Heat: How Much Can the Human Body Take?

Climate change, anyone? It's the hottest summer ever and the long-term forecast calls for more of the same. It's pushing our bodies to the limit, but you do you really know how our body responds to heat, and how and when it gets to be too much? Grab a cool drink and check out this episode of Vitals.

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Find our experts and hosts:

:: Sheena William, RN ::
Twitter: @Keepingitkinky1
Instagram: @keepingitkinky

:: Alok Patel, MD ::
Website: http://alokpatelmd.com/
Twitter: @AlokPatelMD
Instagram: @alokpatelmd

:: Caitlin Rublee, MD ::
https://www.coloradowm.org/caitlin-ru...
Rublee is Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the University of Colorado School of Public Health. Her research addresses the climate crisis through health policy and evidence-informed practice, as she teaches a new generation of physicians and health industry leaders.

:: Pam Reed ::
https://www.pamreedultra.com/
Reed is a legendary endurance athlete and ultramarathoner whose feats include record-setting victories in the 135-mile Badwater race in 2002 and 2003. In summer 2023, at age 62, she completed the Desert States 100, the Badwater and the Hardrock 100 all within three weeks.

Thanks to sports photographer Jacob Banta, who took those great shots of Pam at this year's race.
https://www.bantavisuals.com/

Want to Read More?

Are heat deaths undercounted?
https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/08/31/...

Record-Breaking Heat
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/....

Europe's Deadly Heat Waves
https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159...

The Future Forecast
https://time.com/6198720/heatwave-hea...
https://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...

More On the Heat Index
https://www.weather.gov/ama/heatindex...

Heat-Related Illness
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heat...

Heat, Air Pollution & the Lungs
https://www.lung.org/blog/summer-heat...

Medications That Raise Risk
https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/m...

The Hypothalamus
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/bird-hy....

The Badwater 135 Race
https://www.badwater.com/

00:00 Intro
00:20 Counting heat deaths
01:31 List of deadly heat waves
02:58 How the body naturally stays cool (explaining sweat)
03:46 Heat exhaustion & heat stroke
04:39 water or sports drinks?
05:49 Heat's effect on different body systems
07:28 Ultramarathoner Pam Reed
11:11 Acclimating to heat
12:35 Medications that raise risk