Anatomy & Physiology › Section V · Metabolism and nutrition › Topic V.5
Energy and heat balance
Most of the energy your cells release ends up as heat, and your body has to keep that heat in balance with what it loses to the surroundings. This topic explains how the hypothalamus holds core temperature steady, how heat leaves the body, and how physiologists measure and estimate metabolic rate.
In this topic
- Heat is a by-product of metabolism
- The hypothalamus as thermostat
- Four ways to exchange heat
- Why humidity matters
- Worked example: cooling by sweat
- Fever and the set point
- Metabolic rate and BMR
- Worked example: estimating BMR
- Where daily energy goes
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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