AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 268, Issue 4 838-R850, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

The physiology of heat regulation

P. Webb

Heat regulation is presented as the physiological method of handling metabolic heat, instead of temperature regulation. Experimental evidence of heat regulation from the literature is reviewed, including more than 20 years of calorimetric studies by the author. Changes in heat production are followed by slow exponential changes in heat loss, which produce changes in body heat storage. Heat balance occurs at many levels of heat production throughout the day and night, and at each level there is a related level of rectal temperature. Heat flow can be sensed by the transcutaneous temperature gradient. The controller for heat loss appears to operate like a servomechanism, with feedback from heat loss and possibly feedforward from heat production. Physiological responses defend the body heat content, but heat content varies over a range that is related to heat load. Changes in body heat content drive deep body temperatures.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. Jay and G. P. Kenny Current evidence does not support an anticipatory regulation of exercise intensity mediated by rate of body heat storage J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2009; 107(2): 630 - 631. [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Jay, F. D. Reardon, P. Webb, M. B. DuCharme, T. Ramsay, L. Nettlefold, and G. P. Kenny Estimating changes in mean body temperature for humans during exercise using core and skin temperatures is inaccurate even with a correction factor J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2007; 103(2): 443 - 451. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. N. Sawka and J. W. Castellani How hot is the human body? J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2007; 103(2): 419 - 420. [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Jay, L. M. Gariepy, F. D. Reardon, P. Webb, M. B. Ducharme, T. Ramsay, and G. P. Kenny A three-compartment thermometry model for the improved estimation of changes in body heat content Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): R167 - R175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. H. R. Leite, A. C. R. Lacerda, U. Marubayashi, and C. C. Coimbra Central angiotensin AT1-receptor blockade affects thermoregulation and running performance in rats Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2006; 291(3): R603 - R607. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. G. Rodrigues, N. R. V. Lima, C. C. Coimbra, and U. Marubayashi Intracerebroventricular physostigmine facilitates heat loss mechanisms in running rats J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2004; 97(1): 333 - 338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Tikuisis Heat balance precedes stabilization of body temperatures during cold water immersion J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2003; 95(1): 89 - 96. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. McLellan, G. A. Gannon, J. Zamecnik, V. Gil, and G. M. Brown Low doses of melatonin and diurnal effects on thermoregulation and tolerance to uncompensable heat stress J Appl Physiol, July 1, 1999; 87(1): 308 - 316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. L. Robinson and C. A. Fuller Endogenous thermoregulatory rhythms of squirrel monkeys in thermoneutrality and cold Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 1999; 276(5): R1397 - R1407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Seale and W. V. Rumpler Synchronous direct gradient layer and indirect room calorimetry J Appl Physiol, November 1, 1997; 83(5): 1775 - 1775. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. D. van Marken Lichtenbelt, P. Schrauwen, S. van de Kerckhove, and M. S. Westerterp-Plantenga Individual variation in body temperature and energy expenditure in response to mild cold Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, May 1, 2002; 282(5): E1077 - E1083. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]