Does a fever burn carbs?

[Beekel]

If you have read my other post you know I am in bed with the flu/cold crud. At this point death feels like an option, just kidding but you know what I mean. I have been in bed for 2 1/2 days but I am continuing to lose weight. Can it be the fever I've had for the last few days? Just wondering being that I'm not exersizing.

[momtomany1]

Re: Does a fever burn carbs?

I always lose when I am sick. Fever burns calories. I hope you are better soon!

[Elizellen]

Re: Does a fever burn carbs?

You could be getting dehydrated, so keep drinking water to avoid that.

[Georgiana]

Re: Does a fever burn carbs?

Beekel, you do indeed burn some calories when you have fever, but that amount is very small and, unless you eat less, has no contribution towards your weight loss.

Heat is a form of energy. The higher your body temperature is, the more heat (i.e. energy) you will radiate. It's the same thing you would see by heating a pot on the stove -- the hotter the pot becomes, the hotter you feel it if, let's say, you put your finger half an inch away from it. So if you have fever, you are losing energy by radiating it away. Calories are a measuring unit for energy, so when you say, "I burnt 300 calories at the gym today", what it means is that you lost 300 calories of energy (which is about the same energy you would need to completely lift an Audi S5 3 inches off the ground, in case you look for a new exercise :P). Since you cannot naturally control the energy you lose through fever (like, when you lift weights, you can lift more or less, but you cannot control by how much your body temperature increases), this lost energy is computed as part of your BMR.

For an increase of 1 deg Fahrenheit (that's about 0.5 Celsius), your BMR increases by approximately 7%. If you have a temperature of 102 F (38.9 C), this means an increase of 21%. Based on your signature, your BMR is around 1640 calories, so 21% means roughly 350 calories per day. On the other hand, if you usually exercise, your activity level probably decreased from moderate to sedentary, which is equivalent to a decrease in your BMR of about 400 calories. The net result is that your BMR actually decreased by 50 calories. So fever is not one of the reasons you are losing weight. As Elizellen advised you, make sure you are drinking enough water.

[milfit77]

Re: Does a fever burn carbs?

i also lose when i am sick.. i attribute it to not having much of an appetite and eating less. I agree. make sure you get enough fluids down!

[liv]

Re: Does a fever burn carbs?

Hmmmm - a whole Audi
That's all Georgiana?

Hope you feel better soon Beekel.