Clothing and sports-gear manufacturers have flooded the market with a range of high-tech fabrics that claim to keep your drier and more comfortable as you exercise. But are they worth the extra cost?

Researchers at Indiana University studied the effects of three different exercise outfits before, during and after exercise. They measured skin and core temperatures, oxygen consumption and heart rate in men wearing shorts and T-shirts of cotton, the same items made of evaporative synthetic fabrics or a swimsuit. There were no differences in the physiologic measurements among the three groups.

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Source:  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2001;33:2124-2130. (Abs.)