Why do you get a fever when you're sick? - Christian Moro

Discover what happens in your body when you have a fever and why its role in our immune response remains a mystery to scientists.
--
There are many mysteries around fever, but we do know that all mammals, some birds and even a few invertebrate and plant species feel fever’s heat. It has persisted for over 600 million years of evolution. But it has a significant cost: for every degree increase in temperature, there’s a 12.5% increase in energy required. So, why and how does your body produce a fever? Christian Moro investigates.
Lesson by Christian Moro, directed by Artrake Studio.
Support Our Non-Profit Mission
----------------------------------------------
Support us on Patreon: bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon
Check out our merch: bit.ly/TEDEDShop
----------------------------------------------
Connect With Us
----------------------------------------------
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter
Follow us on Facebook: bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook
Find us on Twitter: bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter
Peep us on Instagram: bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram
----------------------------------------------
Keep Learning
----------------------------------------------
View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-you...
Dig deeper with additional resources: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-you...
Animator's website: www.artrake.com/
----------------------------------------------
Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Rare Media, Rayo, Faizan, Elizabeth Gu, Nazmul Idris, Po Foon Kwong, Siobhan O'Connor Gwozdz, NinjaBoffin, Jesse Jurman, Josue Perez Miranda, Jan-Erik, Scott Markley, Kaitlyn holland, Elija Peterson, Michele Lynn Rose, Jai Prasanth, Vack91, David Lucsanyi, Xavier dupont, Marisa Miller, Boytsov Ilya, Steven Razey, Javier Aldavaz, Nathan Giusti, Mada Arslan, Joichiro Yamada, Ritul Raghavan, Aline de Paula Zillig, Yambu Ganesh Shaw, Abeer Rajbeen, John Hong, Minh Tran, Helen Lee, Anthony Benedict, Turine Tran, Mathew Samuel, Karthik Balsubramanian, Lee, Livia-Alexandra Sarban, Annastasshia Ames, João Henrique Rodrigues, Sebastiaan Hols, Aries SW, SANG HAN, Amy Lopez, ReuniteKorea, Vinh-Thuy Nguyen, Liz Candee, Clovis Norroy and Danielle Downs.

[@leah225]

Anyone watching this with a fever?

[@yousefbalfakeih113]

there’s something about watching a video that’s related to you that makes you feel comfortable

[@a.clemons]

Yes

[@jakelama5610]

me

[@sayar761]

Mee

[@user-bs1rm4pk1t]

Mee

[@kushal-roy]

Body: Increases it's Temperature to combat pathogens. Human: Takes medicine to lower the fever. Body: *WTF*

[@zen_mindset1]

because super high fevers can also kill you

[@kushal-roy]

@@Ceemoon92 103°F you gotta be cautious on a global platform like KZbin 😂😂😂

[@ewe8929]

Lol Also did you know that heat can break a fever? I usually sleep with heavy blankets and it sometimes helps with fever. Don’t ask me how, I’m not reliable for giving medical information.

[@kushal-roy]

@@ewe8929 it's not the heat it's the sleep that lowers your fever. Blanket may help during the chills you may get.

[@ewe8929]

@@kushal-roy Oh, I can't confirm anything, but that's just what I noticed, thanks for telling me :D

[@michaelangelosaluta5803]

i used to think as a child that it was to fry the bacteria away :

[@albertamalachi3560]

This is where the, "Well yes, but actually no," meme comes in.

[@solar0wind]

My physiology of microorganisms professor actually said this a couple of days ago. He said "Since the temperature optimum for microorganisms in the body [including pathogens] is 37˚C, the body increases the temperature to higher levels to kill some of them off. That's why you shouldn't suppress a fever". Seems like he was wrong after watching this.

[@bamb8s436]

@@solar0wind The vid doesn t say whether it s good or not so i think u should listen to what your doc says each time (since u take a physiology class u must be in med school so when u get your degree i m pretty sure u ll know what to do and what to say to your patients for each case)

[@windows-kx1of]

@@albertamalachi3560 yes But . actually No

[@anupradeep3888]

@@solar0wind what if in a way it suppress the activity of the microorganisms? I mean small temperature variations easily mess up growth of microorganisms in lab because it shifts from optimum temperature, so maybe ur prof isn't really wrong, maybe it's one of the benefits of raising body temp....

[@jamiragr7084]

doctor: got syphilis? here's some malaria patient:

[@unleashedbeast9895]

LOL

[@anaysabelmagcal6276]

@@unleashedbeast9895HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA

[@DanksterPaws]

Ded

[@shinyagumon7015]

And it worked! For 85% of patients none the less.

[@jenniferbates2811]

Now you're not so worried about that syphilis huh??

[@Arttojisannn]

The human body continues to amaze me.

[@blueshoregaming1591]

I am just speechless

[@akshay-nr7xk]

Really it seems like it make takes years for scientists to figure out how smart our bodies are

[@stfukids7935]

It does there a lot of things in a human body that we tend to ignore but it's really mesmerizing

[@stephenhagen234]

"I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well" --Psalm 139:14 NASB77

[@Raihan___]

Because it is designed by God Allah​@@akshay-nr7xk

[@ziyaraeez2873]

Body: something is not right with me Hypothalamus: time to heat you up

[@babysengupta3333]

Gd one

[@raghu5657]

😂

[@KyleEvra]

@@Chris14_ Am like Ouch that hurts 🤕

[@GeneticWorks]

FLAME ON

[@thesuraj.29]

😂😂

[@RodrigoVazquez91]

Anyone else with fever watching this?

[@oneofthelonelystar]

yep, sadly i got yesterday. Feels like my body isn't working

[@fossilco.artrelateddocumen331]

*Virus interest body* The body : I must initiate self-destruct

[@Yes-dc2gm]

Lol

[@Richard_Nickerson]

Enters*? "Interest" makes no sense

[@aquaboi7818]

cool!

[@criptik5208]

@@Richard_Nickerson no its intrests

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@criptik5208 🙄

[@feboalazan5289]

Ted Ed is actually the best teacher I have ever had in my whole life!

[@mrknucles9976]

I never miss a Ted Ed video

[@craigoda4284]

Me to

[@alwaysadin3793]

@@mrknucles9976 stop the cap

[@deepuv9150]

@@mrknucles9976 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥

[@chandragamage7280]

IKR!!!

[@nabilh.6357]

I'm having a cold with fever now and that was useful to know

[@farhiakhalid6561]

Are you sure it's not Corona virus?

[@CalebTWilliams]

I've not ever heard of a cold producing a fever. It sounds like a flu or covid-19. Either way, I'm not a doctor, don't just take my word on it.

[@mrknucles9976]

Don’t worry u recovered. I know dis coz I’m from the future

[@Doublemonk0506]

@@Storifiedyt, or chills

[@shawnebk]

asinloveyunz.link

[@arielvidriales]

As someone who has had syphilis, every time I hear the words "penicillin" or "Fleming" I feel immense gratitude and relief

[@Agent-ie3uv]

Lol perhaps stop giving one dollah to "lady blue" 😂🤣😷

[@YouKnowImOnMyPeriodYah]

Guess you learned to wrap it up, huh? ☠️ (I know it’s not the only way to get syphilis, I’m just f*cking wit you)

[@Hew.Jarsol]

Why don't you use a rubber jonny

[@evank3718]

When my dog has a fever I give him mustard That’s what goes best with a hot dog

[@sadpowie]

Oh god get out

[@Aut0nym0us]

This should get more likes

[@primuse.x.e6141]

OMG brilliant

[@justsomepersononyoutube9271]

What a great idea to read this comment while I'm eating a hot dog

[@santhoshvardhan6603]

Ba dum tss

[@hardikpande6970]

No matter how much I understand why I get fever, I can never avoid it.

[@aryayudha6414]

Fever: "I am inevitable."

[@fathfez7991]

You can if you stay healthy 😳🔫

[@luisbolus1917]

You can if you surround yourself with bacteria/viruses and become immune.

[@hardikpande6970]

@@fathfez7991 man how much I try i never can

[@hardikpande6970]

@@luisbolus1917 I'll need a health insurance before!

[@vinayakgupta3739]

It is so damn amazing that our body does all that , without even us knowing

[@michaelangelosaluta5803]

i keep trying to actually understand what it being said but the animations are so cute

[@TheXTrunner]

turn on CC

[@sarahquartuccio6049]

Same hun. I was trying to pay attention but nope.

[@Andijt]

I guess that's why people say, "Starve a cold, feed a fever." I wonder if there's any real reason to eat less when you have a cold. ---> I looked it up and there's no reason to starve a cold. Good nutrition is important for the body to heal.

[@HiAdrian]

Digestion is energy intensive in its own right. I think not eating during a fever is a good idea (and comes naturally).

[@toxygen01]

There is a video to explain that, too :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/norbdaiKm9eDaLM

[@GeoffCostanza]

@@HiAdrian no.

[@rosielily9984]

fasting allows your body to heal faster, reason why animals do not eat when they are sick. Our body’s are equipped for fasting & it also can reverse type 2 diabetes despite what doctors do by constantly spiking your insulin with insulin shots.

[@rosielily9984]

canadian doctor Jason Fung has a lot more info on this and a lot of other doctors as well.

[@tasfiamahin5777]

Watching this while lying down on bed and shivering! 🤒🥶🥺

[@user-bp7vh5gc5n]

0:54 Nothing is more satisfying than watching him snatch that mosquito out of the air.

[@paritoshjha28]

Right ❤️

[@BigattckFirecat]

you can do it too, the trick is not looking anything but the mosquito which your eyes will lock on to it's every movement and make it seem slower than normal. this may take some practiced but many people have done it.

[@diabloinocente7038]

😃

[@Somespideronline]

@@siddhantchauhan6795 yes, you should try it

[@Sam-vy8ye]

Syphilus: You can't defeat me! Doctor: I know, but he can Doctor: *Injects malaria

[@mushfiqurrahman1107]

Man, this really came in handy. I'm literally going through a fever right now.... brings some comfort to know that this whole fever thing is somehow good for me.🖤

[@LeeDanielAying]

The way I see this is that, our bodies for the most part, doesn't need external help when fighting its battles, but sometimes, due to our body's unparalleled dedication to fighting off a virus, it could actually kill itself (destructive temperature levels) and this is where doctors come in to override our bodies untiring natural defense.

[@R2Cv1]

3:34 Absolutely LOVE how the eyes on the lymphocytes correspond to the lobes in the cell types' nuclei. Neutrophils have 3 lobes, eosinophils have two lobes, etc...

[@saujanyabhikshu]

when youtube recommends a masterpiece on the same day as it got posted-

[@sreekersiva8229]

It gives me chills everytime I learn how they used to treat patients in the old times.

[@palomarodriguez3308]

Might have a fever

[@Link32831]

That’s normal during a fever shivering is a common symptom of a higher fever

[@fatimabintaysalman6139]

Can we all just appreciate the amount of time and effort Ted-Ed's team put in each and every video since the beginning and how they started off eight years ago and are still active with new content. Hats off!

[@shivpatel7506]

TED-ED: Why do you get a fever when you’re sick? Me: Why do I get a fever every time there is a big test?

[@abdullahak2204]

Stresssssss

[@smallspace7]

In Egypt mothers call the sweat that comes after fever (Afia sweat meaning sweat of health )which is considered as a sign of improvement

[@luziaflone1951]

The animation is so simple yet so easy to understand

[@ArjotGill]

Its kinda alarm for us that something isn't right with our body

[@tanishkavasistha9733]

Ted Ed always answers my questions before I ask them.. Good job Ted Ed for knowing what your audience wants. 👏👏👏

[@Angel_Billy4-30-23]

The highest fever I ever had was about 8 weeks ago and it was 106.3 I never had a fever that high before so I waited a little while and took some aspirin to try to lower my fever but it didn't help and an hour later my temperature was still 106 so I went to the hospital. Especially because before that, I was getting like 3 or 4 fevers a day for about a week and they were all around 104, 105 and 106 so I had to go to the hospital. Like I said, I've never had fevers as high as 105 and 106. It was scary and I felt like my brain was literally cooking and I was pouring sweat but getting the chills here and there too. I'm still in the hospital for those fevers. I was told I was starting to go into shock and my body was beginning to shut down so I guess it's a really good thing that I went to the hospital when I did. But yeah, I had pneumonia and severe sepsis. I'm slowly getting better but I still have a month and a half of IV antibiotics to get to finish treating me before I can go home.

[@Jesse78]

Highest fever I've ever had was about 104°F and it sucked so bad. It was the flu

[@kevodecha]

Glad you went to the hospital! I hope you have a healthy recovery. :)

[@ligth3977]

Woah, you could boil a water with that heat.

[@JairajSinghPatil]

Sepsis is one situation in which the fever must be reduced. 106 is the maximum limit of a healthy fever. Good that you went to the hospital with 106

[@anuragrai612]

I had 101.6 yesterday

[@hardikpande6970]

"Body's heated battle" Am I watching MinuteEarth?

[@shivpatel7506]

TED-ED: Why do you get a fever when you’re sick? My mom: Why do you get a fever when there is a test in school?

[@ereenynessem]

I always get fevers when there is a test at school, I always panic:(

[@Someone-km3mx]

Stress weakens your immune system

[@atharvasrivastava4711]

same what thing happens to me always😐

[@bait5257]

@@shivpatel7506 he means he has very low iq to not understand something

[@samsunguser3148]

Or sometimes some people fake it lol.. "SOMETIMES*

[@Mariofan2479]

Ted-Ed, as an epileptic, I would be honored if you could do a video about how certain people suffer from seizures and it’s different types 😀

[@TheDashingday]

i just had the worst chills last night followed by a fever and this was just on cue. thanks for letting me know why my body is freaking tf out

[@littleowl22778]

Just gotten over a 2 day fever. I'm better now for anyone reading and I know what to do and not do for any future fevers I get. This was a informational video

[@Manojkumar-tm9nh]

Finally finally....a vid whose answer I knew before hand.... felling like finally a science student 😂

[@vishalkumar-oz6hf]

Absolutely 👍. Every science student want to try this feeling once 😂

[@thesuraj.29]

So u must have taken commerce or arts/humanities

[@Hacksolotl]

Nice job TedEd keep on making videos! Your on a roll :) (I love your videos)

[@masterstroke4697]

I am also having cold and a bit of fever symptoms. But probably feeling good to know that there is a fight going inside my body.

[@NitsP2208]

Let's admit it. The animations in this video are simply awesome.

[@ChokeAndPokeGaming]

Brain: “Hmm I’m feeling a little bit unwell, might just need some slee-“ Hypothalamus: *I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION*

[@josephmbinji6891]

I love the illustrations. Simple and easy to understand

[@suhani551]

I got dengue fever a few days ago. Now I am doing better. Thank u ted for this video!

[@hazeemhakim5390]

Bacteria/virus: We will take over this body and destroy it! Immune system: Not if I destroy it first! Us: Wait, what?

[@JeromeProductions]

Lmao

[@primuse.x.e6141]

Lol

[@quxoyrukoy5416]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bamb8s436]

what bout protozoans tho?

[@lousystone]

😂😂😂

[@agrimarsh7283]

Thanks Ted Ed. I was just asking this question to everyone around me for the past half year that if fever is good (inflammatory response), why we suppress it? Thanks very much, you cleared it in 5 minutes :)

[@brlxnnx]

There's conflicting opinions on whether or not to let a mild fever ride out or to take medicine, but everyone agrees that fevers can be so darn unpleasant! With modern medicine (assuming it's available), why just not choose to feel better? We have all these other medications designed to help fight bacterial infections, and the body takes care of (mild/non life-threatening) viral infections whether or not a fever is present. There's little evidence to say that supressing a fever is a bad thing, but there is also little evidence to say that letting a fever run it's course is a good thing. So really, it's personal preference if you have the means.

[@Nihilistic_24]

I'm suffering from fever and you uploaded this video... great timing

[@ditto303]

The animation was ON POINT

[@Rhythm65536]

4:51 that rise tho

[@le_science4all]

Great video, thanks! I have a concern about the thumbnail though, which might be misinterpreted by anti-vaxers. But apart from that, great video 👍

[@subhashinidayakar7630]

Once again ted ed impresses us with graphics .keep. Up the good work.

[@tearyowl6075]

The animation smoothly assists the content very well.

[@iawa8110]

I was actually experiencing a fever a few days ago. Just what I needed. Thank you Ted-Ed

[@jaydentyler4276]

@@gabbagandalf6461 awful

[@VEE727]

I've also read that since pathogens that do affect us - there are very few - are very honed in on our body temperature so when body increases it, it severely dampens their ability to reproduce.

[@BEV_shorts]

please never stop making videos

[@supriyaraghuvansh355]

Ted ed makes videos on topics I would have never thought of lol how do they come up with such great ideas.

[@ItsUselessMemeTime]

I'm having fever right now but i don't feel any heat in my body. My taste my tongue tastes like metal. My arms and legs are so weak that i can't even move a little. My eyes are teary.

[@tonyochoa4116]

Did you recover?

[@ItsUselessMemeTime]

@@tonyochoa4116 Yes, thank you. I was scratched by a stray cat on my forehead on accident lol

[@Account-kv3jc]

1:20 thank you for this. My bosses don’t understand that a certain medication that I take causes hot flashes that drain me and make me dizzy. Not an excuse to ever stop working if I do have a moment, but it’d be nice to stuff their thick skulls since it happens daily.

[@myragold3213]

I never get fevers, which really is annoying as when I get flus, bronquitis etc and because of no fever they lasted for ever. I tell the Dr's that and they laugh so it makes me wonder be what they are tought at University?, . But I pray every day and give thanks to God for my healing. I suffered from ear infection and never got a fever.

[@badhabit_snapoutofit]

My goodness this is so cool !!! I love these videos and the animations

[@DaBestNub]

Body temperature: **Rises** Virus: My time has come

[@ajmiranoor3221]

I was asking everyone and searching thst ' why do we have fever? ' and no one couldn't give the apropriate answer😐 Then ted ed answered me😊 Seriously this is the best channel I have ever seen! Because we students have a lot of questions besides our academic study and there is only Ted ed which is able to answer our questions 😃 Thank you Ted ed to exist 😇😇

[@YokNg]

This is a great education channel!

[@fatemehmoshtaghi2059]

Honestly, this is the perfect way of learning 👌

[@JayceeR]

The other day I had a fever. That was the worst shivering I ever felt. I only had the fever for around 9-10 hours after I slept. I actually don't know what's the reason of that fever, I just started shivering so bad that I can even tell myself that I will be having a fever within the next minutes even though my body is not that hot yet. This 'short term' kind of fever is kinda common for me but that's still the worst shivers I had.

[@jsc1jake512]

The timing is impeccable, I have a fever right now.

[@sharanski]

same :(

[@jsc1jake512]

@@sharanski I think I've almost recovered myself as I posted this comment on the second day I got the fever, but get well soon! :)

[@sixiqgenjimain]

Thank you TED for using the metric system

[@waleedusmani5026]

This video Taught me more then I learned in school.

[@ffarkasm]

4:13 *Animals (including humans) do NOT have cell walls!*

[@llamalover5791]

When u confused why u didn't get notification.... Then you realize your early🙂

[@greatmeetings2797]

fax

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Hi ted-ed Thanks for answering most needed question. Animation in splendid..🙏👍

[@yassienabdillahi1688]

I swear I have to watch this video at least three times to fully appreciate it 🙌

[@ZaidShaikh-kb8vf]

2:34 ted ed you should limit your daily dose of among us.

[@imammuktamarulhaq8171]

So we easily get sick when the temperature is too low🤔

[@55455]

these animations are on next level

[@neonlight1214]

In most of my sicknesses I didn't have any fever. But I knew it is a way your body is suppressing the disease inside yourself. Always wondered how it worked and didn't make quite much sense because you need to produce more energy to keep/rise your body temperature but now I get it. That's why we suddenly have to drink two times More! Thanks a lot TED ED, best teacher

[@Pindoria]

2:47 So our bodies make itself feel cold to make you hot or warmer?

[@lionoffireministries]

I hope this blesses some... 🙏 I was 5 years of chronic illness! I was Semi Housebound, lost my health, job, finances and my fiance left me. I couldn't even look at electronic screen for 5 minutes, or hold a 10-minute conversation. But God did an amazing work. I now have a Christian Channel where I encourage people and show them what God did in my life and that there is hope for you also. ✝️🔥😊 *Keep believing even when it's hard* 🙏❤️🔥 *All things are possible with God*

[@ee-tq3xu]

ah yes, just in time. I’ve just caught a cold and have a fever.

[@mcgil8891]

Same :/

[@suhani551]

Make sure it's not Corona! Stay safe and take care 💜

[@adityanag8934]

Great video . Amazingly explain 🙏

[@SkandanKA]

Soo good!! Please increase the frequency of the videos..

[@blueeye2281]

Patient: ok how much is my visit? Doctor: you're my first customer. So you don't have to give fees. Patient: Really? Doctor: yeah but here's your medicine and that'll be $300

[@salimaa9209]

is this a joke I'm too European to understand?

[@solar0wind]

US Americans should fight for free/cheap healthcare.

[@blueeye2281]

@@salimaa9209 It also happens here in Asia.

[@phoenixflamegames1]

@@salimaa9209 yes because out health insurance is great

[@salimaa9209]

@@blueeye2281 as in free healthcare in Asia or no?

[@gourisree9991]

Fever was the one thing every kids wished they had on exam day But not anymore 🤣🤣

[@tejasdeepsingh456]

Lol

[@sana4359]

I still do

[@dietandnutritionbenefits5866]

Wonderful work Keep it up

[@leeyijin5751]

I had a really high fever a few years back when I was 14 years old. My temperature was initially 38.9 or so. Called my mom, and checked again became higher. Eventually I got scared when it went to 42 literally. I thought my thermometer was faulty so I waited till mom got home. By the time she reached I don't think I was sane anymore. My fever exceeded 42 according to thermometer, because it was showing 'high'. Went to see doctor immediately took a very expensive 💊, went home to rest. And that's when the real wave came. I was shaking in bed. Felt like I was freezing, I covered myself with thick blankets and wore socks. Asked my mom to hairdry me with heat because I felt cold but that was the worst idea. Long story short, survived the fever without visiting hospital. I took a week to recover to normal temperature. This happened many years before covid. And, although with no intended relevance, I've never got covid till today.

[@dudeska8488]

But why do I get fever during exams? Anyways, awesome animation. Loved it!

[@animeyahallo3887]

0:53 imagine if it's that easy to kill a mosquito.

[@KoId.]

It would be useless when u have multiple mosquitoes on u

[@ShatabdaRoy115]

Ted Ed is always the best!

[@abhiroopdas6725]

What A Great Explanation with Great Animated Examples...

[@greeshmasharma6308]

Last time i was this early, malaria was still given on purpose.

[@primuse.x.e6141]

Lol

[@Sumirevins]

I felt you lol

[@alexandriacollins7119]

I thought that the point of a fever, of raising the body's temperature, was to make the body's internal environment inhospitable for the invading micro-organisms. ^^;

[@BeaBuilds_legoisawesome]

The animation helps explain better, thanks Ted Ed!☺️

[@yussofross1417]

I've always wondered why we get sick because it happens to me once or twice a year. Thanks TedEd.

[@eshagurung1375]

Fever before COVID 19 pandemic: Yes, I won't need to go to school today Fever during the pandemic: All thoughts coming in your mind

[@aaavng1885]

Did you type wrongly? Both statements are set in the pandemic

[@eshagurung1375]

@@aaavng1885 oh ok🤣🤣

[@CutsiePie_]

Body: if our temperature is hot enough, the enemy cells will die :) Me: so will my cells... Body: :|

[@JimmyGeorgeB]

Thank you team.

[@moonbeam2062]

Love the animations!

[@danzoom]

How to treat syphilis: Step 1: infect the patient with a deadly parasite Step 2: hope that a fever will kill syphilis Step 3: ... Step 4: profit!

[@lovell8983]

Bacteria/virus: We will take over this body and destroy it! Immune system: I'm gonna do what called a pro-gamer move

[@anniethebulldog4948]

I learn sooo much here! Love the channel! Stay safe guys ✌️✌️✌️😷😷😷 woof woof

[@sketchyskies8531]

Very informative. Thanks.