A 30-year study of body temperature variations correlated with menstrual cycle, seasonality, and aging

Abstract

Studies of human body temperature typically involve a small number of subjects or measurements taken over a relatively short timeframe. To enhance the size of the data-set and more reliably distinguish outlying values, oral temperature was measured each evening in a single female subject for 30 years. The results confirmed the well-known temperature variations during the menstrual cycle and the decreased temperature in older adults compared to young adults. The present study’s large data-set extended these results, revealing a gradual decline in temperature with advancing age during middle-age and a rapid decline in temperature during menopause. The results also revealed a convincing seasonal variation in body temperature that peaked in August and were lowest in February–March. A modest shift in body temperature was also related to daylight-saving time change. These results confirm and extend the findings of earlier studies, showing the relationship of body temperature to the menstrual cycle, seasonality, and aging.

Keywords:

• Body temperature
• seasonal variation
• menstrual cycles
• age-related temperature