Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden had 32 healthy men aged 18 to 40 sit in 14 degrees Celsius water until their body temperature dropped to 35.5C.
The α-actinin-3 protein, found in fast-twitch fibres , is absent in 1 in 5 people
Volunteers sat down in cold 14°C water while scientists examined their muscles
70 per cent of those without the protein could hold their temperature in the cold
Just 3 out of 10 of those that had the same protein were able to maintain their temperature when scientists had them immersed in cold water
One in five has a mutation that provides superior resilience to cold msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.