What Vitamin Deficiency Might Cause You to Feel Cold?
Medically reviewed by Jonathan Purtell, RDN
If you are feeling more chilly than others around you or often have cold hands and feet, it's possible you’re lacking certain vitamins. Feeling cold can be due to a deficiency in certain B vitamins or iron, resulting in anemia (not having enough healthy red blood cells in your system).
Red blood cells carry oxygen to your tissues. Cells throughout your body need this oxygen for metabolic processes that produce heat and maintain body temperature.
This article will discuss vitamin and mineral deficiencies that may leave you prone to feeling cold when those around you aren't, why it's vital to get tested for a deficiency, and other potential causes why you may be chillier than most.
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Vitamin B12 Deficiency
A vitamin B12 deficiency may cause megaloblastic anemia (the red blood cell count is low, and the red cells are larger than normal) and related cold sensitivity. A deficiency can also produce other symptoms.
Symptoms
If you are lacking in vitamin B12, feeling cold a lot of the time will likely be only one of your symptoms. Some other symptoms of a B12 deficiency you may notice include:
Experiencing headaches
Feeling short of breath
Losing your appetite
Having indigestion
Noticing vision problems
Having heart palpitations
Feeling lethargic
Experiencing diarrhea
Noticing difficulties in remembering things or understanding them
Having mouth issues such as a sore tongue or ulcers
Causes
Several factors can be at the root of your B12 deficiency. A deficiency can be caused by an autoimmune condition known as pernicious anemia. With this, your own immune cells attack your stomach, making it unable to absorb B12 as it should.
Another possibility is that you're not consuming enough B12 in your diet, which can lead to a deficiency. As B12 is found in animal sources, this is most often an issue for people who follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet without foods fortified with vitamin B12 or supplements.
People who have had stomach surgery, including some types of weight loss surgery that removes all or part of the stomach, may also not be able to absorb enough vitamin B12 from the diet or oral supplements.
Certain medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (taken for acid reflux), metformin (taken for type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance), or nitrous oxide (an inhaled anesthetic), can deplete your B12 levels.
Sources
Dietary sources of vitamin B12 include dairy, meat, and fish. If you are deficient, you can also take a B12 supplement orally or by injection.
Vitamin B9 Deficiency
Vitamin B9 in its natural form is known as folate. A folate deficiency may cause you to feel sensitive to the cold. Among its functions, folate is needed to make strong red blood cells. Without enough folate, you can develop megaloblastic anemia, in which you produce fewer red blood cells and they are bigger than normal.
Symptoms
Besides feeling cold, signs you may have a vitamin B9 deficiency with megaloblastic anemia include the following:
Feeling weak and tired
Being out of breath
Having an irregular heartbeat
Trouble concentrating
Experiencing hair loss
Pale skin
Developing sores in your mouth
Causes
You may be more likely to develop a folate deficiency in pregnancy. Folate helps in fetal development, and your need for this nutrient dramatically increases in pregnancy.
Alcohol use disorder, having undergone intestinal surgery, or having a digestive disorder can interfere with folate absorption, and you may develop a deficiency. Some people have a gene variant known as MTHFR that keeps them from making the active form of folate needed by the body.
Sources
Natural sources of folate include dark leafy green vegetables, peanuts, beans, fruit, whole grains, sunflower seeds, fish and liver.
Folate and other B vitamins are added to many everyday food products, such as pasta, bread, and cereal. These are noted as fortified.
Vitamin D and Feeling Cold
While some may think that one way to alleviate feeling cold may be to increase vitamin D consumption, feeling cold is not a symptom of a vitamin D deficiency. If you lack vitamin D, this may cause issues with muscles and bones, but is not connected to cold sensitivity.
Iron Deficiency
Vitamin deficiencies are not the only nutritional deficiency that can result in feeling cold when you probably shouldn't be. You may be lacking in iron, which is fairly common. In fact, iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. It affects 30% of the population.
With iron deficiency anemia, your body doesn't have enough iron to make healthy red blood cells. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that binds oxygen.
Symptoms
If you have iron deficiency anemia, you may have no symptoms. However, symptoms experienced aside from cold hands and feet can include :
Feeling tired
Chest pain
Being light-headed
Paleness
Shortness of breath
Causes
The cause of any iron deficiency anemia may be linked to blood loss from an injury, heavy menstrual period, or bleeding from the gastrointestinal or urinary tract.
In other cases, it may come from the following:
Having difficulty absorbing iron due to conditions involving the intestines or digestive system
Having undergone weight loss surgery
Having a genetic condition that keeps the intestines from absorbing iron or effectively stopping blood loss from occurring
Sources
Food sources of iron include red meat, salmon, beans, dried fruits, eggs, and dark leafy green vegetables. Breads and cereal may be fortified with iron. You can also take an iron supplement to build up your levels.
Vitamin C and Iron Absorption
If you are taking vitamin C because you heard it enhances iron absorption, keep in mind that vitamin C deficiency is rare in the United States. Taking vitamin C with iron supplements is likely to have minimal to no clinical effect in treating iron deficiency anemia.
Other Causes of Feeling Cold
Conditions other than vitamin or mineral deficiencies may cause discomfort in people susceptible to the cold. These include:
Anorexia nervosa: Anorexia nervosa is a condition in which individuals severely limit the amount they eat. People with this condition may find themselves particularly sensitive to the cold. They may not consume the necessary nutrients to keep their metabolism working properly, and they may not have enough body fat to be insulated against the cold.
Diabetes: Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels. High amounts of blood glucose can cause blood vessels to narrow, decreasing circulation. Cold hands and feet may be the result.
Hypothyroidism: Your thyroid is responsible for controlling your metabolism and how your body uses energy. If you don't have enough thyroid hormone, all of your systems slow down, even your heartbeat, making you less able to compensate when exposed to the cold.
Raynaud's syndrome: This is a condition in which blood vessels spasm when exposed to cold temperatures or due to strong emotions. The spasms keep sufficient blood flow from getting to the affected areas, causing a bluish tinge to the skin and a cold sensation.
Iodine Deficiency
Hypothyroidism, which can cause you to feel cold, can be due to an iodine deficiency. Iodine deficiency is rare in the United States, as most people get enough iodine from iodized salt. But it remains common worldwide. Hypothyroidism in the United States is more likely linked to other causes.
Importance of Getting Tested for a Deficiency
If you are sensitive to the cold, it's important not to discount this symptom by simply wearing extra layers or changing your environment. Your system may be off due to a deficiency or condition that doesn't allow your metabolism, circulation, or blood vessels to function properly.
It is also important to not self-diagnose a vitamin or mineral deficiency and start supplementing without getting an official confirmation of the main cause. You could be taking the wrong supplement or the right one in the wrong amount or form, and you would not be addressing the underlying cause.
Unless you get a medical diagnosis, the condition may worsen, and your health may deteriorate. If the cause is a nutrient deficiency, you can get appropriate treatment and alleviate symptoms, including excessive cold sensitivity.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
While anybody may be uncomfortable in the cold now and again, if this feeling persists or your sensitivity is extreme, you should promptly contact a healthcare provider to find out the cause.
Summary
Feeling cold when others do not may be linked to a lack of certain nutrients, such as vitamin B9, vitamin B12, or iron. A deficiency in any of these can lead to a lack of sufficient healthy red blood cells to transport needed oxygen to all areas of the body. It may leave the extremities particularly prone to feeling cold.
By identifying if you are dealing with a deficiency, it is possible to replenish levels and reset your internal thermostat back to normal levels. The cause may not be a deficiency but another condition, such as diabetes or hypothyroidism, that needs to be addressed to prevent further health problems.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
