Cold Intolerance: When Everyone Else Is Comfortable
If you're the person wearing a sweater in air conditioning, always cold, with ice-cold hands and feet—your body's metabolic or circulatory system isn't working optimally. We find why.
If you consistently feel cold when others are comfortable, need extra layers constantly, or have cold hands and feet that never warm up—this isn't just being 'cold-natured.' It's a symptom worth investigating.
Understanding Cold Intolerance
Cold intolerance typically stems from endocrine, hematologic, or circulatory dysfunction. The most common causes include hypothyroidism (40%), iron deficiency anemia (20%), and Raynaud's phenomenon (15%).
Hypothyroidism
Reduced thyroid hormone decreases metabolic rate and heat production
Iron Deficiency
Reduced hemoglobin impairs oxygen delivery and heat production
Circulatory Issues
Poor blood flow to extremities makes hands and feet cold