Skip to main content

Cold-Induced Thermogenesis

Meaning

Cold-Induced Thermogenesis is a fundamental physiological process by which the human body actively increases its metabolic rate and generates heat in direct response to acute or chronic exposure to a cold environment. This heat production is essential for maintaining core body temperature, a state known as thermoregulation, which is a critical aspect of metabolic homeostasis. This process involves both shivering thermogenesis in skeletal muscle and non-shivering thermogenesis, primarily mediated by brown adipose tissue. Understanding this metabolic flexibility is relevant to energy balance and overall metabolic health.