Last Updated on September 13, 2023 by Nazma
A person has a fever when1 they have a temperature of 100.4° F (38° C) or greater. In fever, a patient will feel warm to touch. This article explains calories, whether fever can burn them, and if they do, the causes behind it.
What are calories?
Calories are a unit of measurement2 to quantify the amount of energy in food and beverages, as well as the amount of energy that the body uses to perform various activities. When a person is sick, their body may need extra calories to fight fever or other problems.
The body uses this energy to perform various functions, such as breathing, circulating blood, and moving muscles. The number of calories that a person needs varies on the basis of a variety of factors. These factors include age, sex, weight, height, and activity level.
Can fever burn calories?
Yes, fever can burn calories as it increases the body’s metabolic rate. There may be some higher metabolic requirements during fever. When the body fights an infection or inflammation, it raises its internal temperature to create an environment that is less hospitable to pathogens. This process causes the body’s metabolic rate to increase, which leads to the burning of calories.
Researchers state that fever and infection lead to increased metabolic heat production3. This happens due to reduced dietary energy intake and negative energy balance in the infected host.
How does fever burn calories?
The body raises our core temperature during fever, which increases metabolism and results in sweating and extra calories burned.
Fever burns calories by increasing the metabolic rate of the body. The metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns calories to produce energy. It is affected by various factors, including body size, body composition, age, sex, and activity level. In fact,
only a 1 C rise in body temperature requires a 10–12.5% increase in metabolic rate4. When the body is experiencing a fever, the metabolic rate increases to support the immune system’s efforts to fight the infection or inflammation.
Additionally, while fighting an infection or inflammation, your body produces cytokines and other molecules that cause an increase in body temperature5. This increase in temperature causes the metabolic rate of the body to increase too. This rise in temperature leads to the burning of calories.
- Read about Empty Calories & Liquid Calories and Learn how does it affects our Health.
However, it’s important to note that fever can also lead to loss of fluids, dehydration, and loss of appetite, which can cause weight loss. Therefore, it’s important to take steps to manage the fever, such as staying hydrated and getting rest, and consulting a doctor if the fever persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms.
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