Are you always cold? Here are 4 underlying causes that could be behind it

Everybody’s body is different. Hence, everyone feels hot or cold with different intensity. You must have come across some people who start shivering in a cold room while others are absolutely alright with the temperature. This is known as cold intolerance. Women are likely to feel colder than men in most cases.

A key reason cold intolerance affects women more than men is because they have a lower resting metabolic rate. The bottom line is that if you feel cold all the time, there is definitely an underlying cause. It’s a signal from your body that you should definitely not ignore.

The feeling of cold can be accompanied by other symptoms like tingling or numbness, shivering and cold hands or feet. 

Let’s understand the potential reasons why you may be feeling cold all the time: 

1. Anemia

Anemia is characterised by the lack of enough healthy red blood cells. There could be several reasons behind this ranging from the inability of your body to make enough RBCs to heavy menstrual bleeding. Feeling cold is one of the first few symptoms of anemia. It needs to be treated on a priority basis to avoid other complications.

The most common causes of anemia include a poor diet, inflammatory bowel disease, blood loss or pregnancy. Fatigue, weakness, cold hands and feet are some of the most common symptoms reported by patients.

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2. Hypothyroidism

This could be another potential reason why you suffer from cold intolerance. For the uninitiated, hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone for your body to function properly. There’s really no cure for it, but one can tackle the condition with medication.

Symptoms include fatigue, dry skin, forgetfulness, depression as well as weight gain.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifestyle disease that is becoming increasingly common. This condition affects the kidney and causes circulation issues that can make you feel really cold. It can cause nerve damage and make you feel cold, especially in your feet.

Some other common symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, excessive thirst or hunger, fatigue and blurred vision, among others.

4. Vitamin B12 deficiency

This is a condition that most commonly affects those who do not eat animal products. In some cases, it occurs because a person’s body can’t absorb vitamin B12. It most commonly affects those who are following a vegan diet, are older than 50, or have undergone gastrointestinal surgery. It is also reported amongst people who experience severe digestive issues.

Apart from feeling cold all the time, those affected suffer from constipation or diarrhoea, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, or even a pale appearance.

Think you suffer from cold intolerance? It’s best to schedule an appointment with your doctor.