Trial reportThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2013
Mild cold exposure modulates fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) diurnal rhythm in humans: relationship between FGF21 levels, lipolysis, and cold-induced thermogenesis.
Trial report in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 82 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
82 citing papers in PubMed, 140 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cold induces increased ad libitum energy intake independent of changes in energy expenditure: a controlled crossover trial in adults.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2025Trial
- Fructose-induced FGF21 secretion does not activate brown adipose tissue in Japanese young men: randomized cross-over and randomized controlled trials.Journal of physiological anthropology · 2024Trial
- Cold-Induced Thermogenesis Shows a Diurnal Variation That Unfolds Differently in Males and Females.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2022Trial
- Effects of interleukin-1 antagonism and corticosteroids on fibroblast growth factor-21 in patients with metabolic syndrome.Scientific reports · 2021Trial
- Irisin and FGF21 are cold-induced endocrine activators of brown fat function in humans.Cell metabolism · 2014Trial
- Reexamining Fat: Exploring Diversity, Plasticity, Development, Functional Implication, and Therapeutic Options.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Review
- Fibroblast Growth Factor 21: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Potential, and Clinical Translation in Metabolic Dysfunction.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Review
- Obesity and Exercise: New Insights and Perspectives.Endocrine reviews · 2025Review
- Housing temperature influences exercise-induced glucose regulation and expression of exerkines in mice.Experimental physiology · 2025Article
- Impact of cold exposure on shift working seafood handlers in Northern Norway: a comparative analysis across work shifts.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2025Article
- Genomic Introgression and Adaptation of Southern Seabird Species Facilitate Recent Polar Colonization.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Adipose Tissue Plasticity: A Comprehensive Definition and Multidimensional Insight.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Cold exposure increases circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 in the evening in males and females.Endocrine connections · 2024Article
- Effects of swimming in cold water on lipolysis indicators via fibroblast growth factor-21 in male Wistar rats.Biochemistry and biophysics reports · 2024Article
- Effects of aquatic versus land-based exercise on irisin and fibroblast growth factor 21 expression and triiodothyronine and free fatty acid levels in elderly women.Osong public health and research perspectives · 2024Article
- Circadian Regulation of Endocrine Fibroblast Growth Factors on Systemic Energy Metabolism.Molecular pharmacology · 2024Review
- Critical role of FGF21 in diabetic kidney disease: from energy metabolism to innate immunity.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Review
- FGF21 modulates hippocampal cold-shock proteins and CA2-subregion proteins in neonatal mice with hypoxia-ischemia.Pediatric research · 2023Article
- Effects of Short- And Medium-Term Exposures to Lower Air Temperature on 71 Novel Biomarkers of Subclinical Inflammation: Results from the KORA F4 Study.Environmental science & technology · 2023Article
22 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
contextCold exposure stimulates fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) secretion in animals, enhancing the cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) response through browning of white adipose tissue. In humans, the effects of cold exposure on circulating FGF21 levels are unknown.
objectiveOur objective was to evaluate the effects of mild cold exposure on circulating FGF21 and its relationship with CIT and lipolysis in humans. DESIGN AND
settingWe conducted a randomized, single-blind, crossover intervention study at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
participantsParticipants were healthy adults.
interventionSubjects were exposed to a 12-h exposure to 24 or 19 C in a whole-room indirect calorimeter. OUTCOME MEASURES: Energy expenditure, plasma FGF 21, nonesterified fatty acid, and adipose tissue microdialysis glycerol concentrations were evaluated.
resultsAt 24 C, plasma FGF21 exhibited a diurnal rhythm, peaking at 0800 h [110 (59-178) pg/ml], and progressively dropped to a nadir at 1700 h [41 (21-71) pg/ml, P < 0.0001] before rising at 1900 h [60 (11-81) pg/ml, P < 0.0001]. Exposure at 19 C lessened the diurnal reduction of FGF21 observed at 24 C from 0800-1700 h and augmented overall FGF21 levels by 37 ± 45% (P = 0.01). The change in area under the curve plasma FGF21 between 19 and 24 C correlated positively with the change in area under the curve adipose microdialysate glycerol (R(2) = 0.35, P = 0.04) but not with nonesterified fatty acid. Cold-induced increase in FGF21 predicted greater rise in energy expenditure during cold exposure (β = 0.66, P = 0.027), independent of age, gender, fat mass, and lean mass.
conclusionsMild cold exposure increased circulating FGF21 levels, predicting greater lipolysis and CIT. A small reduction in environmental temperature is sufficient to modulate FGF21 diurnal rhythm in humans, which may mediate cold-induced metabolic changes similar to those in animals.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.