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Cited by 46Thermoregulation and physiological responsesThermal Regulation in MedicineBuilding Energy and Comfort Optimization

Diurnal and menstrual cycles in body temperature are regulated differently: A 28-day ambulatory study in healthy women with thermal discomfort of cold extremities and controls

Kräuchi, Kurt, Konieczka, Katarzyna, Roescheisen-Weich, Corina, Gompper, Britta, Hauenstein, Daniela, Schoetzau, Andreas, Fraenkl, Stephan, Flammer, Josef·2014·Chronobiology International
DOI 10.3109/07420528.2013.829482
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Abstract

Diurnal cycle variations in body-heat loss and heat production, and their resulting core body temperature (CBT), are relatively well investigated; however, little is known about their variations across the menstrual cycle under ambulatory conditions. The main purpose of this study was to determine whether menstrual cycle variations in distal and proximal skin temperatures exhibit similar patterns to those of diurnal variations, with lower internal heat conductance when CBT is high, i.e. during the luteal phase. Furthermore, we tested these relationships in two groups of women, with and without thermal discomfort of cold extremities (TDCE). In total, 19 healthy eumenorrheic women with regular menstrual cycles (28-32 days), 9 with habitual TDCE (ages 29 ± 1.5 year; BMI 20.1 ± 0.4) and 10 controls without these symptoms (CON: aged 27 ± 0.8 year; BMI 22.7 ± 0.6; p < 0.004 different to TDCE) took part in the study. Twenty-eight days continuous ambulatory skin temperature measurements of distal (mean of hands and feet) and proximal (mean of sternum and infraclavicular regions) skin regions, thighs, and calves were carried out under real-life, ambulatory conditions (i-Buttons® skin probes, sampling rate: 2.5 min). The distal minus proximal skin temperature gradient (DPG) provided a valuable measure for heat redistribution from the core to the shell, and, hence, for internal heat conduction. Additionally, basal body temperature was measured sublingually directly after waking up in bed. Mean diurnal amplitudes in skin temperatures increased from proximal to distal skin regions and the 24-h mean values were inversely related. TDCE compared to CON showed significantly lower hand skin temperatures and DPG during daytime. However, menstrual cycle phase did not modify these diurnal patterns, indicating that menstrual and diurnal cycle variations in skin temperatures reveal additive effects. Most striking was the finding that all measured skin temperatures, together with basal body temperature, revealed a similar menstrual cycle variation (independent of BMI), with highest and lowest values during the luteal and follicular phases, respectively. These findings lead to the conclusion that in contrast to diurnal cycle, variations in CBT variation across the menstrual cycle cannot be explained by changes in internal heat conduction under ambulatory conditions. Although no measurements of metabolic heat production were carried out increased metabolic heat generation during the luteal phase seems to be the most plausible explanation for similar body temperature increases.

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Crossref · 10.3109/07420528.2013.829482

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  • The diurnal rhythm of proximal skin temperature is more complex but under real-life conditions appears to vary in phase with the distal skin temperature rhythm.

    “The diurnal rhythm of the proximal skin temperature (e.g., infraclavicular region, sternum) is more complex but, under real-life conditions, appears to vary in phase with the distal skin temperature rhythm [48,49].”

    From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [49]

  • Distal skin temperature varies with the time of day.

    “Distal skin temperature (i.e., temperature of hands and feet) has also been reported to vary with the time of day [5,6,48,49].”

    From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [49]

  • Both core body and skin temperatures are higher in the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase.

    “As a result, both core body and skin temperatures are higher in the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase [49].”

    From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [49]

  • The time course of distal skin temperature does not exactly follow the time course in proximal skin temperature and its fluctuation is always characterized by larger diurnal amplitudes.

    “As we have discussed in the previous sections, the time course of distal skin temperature does not exactly follow the time course in proximal skin temperature and its fluctuation is always characterized by larger diurnal amplitudes [6,49].”

    From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [49]

  • There was no menstrual cycle phase effect on the distal-proximal skin temperature gradient, suggesting no change in internal heat conduction across the menstrual cycle.

    “There was no menstrual cycle phase effect on the distal-proximal skin temperature gradient, suggesting no change in internal heat conduction across the menstrual cycle [82]”

    From Temperature regulation in women: Effects of the menstrual cycle (2020) · cites this paper as [82]

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Authors
Kräuchi, K., Konieczka, K., Roescheisen-Weich, C., Gompper, B., Hauenstein, D., Schoetzau, A., Fraenkl, S., & Flammer, J.
Affiliations
University of Basel (CH)
Corresponding author
Kräuchi, Kurt
Venue
Chronobiology International
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2013-10-16
Volume
31
Issue
1
Pages
102-113
ISSN
  • 0742-0528 (ISSN-L)
  • 1525-6073
DOI
10.3109/07420528.2013.829482
OpenAlex
W2145543283
Cited by
46
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
FWCI
0.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Chronobiology International (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine › Thermal Regulation in Medicine
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
Keywords
menstrual cycle, diurnal variation, core body temperature, skin temperature, luteal phase, follicular phase, basal body temperature, heat redistribution, women's health, body heat loss, body heat production, body mass index, hand skin temperature, foot skin temperature
MeSH terms
Adult, Body Temperature, Body Temperature Regulation, Circadian Rhythm, Cold Temperature, Female, Follicular Phase, Humans, Luteal Phase, Menstrual Cycle, Skin, Skin Temperature, Sleep, Case-Control Studies, Monitoring, Ambulatory, Young Adult

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