Why Do Older Adults Become More Sensitive To Cold?

India, Nov. 13 -- Researchers from City of Hope have revealed why people tend to become more sensitive to cold as they get older.

The study found that signals from the nervous system and immune cells help control how much heat a special type of fat, known as thermogenic fat, produces. They do this by regulating the balance between highly active and less active fat cells.

This balance between active and less active fat cells helps the body adjust to changes in temperature. When the body needs more warmth, signals from the nervous and immune systems encourage less-active fat cells to produce more heat. Once the body no longer needs extra warmth, their activity is reduced.

However, the researchers found that this process slowed down in olde...