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Endocrine effects of heat exposure and relevance to climate change

Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Climate change is increasing both seasonal temperatures and the frequency and severity of heat extremes. As the endocrine system facilitates physiological adaptations to temperature changes, diseases with an endocrinological basis have the potential to affect thermoregulation and increase the risk of heat injury. The effect of climate change and associated high temperature exposure on endocrine axis development and function, and on the prevalence and severity of diseases associated with hormone deficiency or excess, is unclear. This Perspective summarizes current knowledge relating to the hormonal effects of heat exposure in species ranging from rodents to humans. We also describe the potential effect of high temperature exposures on patients with endocrine diseases. Finally, we highlight the need for more basic science, clinical and epidemiological research into the effects of heat on endocrine function and health; this research could enable the development of interventions for people most at risk, in the context of rising environmental temperatures.

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Fig. 1: Possible involvement of hormones in thermoregulatory adaptation to heat.
Fig. 2: Strategies for improving the care of patients with endocrine conditions who are at risk of heat injury and other health events.

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Acknowledgements

F.M.H. and S.H.K. gratefully acknowledge the support of the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation. R.V.T. is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, and has received an NIHR Senior Investigator Award (grant number NF- SI-0514–10091).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation, Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Fadil M. Hannan, Taha Elajnaf & Stephen H. Kennedy

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Division of Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    Melvin K. S. Leow

  3. Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Melvin K. S. Leow

  4. Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Melvin K. S. Leow & Jason K. W. Lee

  5. Heat Resilience and Performance Centre, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Jason K. W. Lee

  6. Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Jason K. W. Lee

  7. NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    Sari Kovats

  8. Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

    Rajesh V. Thakker

  9. Academic Endocrine Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Rajesh V. Thakker

  10. National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK

    Rajesh V. Thakker

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  1. Fadil M. Hannan
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Contributions

F.M.H., M.K.S.L., J.K.W.L., S.K. and T.E. researched data for the article and wrote the manuscript. S.H.K. and R.V.T. reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors made substantial contributions to discussion of the content.

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Correspondence to Fadil M. Hannan.

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Nature Reviews Endocrinology thanks Nisha Charkoudian, Roderick Clifton-Bligh and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Hannan, F.M., Leow, M.K.S., Lee, J.K.W. et al. Endocrine effects of heat exposure and relevance to climate change. Nat Rev Endocrinol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-024-01017-4

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