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My body temperature as far as I remember has always been around 35.6 degrees Celsius, that's a degree less than what is the usually quoted as the average temperature for humans.
Are there any known correlations such as a shorter/longer average lifespan or pronounced traits such as being more sensitive to warmer temperatures or later/earlier onset of hypothermia symptoms?

Or is it not low at all or low enough to have any noticeable effects.

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    $\begingroup$ There are many questions you ask, I would suggest revising to narrow it down. Temperature and 'its effects' is quite broad of a curiosity. What would you like answers to focus on? Have you tried searching online for some answers? Have you reached any conclusions? It appears that this information is readily available, and the data points in many interesting and sometimes conflicting directions, e.g. with respect to temperature-lifespan association: colder body temperature is associated with longer life, but women, who live longer on average, have higher core temperatures than men. It goes on! $\endgroup$
    – S Pr
    Commented Sep 17, 2019 at 11:25
  • $\begingroup$ I gave google scholar a quick search, and although longer temperature seems like an obvious one I coudln't find any paper easily that would point to that for either humans or animals. I was hoping someone might know some of top of the head, I understand my question my seem rather broad. $\endgroup$
    – mega_creamery
    Commented Sep 17, 2019 at 11:44
  • $\begingroup$ Are you asking about effect in general or for humans specifically. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Commented Oct 20, 2019 at 1:08

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Yes absolutely. Body temperature is associated with basal metabolic rate which is linked to life-span/body mass. Keeping your body at temperature is responsible for the majority of your caloric burden majority of your caloric burden, and having a lower resting temperature would mean you require fewer calories to survive. Higher body temps are thought to have been a defense against parasite infection, so reductions in body temperature might leave you more susceptible to disease, however a paper came out recently discussing falling body temperature in the US and its implications, and I think it addresses many of your questions in detail in the discussion.

Edit: To elaborate on that elife paper, they've identified a small reduction in average body temperature overtime using military medical records going back to the civil war. They postulate that the reductions they observe are due to improvements in healthcare and a potential decrease in chronic inflammation in the population which increases your body temperature.

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  • $\begingroup$ Can you elaborate on the major findings of that linked paper? Link-only answers are discouraged. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Commented Feb 9, 2021 at 8:06
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Whilst it is possible that your actual core temperature is actually lower than the normally quoted average of 37.5 Celcius by a degree, it may also be the case that where you are measuring is below the average rather than your actual core temperature. For example, you might be measuring under your armpit, and perhaps due to low circulation in that area, it does not fully reflect your actual core temperature. Just a thought. Mammalian enzymes have an optimum temperature range. Too low, and the rate of reaction is too slow to effectively support the organism. Too high, and the enzymes will denature (loose their tertiary and quaternary structure.) So if your core temperature really is a degree lower, we might expect your metabolism to be slowed due to the effect on enzyme catalysed reactions. The rule for this is expressed as Q10, Q10 temperature sensitivity units in stack biochem. Another possible effect is that a lower body temperature could mean being more prone to infection, as discussed in stack geneticsenter link description here. Temperature rise during infection (having a fever) is thought to be an attempt to thwart an infectious organism, so it follows that a lower temperature may aid teh infecting organism.

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    $\begingroup$ "Temperature rise during infection (having a fever) is thought to be an attempt to thwart an infectious organism, so it follows that a lower temperature may aid teh infecting organism." That doesn't follow at all. Successful pathogens are successful because they are adapted to the host organism. Their temperature optimum should be in agreement with the host organism's typical temperature. $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Sep 17, 2019 at 12:30
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    $\begingroup$ So why do mammals have a fever? It is an attempt to get rid of the pathogen. It might not always be successful, but so far when I've had a fever, I have got rid of the pathogen each time. $\endgroup$
    – Matthew Martin
    Commented Sep 18, 2019 at 11:21
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, of course. But decreasing the temperature below normal does not benefit the pathogen. On average, optimum temperature for a pathogen is aligned with normal body temperature. $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Sep 18, 2019 at 11:33
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    $\begingroup$ Some pathogens will usually infect the peripheral tissue because the core temperature may be too high. If I recall, the bacteria that causes leprosy is an example. $\endgroup$
    – CoffeeIsLife
    Commented Oct 19, 2019 at 3:58
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    $\begingroup$ Parainfluenzavirus is another pathogen whose growth is diminished at temperatures over 37 C. $\endgroup$
    – CoffeeIsLife
    Commented Oct 19, 2019 at 3:59

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