Human Body Temperature In The U.S. Has Decreased Over Time

Link to Article: Study Finds

Link to Study:eLife

What everybody grew up learning, which is that our normal temperature is 98.6, is wrong.

Way back in 1851 German physician Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich, declared that the standard human body temperature was 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Ever since, that reading has been universally considered the optimal body temperature of a healthy, “normal” human being. A whole lot has changed since the 19th century, and according to a new study conducted at Stanford University, that includes the average human body temperature.

Researchers say that the body temperature (Fahrenheit) of men born in the 2000s is on average 1.06 degrees lower than men born in the early 1800s. Similarly, women born in the 2000s have an average body temperature that is 0.58 degrees lower than women born in the 1890s. All in all, these conclusions point to a decrease of 0.05 degrees among the U.S. population each and every decade.

“Our temperature’s not what people think it is,” says Dr. Julie Parsonnet, a professor of medicine and of health research and policy, in a release. “What everybody grew up learning, which is that our normal temperature is 98.6, is wrong.”

While one could probably produce a number of theories or ideas as to why this is happening, the study’s authors say their temperature observations likely represent a “true historical pattern.” Essentially, researchers believe that our bodies are cooling off in response to changes in our living environment over the past 200 years.

Three distinct data sets from different time periods were analyzed for this study. The first consisted of U.S. military service, medical, and pension records for Union Army veterans from the Civil War. This dataset encompassed body temperature readings between 1862-1930, and included individuals born as far back as the early 1800s. The second was taken from a U.S. nutrition survey from 1971-75, and the third consisted of patient data from Stanford Health Care between 2007-2017.

All three of these datasets amounted to a total of 677,423 temperature measurements for researchers to study. Using all of that information, they constructed a linear model of U.S. body temperatures over time.

Now, thermometry has obviously improved over the past 200 years, and the study’s authors wanted to be sure that their findings didn’t simply represent improvements in thermometer technology. So, they looked into fluctuating body temperature trends within each individual dataset, working off the assumption that measurements within each set would have been taken using similar thermometers. Even then, they noted incremental decreases in body temperature across individual decades, effectively confirming their findings regarding the dataset as a whole.

As far as identifying a new ideal human body temperature, the research team say there are a number of influential factors on body temperature, such as age, gender, and time of day, that make if very difficult to settle upon one set temperature for everyone at any given point in time.

Expanding on the possible reasons for this nation-wide decline in body temperature, researchers say it could be connected to a drop in metabolic rate, which basically means we’re all using less energy. This drop in energy usage may be due a decline in inflammation among Americans.

“Inflammation produces all sorts of proteins and cytokines that rev up your metabolism and raise your temperature,” Parsonnet explains.

The American population largely live in comfortable settings, and in most cases, in homes complete with central heating and air conditioning. These wonderful temperature stabilizing tools make it much easier for our bodies to maintain a stable temperature, meaning we’re expending less energy.

“Physiologically, we’re just different from what we were in the past,” Parsonnet concludes. “The environment that we’re living in has changed, including the temperature in our homes, our contact with microorganisms and the food that we have access to. All these things mean that although we think of human beings as if we’re monomorphic and have been the same for all of human evolution, we’re not the same. We’re actually changing physiologically.”

From the moment i got out of bed this morning, ive taken my temperature from my temple region -- every hour for approx 10 hours now and my body temperature appears to average at 97.3, with a .1 fluctuation.

The human body is an amazing organic machine.

It heals on its own. As well as adapts to may different environments.

I spent a great many years in Oregon. When I lived there, I could be outside with a T shirt and shorts when it was 55F. Now I live in AZ. If it’s anything less than 75F — I have jeans and a hoody on.

My body adapted. And thank god it did. Otherwise, I’d die when it’s 115F outside here.

Nice thread S & F

Have lived with a body temp of 96.8. No dyslexia ... but blown off by medical 'professionals' forever.

Let's do the math:
96.8 + 1.8 = 98.6
98.6 + 1.8 = 100.4

Doctors (all of mine at least) can go to Hell.

Great OP: S&F

a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

Sounds like I'm normal then. Mine has always been 97.3 to 97.4 and it only goes above that when I'm sick.

I actually asked about that when I was in a hospital a few years ago and was told most people have the same average temp as me.

Very interesting, but it seems like not all Doctors and Health care workers got the memo, cause it seems they still use 98.6 as the normal baseline.

a reply to: KKLOCO

If it’s anything less than 75F — I have jeans and a hoody on.

I definitely agree with you on that! And with this bizarre central California weather for the past year or so, my body must be constantly having to adapt(given that I work outside, 5 days a week, almost all year round), which possibly explains why i always feel like s##t.

How long do you think it took for you to adapt to the AZ climate? Thats nearly the opposite of the weather you previously were living in, i bet it rough at first?

a reply to: KKLOCO

We also adapt seasonally.
At the end of summer when the daytime temps start to trend down we feel the cold more acutely than we do at the end of winter when we've adjusted to the colder conditions. I lived in the highlands for a couple of years with a fair amount of snow and ice in winter and noticed a significant change in how the cold affected me over just a single season. The first 'hot' day of spring/summer was also the most felt with subsequent even hotter days being less uncomfortable than that first one.

We work on the 'normal' body temp being about 37C but that varies even with where you stick the temp sensor so 36C to 37C is generally 'normal'. The body is very good at making these adjustments to local conditions but the current trend of a large majority of the population living in a reverse cycle aircon environment of constant temp and humidity might 'breed out' that capability over time.

a reply to: Blaine91555

Mine has always been 97.3 to 97.4 and it only goes above that when I'm sick.

Exactly! Now that im actually thinking about it - thats the only time my temperature would ever differ -- was when i would get really sick.

Must report in that the humans are finding evidence of being manipulated so they can survive on our ships as workers. Ermm, why did I type that? Oh, the think text set itself to on after the update again.

Interesting. Could it be that thermometers in the 1800s were a little off?

Yes, they will fall for that misdirection.

Taking records back that far and then using them like this is just fraught with silliness.

I am sure that during the Civil War the doctors did not have thermometers with this sort of accuracy.

Secondly, taking temps in a hospital and then averaging them includes all of the sick people that are in hospital because they are sick. So it is a sick people's average.

Just so much data used with no consideration at all for the accuracy of the records.

This happens a lot. Records used to make points when there is no reason to suggest the data is so accurate.

There is also no data on how the temps were taken.

Mouth / underarm / arse / vagina all have slightly different temps. Which method used also changed over time.

Idiotic data = Idiotic conclusions.

P

a reply to: Pilgrum

The body is very good at making these adjustments to local conditions but the current trend of a large majority of the population living in a reverse cycle aircon environment of constant temp and humidity might 'breed out' that capability over time.

I was just pondering on that thought, and now Im even more positive that's how it happened.
With the global weather ever-changing, that would include our bodies' temperatures, soo -- should we be updating the average human body temperature every-so-often?

originally posted by: Deplorable
Have lived with a body temp of 96.8. No dyslexia ... but blown off by medical 'professionals' forever.

Let's do the math:
96.8 + 1.8 = 98.6
98.6 + 1.8 = 100.4

Doctors (all of mine at least) can go to Hell.

Great OP: S&F

No idea what it is you are trying to say here.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

What I make of it is 1 Celsius degree = 1.8 Fahrenheit degrees
So 96.8F = 36C, 98.6F = 37C and that's the 'normal' range depending on where the sensor is applied (EG tongue, axial or butt etc). Internal core temp is less variable.

Above 100F (about 38C) is a fever and over 40C (104F) critical

as the sun cools over time, everything in the solar system cools.

Figured as much. I always felt a universal "ideal" body temp was absurd, but I was told not to use critical thinking skills and to stop being problematic.

In 169 years accuracy of body temp has improved by 0.05 should be the headline. Nobody is saying since Copernicus's Venus measurements, the planet has speed up rotating 8 minutes a day. He did the best he could with the tech he had.

Amazing the level of butt strain people put themselves through to release a fat turd of climate change proof.

medlineplus.gov...

This .gov site says norm temps are range between 97 and 99. So, I guess this new norm is still within the accepted norm.

originally posted by: AutomateThis1
medlineplus.gov...

This .gov site says norm temps are range between 97 and 99. So, I guess this new norm is still within the accepted norm.

Body temp fluctuates. It's not some cured concrete number. It's constantly trying to regulate itself so there is going to be a small acceptable window of change in there at all times. Nothing to do with what Greta is blowing a fuse over.

My body temperature is usually right around 97.0. My mothers was 97.0. My fathers was 97.0. My brothers runs 96.8. My granddaughters runs 96.8.

I noticed that my body temperature rises to around 98.5 if I drink milk. Been told that is evidence of a milk allergy by a doctor maybe sixteen years ago or so. I get a headache off of drinking milk or eating ice cream, but bromelaine takes care of that, so does fresh pineapple or grapefruit in the morning.

Now, they are saying the average is going down in this country, is that partially because many people have reduced the amount of milk they drink? There are a few big milk companies going bankrupt.

The lower body temperature has benefits and negative effects. People will need to learn how to deal with these like I did over many years.

Here is a site I found years ago about low body temperature. Some of you guys who have a low body temperature may benefit from some of the stuff in this site. This is an old site, when they talk about Wilson's syndrome, it could be that it is about undermethylation and the differences it causes in metabolism.

www.mall-net.com...

I have done a lot of research on this since my family has had this for a few generations. Both my daughters have temps averaging between 97.8 and 98.0. I do not understand why they are so much higher.

Remember, there are only differences in metabolism with differences in normal body temperature, nobody is better or worse than others. Diet can adjust your metabolism up or down, learning how to moderate things can be used as a personal tool to moderate your health.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

So, we are in agreement.

But, not sure why you brought up the Greta chick.