The biologic mechanism for heat exposure and human health

Adaptation to different climate scenarios made possible the spread of Homo sapiens—most probably originated in the African grasslands—throughout our planet. Thermal stress (hot or cold) acts as an adaptive force, triggering adaptive mechanisms dependent on genetic and epigenetic modifications, physiologic plasticity, and behavioural and social factors. The long-term adaptation of humans to extreme climate conditions occurred within thousands of years. However, within the speed of the rapid climate changes forecasted for the next decades, it is pertinent to produce information that can be used to estimate whether a temperature-dependent mismatch between climate changes and human adaptation may occur, especially in a future scenario in which situations that affect thermoregulation are becoming more prevalent, such as aging, obesity, and diabetes.