We mostly feel cold because of environmental factors, such as snowfall, chilly winds, freezing temperatures, and so on. There are many other reasons that can increase your cold sensitivity. Low levels of certain vitamins and minerals can also make you feel cold. In this blog, we will be discussing what vitamin deficiency causes you to feel cold sometimes.
Vitamin deficiencies, such as vitamin B12, vitamin B9, and more have the capacity to affect the process of thermoregulation, and will cause you to feel cold. Iron deficiency can also increase the sensitivity to cold in many people. Going through these details will help you to understand why you are feeling cold all of a sudden and how to manage it efficiently.
What Vitamin Deficiency Causes You To Feel Cold?
Our normal body temperature is maintained through a process known as thermoregulation. If this process is going on correctly without any kind of disruptions, then you will be able to maintain a body temperature of around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sometimes, the process of thermoregulation might be disrupted because of certain internal and external factors. As a result, your body temperature might deviate from the normal values, and you might experience a rise or fall in the temperature. Vitamin deficiencies listed below can cause you to feel cold sometimes.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
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Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin is an important vitamin which helps in the production of enzymes responsible for myelin, fatty acid, and DNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 also produces red blood cells which helps in oxygen transportation across the body. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead to inadequate red blood cells in the body. The bloodstream will fail to transport oxygen to all parts of the body. As a result, you will end up feeling tired, cold, and weak.
How to manage Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
- Vitamin B12 deficiency can be combated by taking certain food items, like poultry, milk, meat, and eggs.
- You can also take a Vitamin B12 supplement after consulting with your healthcare provider.
Vitamin B9 Deficiency
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Vitamin B9 or Folate helps in the process of cell division and DNA synthesis. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead to the development of megaloblastic anemia. This will decrease the number of RBCs in the bloodstream, and they will be larger in size. So, in this case too, the transportation of oxygen will be affected and you will be feeling cold and tired. Other symptoms of Vitamin B9 deficiency include heart palpitations, weakness, and irritability.
How to manage Vitamin B9 Deficiency?
- To manage Vitamin B9 or Folate deficiency, you have to take food items, like legumes, beef, nuts, and dark leafy vegetables.
- Your healthcare provider might also prescribe a folate supplement to manage the deficiency efficiently.
Vitamin C Deficiency
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The deficiency of Vitamin C produces an illness known as scurvy. Apart from scurvy, the Vitamin C deficiency can also lead to other health problems. Deficiency of this vitamin can produce severe anemia in some people. This in turn affects the process of thermoregulation and the individual might feel cold and weak.
How to manage Vitamin C Deficiency?
- Vitamin C deficiency can be managed by incorporating food stuffs, such as grapefruit juice, orange juice, tomato juice, and lemon juice into your daily diet.
- For faster results, you can try taking a Vitamin C supplement after consulting with your healthcare provider.
Can Vitamin D deficiency cause you to feel cold?
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There has been a lot of debate regarding the link between cold sensitivity and Vitamin D deficiency. However, it has been found that Vitamin D plays only an indirect role in the overall process of thermoregulation. So, a deficiency of Vitamin D is more likely to cause other effects in the body, such as rickets, and similar bone disorders
What other nutrient deficiency can cause you to feel cold?
Now that we have gone through the discussion of what vitamin deficiency causes you to feel cold sometimes, let’s go through another nutrient deficiency that can produce a similar effect on your body.
Iron Deficiency
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Inadequate amounts of iron in our body can lead to iron deficiency anemia. In this case, your body will be unable to make healthy red blood cells because of the absence of sufficient iron. Without iron, hemoglobin molecules will not be produced efficiently, and oxygen binding will be disrupted. As a result, the transportation of oxygen will be affected, and you will notice symptoms, like cold hands and feet, shortness of breath, chest pain, and paleness.
How to manage Iron Deficiency?
- Iron Deficiency can be handled efficiently by taking food items rich in iron. These include dark leafy vegetables, beans, red meat, dried fruits, salmon, and more.
- Iron supplements can also be taken for managing this condition.
FAQs
Q1. What nutrient deficiency leads to cold sensitivity?
Cold sensitivity is induced by Vitamin B12, Vitamin B9, Vitamin C, and Iron deficiencies.
Q2. What are the prominent symptoms of folate deficiency?
Prominent symptoms of folate deficiency include feeling cold, pale skin, dizziness, and breathing difficulty.
Q3. What are the main causes of cold sensitivity?
Cold sensitivity can occur because of anemia, blood vessel problems, hypothyroidism, and problems with the hypothalamus.
Q4. What are the main symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency?
Deficiency of Vitamin C can produce a number of symptoms, such as bumpy skin, feeling cold, red gums, fatigue, and easy bruising and bleeding.
Q5. Can you recover fully from Vitamin B12 deficiency?
Yes, you can recover fully from Vitamin B12 deficiency through proper diet and vitamin supplements. Complete recovery will generally occur within 6-12 months.
Conclusion
Here, we have discussed what vitamin deficiency causes you to feel cold sometimes. The deficiency of Vitamin B12, Vitamin B9, and Vitamin C has the capacity to disrupt the process of thermoregulation. As a result, the person will feel cold, along with a wide variety of other symptoms, like tiredness and fatigue. These symptoms can be managed within a few weeks by addressing the concerned vitamin deficiency efficiently.
