Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVitamin B12 DeficiencyFolate DeficiencyIron DeficiencyOther CausesGetting Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Folate Deficiency
Iron Deficiency
Other Causes
Getting Diagnosed
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 inanemia(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.
Olga Rolenko / Getty Images
Avitamin B12 deficiencymay causemegaloblastic 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:
Causes
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 asproton 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
Why Are My Feet Always Cold?
Vitamin B9 Deficiency
Vitamin B9 in its natural form is known as folate. Afolate deficiencymay 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.
Besides feeling cold, signs you may have a vitamin B9 deficiency with megaloblastic anemia include the following:
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.
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 ColdWhile some may think that one way to alleviate feeling cold may be to increase vitamin D consumption, feeling cold is not a symptom of avitamin D deficiency. If you lack vitamin D, this may cause issues with muscles and bones, but is not connected to cold sensitivity.
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 avitamin D deficiency. If you lack vitamin D, this may cause issues with muscles and bones, but is not connected to cold sensitivity.
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.
Withiron 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.
If you have iron deficiency anemia, you may have no symptoms. However, symptoms experienced aside from cold hands and feet can include:
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:
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 AbsorptionIf 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.
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 peoplesusceptible to the cold. These include:
Iodine DeficiencyHypothyroidism, which can cause you to feel cold, can be due to aniodine 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.
Iodine Deficiency
Hypothyroidism, which can cause you to feel cold, can be due to aniodine 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
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 ProviderWhile 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.
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.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health.Nutritional needs in cold and high altitude environments: Applications for military personnel in field operations.NHS.Symptoms vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia.Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals.NHS.Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia – causes.Harvard School of Public Health.Folate (folic acid) – vitamin B9.Office of Dietary Supplements.Folate.Yale Medicine.Vitamin D deficiency.Kumar A, Sharma E, Marley A, Samaan MA, Brookes MJ.Iron deficiency anaemia: Pathophysiology, assessment, practical management.BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2022;9(1):e000759. doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000759National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, et al.The efficacy and safety of vitamin C for iron supplementation in adult patients with iron deficiency anemia: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open.2020;3(11):e2023644. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23644Smith LL.The central role of hypothermia and hyperactivity in anorexia nervosa: a hypothesis.Front Behav Neurosci. 2021;15:700645. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.700645UCLA Health.How to improve blood circulation if you have type 2 diabetes.MedlinePlus.Hypothyroidism.Mount Sinai.Renaud phenomenon.American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism a booklet for patients and their families.Mount Sinai.Cold intolerance.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health.Nutritional needs in cold and high altitude environments: Applications for military personnel in field operations.NHS.Symptoms vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia.Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals.NHS.Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia – causes.Harvard School of Public Health.Folate (folic acid) – vitamin B9.Office of Dietary Supplements.Folate.Yale Medicine.Vitamin D deficiency.Kumar A, Sharma E, Marley A, Samaan MA, Brookes MJ.Iron deficiency anaemia: Pathophysiology, assessment, practical management.BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2022;9(1):e000759. doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000759National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, et al.The efficacy and safety of vitamin C for iron supplementation in adult patients with iron deficiency anemia: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open.2020;3(11):e2023644. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23644Smith LL.The central role of hypothermia and hyperactivity in anorexia nervosa: a hypothesis.Front Behav Neurosci. 2021;15:700645. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.700645UCLA Health.How to improve blood circulation if you have type 2 diabetes.MedlinePlus.Hypothyroidism.Mount Sinai.Renaud phenomenon.American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism a booklet for patients and their families.Mount Sinai.Cold intolerance.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health.Nutritional needs in cold and high altitude environments: Applications for military personnel in field operations.NHS.Symptoms vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia.Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals.NHS.Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia – causes.Harvard School of Public Health.Folate (folic acid) – vitamin B9.Office of Dietary Supplements.Folate.Yale Medicine.Vitamin D deficiency.Kumar A, Sharma E, Marley A, Samaan MA, Brookes MJ.Iron deficiency anaemia: Pathophysiology, assessment, practical management.BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2022;9(1):e000759. doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000759National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, et al.The efficacy and safety of vitamin C for iron supplementation in adult patients with iron deficiency anemia: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open.2020;3(11):e2023644. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23644Smith LL.The central role of hypothermia and hyperactivity in anorexia nervosa: a hypothesis.Front Behav Neurosci. 2021;15:700645. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.700645UCLA Health.How to improve blood circulation if you have type 2 diabetes.MedlinePlus.Hypothyroidism.Mount Sinai.Renaud phenomenon.American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism a booklet for patients and their families.Mount Sinai.Cold intolerance.
National Institutes of Health.Nutritional needs in cold and high altitude environments: Applications for military personnel in field operations.
NHS.Symptoms vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia.
Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals.
NHS.Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia – causes.
Harvard School of Public Health.Folate (folic acid) – vitamin B9.
Office of Dietary Supplements.Folate.
Yale Medicine.Vitamin D deficiency.
Kumar A, Sharma E, Marley A, Samaan MA, Brookes MJ.Iron deficiency anaemia: Pathophysiology, assessment, practical management.BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2022;9(1):e000759. doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000759
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.
Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, et al.The efficacy and safety of vitamin C for iron supplementation in adult patients with iron deficiency anemia: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open.2020;3(11):e2023644. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23644
Smith LL.The central role of hypothermia and hyperactivity in anorexia nervosa: a hypothesis.Front Behav Neurosci. 2021;15:700645. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.700645
UCLA Health.How to improve blood circulation if you have type 2 diabetes.
MedlinePlus.Hypothyroidism.
Mount Sinai.Renaud phenomenon.
American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism a booklet for patients and their families.
Mount Sinai.Cold intolerance.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
