repeated after wearing FIR or placebo arm garments for 25 min, 40 min, and 50 min. Two skin sensors were positioned on the upper arm and the forearm to continuously record skin temperature and pressure under the garment. The main results were that at all time points, compared to placebo, FIR did not significantly affect brachial artery diameter and blood flow, CR-PWV, or total hemoglobin (condition × time interaction: p = 0.22, 0.54, 0.51, 0.96, respectively). Moreover, no significant condition × time × sensor position interaction effect was found in skin temperature ( p = 0.99). However, pressure under garment was significantly higher under the FIR condition compared to placebo (+53%, p = 0.01, 95% confidence interval: FIR: 1.64–2.92 mmHg; placebo: 0.88–2.14 mmHg) while microvascular parameters were unchanged. Contrary to our hypothesis, wearing an FIR arm garment at rest does not lead to an improvement of either macro or microvascular function. These results suggest limited benefits in the sports context, notably during recovery.

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