What Is The Maximum Temperature A Human Can Withstand?

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13 Answers

Jack Buckby Profile
Jack Buckby answered
This depends on a number of things - including the length of time the individual is going to be withstanding the temperature, what they will be wearing and what physical condition they are in.

It also depends on how much humidity is in the air when the person is subjected to the extreme temperature.

In order to get a more specific answer to this question, you would also need to highlight whether you are talking about the internal or external temperature a human body would be able to withstand.

If you are referring to the internal temperature of the human body, studies show most bodies can only survive up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, or 42 degrees Celcius, as the proteins inside the body begin to die at around 105F.

In terms of the external temperature that humans can withstand, some fire fighters are able to survive in temperatures of up to 200 degrees C while wearing protective clothing. They are trained and conditioned to be able to tolerate high temperatures, though, and are usually in exceptionally good health and physical shape, so it could be assumed that an average person may not be able to withstand such heat as readily.

When considering endurance, if the body is unable to hydrate or replenish lost fluids, and uses what fluids it does have to sweat to try to cool the body down, it is unlikely the body will be able to survive for very long in extreme temperatures.

For example, if a healthy young adult was left outside in temperatures of around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celcius) without any water, they would not be expected to survive for very long due to dehydration.
ian owens Profile
ian owens answered
The Following Are Internal Body Temperatures
  • 39°C (102.2°F) (Pyrexia) - Severe sweating, flushed and very red. Fast heart rate and breathlessness. There may be exhaustion accompanying this. Children and people with epilepsy may be very likely to get convulsions at this point.
  • 40°C (104°F) - Fainting, dehydration, weakness, vomiting, headache and dizziness may occur, as well as profuse sweating.
  • 41°C (105.8°F) - (Medical emergency) - Fainting, vomiting, severe headache, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, delirium and drowsiness can occur. There may also be palpitations and breathlessness.
  • 42°C (107.6°F) - Subject may turn pale or remain flushed and red. They may become comatose, be in severe delirium, vomiting, and convulsions can occur. Blood pressure may be high or low and heart rate will be very fast.
  • 43°C (109.4°F) - Normally death, or there may be serious brain damage, continuous convulsions and shock. Cardio-respiratory collapse will occur.
  • 44°C (111.2°F) or more - Almost certainly death will occur; however, patients have been known to survive up to 46.5°C (115.7°F).
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
The highest temperature is 115.7 degrees. After that, you will most likely die.
Emma Newton Profile
Emma Newton answered
My uncle has had heat-stroke. His core body temperature on arrival at the hospital was 108.

He is not brain-dead, but his kidneys and liver have almost shut down, and he now has blood in his urine and bowels.

The doctor says he has never seen a person with a temperature like that come in and still be alive.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Well, I'm not sure what the highest temperature that the human body can "survive" in, but I know at this point in time I am currently working in a sustained heat of 67 to 73 degrees Celsius. In some areas, it reaches 78 to 84 degrees Celsius.

The thermometer's even shut down, and I've even seen a respirator face plate fall out - it was a 3m PAPR with no previous issues - just happened because of the heat!

Oh yeah, we wear Tyvek suits and PAPR's, non of which are heat-reflective or resistant.
Ashish Niraj Profile
Ashish Niraj answered
Normal body temperature is 37 degrees, so it may be 42 degrees Centigrade.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I remember reading in a popular science book which said that people can tolerate 120 Celsius for short periods. That is above the boiling point of water. The maximum will probably be more than that.

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