Body temperature is the temperature of the human or animal body. Depending on the species and genus, the body temperature, which is considered the normal, may vary. In humans, the average body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius.
What is body temperature?
Body temperature is the temperature of the human or animal body. In humans, the average body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. By body temperature, medicine and research understand the temperature that a human or animal body presents. This temperature differs depending on the species and genus. Birds have one of the highest normal body temperatures, with an average body temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, while humans are among the mammalian genera that have the lowest average core temperature. However, the normal body temperature always varies, even within a species, and is subject to a wide range of fluctuations. In addition, the measured temperature varies depending on the location of the body where it is measured. In humans, this core temperature, i.e. the temperature inside the body, is normally between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees Celsius. The average human body temperature is lowest in the morning and highest in the early evening (around 6 p.m.). In addition, however, it is not only the measuring point that affects the temperature determined, but also various external factors. Temperature fluctuations can be influenced by the ambient temperature, by the time of day and by physical activities. In addition to the core body temperature, there is also the so-called surface temperature of the body, which is usually and depending on the body area in humans between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius.
Function and task
For easier understanding, the body temperature could also be called the operating temperature of the body. This is because, as a rule, the vital metabolic processes of the organism can only run smoothly if a certain temperature is present in the body core. A value that is too low is often just as detrimental to the smooth functioning of the body as a temperature that is too high. Although the body temperature is always subject to different factors and also varies minimally to strongly from person to person, the average human body temperature in a healthy state is about 37 degrees Celsius (abbreviated to 37°C). The surface temperature mentioned is only relevant in a few medical cases. In most cases, the core temperature of the human being or animal is referred to (i.e. the temperature inside the body) when talking about body temperature. This is because it is the temperature that influences the vital processes in the body. It fluctuates throughout the day in every human being and is influenced by physical activity, the season, by stress, and also by medications and certain foods (such as caffeinated beverages). In addition, hormone levels also affect core body temperature, as is the case for women during ovulation, for example – during this time, a woman’s body temperature is usually half a degree Celsius higher on average than it is during the rest of her cycle.
Diseases and ailments
When the body temperature is too low, the organism cannot work without errors just as much as when it is too high. In both cases, various vital substances are destroyed. A common and well-known reason for an increase in the body’s core temperature is fever. A fever is defined as body temperatures that exceed 38 degrees Celsius. This is a defensive reaction of the body, with which it fights living microorganisms or foreign substances in its own organism. Fever is graded into mild fever (38 to 38.5°C), fever (38.6 to 39°C), high fever (39.1 to 39.9°C) and very high fever (40 to 42°C). Common triggers of fever in humans, as in animals, are inflammation, tumors, and trauma. However, a sharp rise in body temperature can also be a side effect of other diseases. A known disease that causes low temperatures is hypothyroidism. At high temperatures that exceed a body temperature of 40 degrees Celsius for a prolonged period of time, the body’s own proteins are structurally altered.This process is called denaturation in medicine and it costs the proteins their function. As a result, elevated body temperature can lead to organ and tissue damage. A core body temperature that exceeds 42 degrees Celsius causes circulatory collapse and is considered life-threatening. Therefore, it should be treated immediately in the hospital. A body temperature that exceeds 44 degrees Celsius can lead to death. If the body temperature falls below normal, oxygen consumption is throttled by the body. Various vital metabolic processes of the organism also suffer as a result. A so-called undertemperature can also be caused by illnesses, but above all by strong cold effects from the outside. Common examples of causes of an undertemperature are a too long stay in a too cold body of water. When the body temperature falls below 27 degrees Celsius, medicine speaks of life-threatening hypothermia, as the pulse and respiration are throttled and respiratory or cardiovascular arrest can occur. If the body temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius, this leads to death.
