Sardines in a Blizzard?! 12-HEPE Hormone and thermogenesis.
In this YouTube monologue, Nick Norwitz recounts an extreme personal experiment in which he consumed roughly 1,000 sardines over the course of a month. He describes a striking physiological change: the disappearance of goosebumps and a subjective feeling of not being cold, even while standing shirtless in a Boston blizzard. To explain this, he proposes that the high intake of omega‑3 fatty acids from sardines may be metabolized into the lipid‑derived hormone 12‑HEPE, which is known (in animal studies) to activate brown‑fat thermogenesis, thereby increasing body heat production and metabolic rate. Norwitz notes that his own blood omega‑3 levels are extraordinarily high—more comparable to marine mammals than typical humans—so direct human evidence is limited. He also mentions that other individuals who have undertaken similar “sardine diets” have reported comparable reductions in cold sensitivity, suggesting a possible reproducible effect despite the lack of rigorous scientific data.
