does your environment's temperature affect metabolism?

[maxpro2]

My question is having to deal with temperature and your metabolism. I am pretty sure that if your environment were really cold, your metabolism would speed up because it has to generate heat to keep your body warm. However, if the temperature is very hot and you are sweating a little bit, what effect does this have on your metabolism?

I ask this because I am back in college and this time there is no air conditioning - it is very hot, and it seems like I am always hungry as hell even though I am eating enough.

[sorry for the double post, but this thread wasn't getting any attention in general health]

 

[buildingup]

Dont think temperature will have that much of an affect but i think raised temperature causes your metabolism to rise a little!

 

[XcelKrush]

Dont think temperature will have that much of an affect but i think raised temperature causes your metabolism to rise a little!

Yeah, isnt that how thermogenics work to burn more calories?

 

[buildingup]

Yeah, isnt that how thermogenics work to burn more calories?

nope

 

[luke77]

Actually cold temperature increases your metabolism, although I am not sure how much. Your body has to work to keep itself at equilibrium temperature (~98.6), so if it's 30 F outside (and you aren't wearing heavy clothing), your body expends more energy to maintain its temperature.

 

[buildingup]

thats where ur wrong because its cold u body trys to conserve energy

 

[cpush]

nobody knows!

 

[maxpro2]

Yeah your body definitely makes heat when cold, thus speeding up your metabolism. But what about when it is really hot? I like eat a big meal and an hour later I am hungry as hell.

 

[Emma-Leigh]

Both are correct in a round about way.

When it is cold, your body has to increase thermogenesis in order to maintain your core body temperature and therefore you will use more energy (this is why you can get away with eating more in very cold environments). But, if it gets too cold, it will indeed start to shut down... which will kind of kill you eventually...

However, when you heat up over and above normal temperature the enzymes in your cells speed up (the energy it takes for them to do all those chemical reactions in your body decreases - so they can do those reactions a lot faster) - so you end up burning more calories too (which is why when you are sick you need more energy - because the fever/temperature speeds your body up). But it is not all that good because once you go above a certain temperature the proteins that form these enzymes (and other things) begin to unfold - which kind of kills you too.