| Table 4. Key Outcomes Summary | ||
| Physiological and molecular responses to whole-body heat exposure | ||
| Category | Outcome | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Effect | MVC ↓ | Reduced muscle strength after heat (~10%) |
| Acute Effect | Endurance ↓ | Faster fatigue under heat (~17%) |
| Acute Effect | Fatigue Index ↑ | Greater decline across contractions |
| Adaptive Response | Heat shock genes ↑ | HSP70, HSF1, HSP90 upregulated |
| Adaptive Response | Mitochondrial genes ↑ | PGC-1α, VEGF, mitochondrial markers ↑ |
| Adaptive Response | Antioxidant genes ↑ | NRF2 target and detox enzymes ↑ |