X
More than 60,000 patients use Brite
4.6 stars
Your health finally understandable with Brite
Enter email and you're done. No subscription, no credit card.
Search, tap and you're done. Over 3,400 medicines.
Check, remind, get an overview.
Sarah K., 34
I finally understand my therapy. The app reminds me, answers my questions — and I don't feel alone with it anymore.
Behind constant feeling cold there are especially often three closely related causes, all of which are treatable and can be recognised with a few blood values. They have to do with how the body produces heat and how well the oxygen in the blood reaches the cells.
The underactive thyroid is one of the most common causes. With its hormones the thyroid controls the metabolism and thus the heat production. You can think of it like the body's thermostat, which regulates the inner heating. If it works too slowly, the energy turnover falls and the body produces less heat. Typical then is feeling cold together with tiredness, weight gain, dry skin, hair loss and constipation. Concentration problems and a low mood can also be added, which is why the symptoms are sometimes misinterpreted as pure exhaustion, even though a clear physical cause is behind them. The most common cause of the underfunction is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid in which the immune system attacks its own thyroid tissue. Read more about the functional disorder itself in our article on the underactive thyroid. A raised TSH value in the blood is the most important first clue. The underfunction is usually treated with the thyroid hormone levothyroxine, which replaces the missing hormones, after which the metabolism and the sense of warmth usually normalise again.
An iron deficiency and the resulting iron deficiency anaemia also frequently lead to feeling cold. Iron is needed to form the red blood pigment haemoglobin, which transports oxygen through the body. Oxygen in turn is needed to produce energy, and thus heat, in the cells. If iron is lacking, less oxygen reaches the cells, and the heat production suffers, so that you feel cold despite a normal environment. Besides the feeling cold, tiredness, paleness, brittle hair and nails and reduced resilience often occur. Sometimes shortness of breath on exertion, palpitations or cracked corners of the mouth are added, because the oxygen transport in the body no longer works optimally. Especially affected are menstruating women, pregnant women, people with a plant-based diet and endurance athletes, because their need is higher or their intake lower. The ferritin value shows the iron stores even before the blood count becomes abnormal. This is practical, because an iron deficiency can thus be recognised early and balanced with iron supplements or an iron-rich diet, often before a pronounced anaemia develops.
Besides thyroid and iron there are further possible reasons. A low blood pressure can lead to a reduced blood flow to hands and feet, so that they cool down quickly, often accompanied by dizziness on standing up. It is usually harmless and can often be influenced well with exercise, enough fluids and alternating showers. With circulatory problems or a Raynaud's syndrome, the vessels of the fingers narrow strongly in the cold, the fingers turn white and then blue, before they often turn red on warming up. A vitamin B12 deficiency, being underweight or a very strict diet, hormonal changes such as during menopause, and persistent stress and lack of sleep can also increase feeling cold. Anyone who is permanently overloaded and exhausted often feels cold more easily, because under constant stress the body pays less attention to warmth. Finally, certain medications, such as beta blockers or some migraine remedies, can narrow the vessels and thus reduce the heat supply to the extremities. More rarely, chronic conditions or malnutrition are also behind it. This variety shows why constant feeling cold cannot be explained across the board and why a targeted assessment is so helpful.
Precisely because so many causes come into question, a structured path to the diagnosis is important instead of simply waiting or just covering up the feeling cold. At the start there is the conversation: since when have you been cold, does it affect the whole body or mainly hands and feet, and which accompanying symptoms are there? Questions about diet, menstruation, weight changes and medications taken are also important, because they give valuable clues to the cause. Added to this are a physical examination and a blood pressure measurement. The greatest insight usually comes from a targeted blood test. It is simple, quick and delivers clear answers for the most common causes, which is why it is the most important step on the path to the diagnosis.
If a cause is found, it can usually be treated well and specifically, for example with thyroid hormones for an underfunction or with iron supplements for a deficiency. Once the cause is treated, the feeling cold usually improves too. It can take a few weeks for the effect to set in, however, because the metabolism and iron stores only recover slowly.
When you should see a doctor
A doctor's visit makes sense if the feeling cold is new, very strong, persists or is accompanied by symptoms such as tiredness, weight changes, paleness, palpitations, dizziness or changes to skin and hair. Then a look at the blood values mentioned is worthwhile, because behind it there is often a treatable cause. Anyone who, by contrast, suddenly feels unusually cold and at the same time appears pale, cold-sweaty and very exhausted should not wait but seek medical help immediately, if in doubt via the emergency number. If the feeling cold goes along with high fever and strong chills, it should also be assessed by a doctor promptly.
As long as there is no serious cause or alongside treatment, you can do quite a bit yourself to feel warmer. Regular exercise and some muscle building help, because working muscles produce heat and the circulation gets going. Even a brisk walk or light strength training can have a noticeable effect. Warm meals and drinks, enough sleep and a balanced diet with enough iron support the body in producing heat. Iron is found, for example, in pulses, whole grains, green vegetables and meat, and vitamin C improves its absorption. Alternating showers and endurance exercise in the fresh air stimulate the circulation and train the vessels to adapt better to temperature changes. Dressing correctly in several layers and warm socks also help in everyday life. It is just as important to eat enough and not to diet too strictly, because the body needs energy to produce heat, and a very meagre diet makes it economical with warmth. What remains important, however: if accompanying symptoms are added, all of this does not replace assessing the cause but only supplements it. Those who are consistent here often spare themselves long periods of unnecessary feeling cold.
Once the cause is found, the regular intake of medications counts, for example of thyroid hormones or iron supplements, often over many months. brite helps you manage your remedies, be reminded of the intake and keep possible side effects in view. Thyroid hormones in particular only work reliably if they are taken regularly and at the right time.
The bottom line: constant feeling cold is not simply a question of the right clothing but can be a valuable clue from your body. It is worth listening more closely instead of dismissing the symptom. Especially when accompanying symptoms are added, the path via a few targeted blood values is worthwhile. A single appointment with a blood draw can already clarify whether a treatable cause is present. Many causes are treatable, and with the right treatment you often literally become warm again. A good description of your symptoms and an up-to-date medication list help the practice a lot with this. So you do not simply have to accept the feeling cold but may take it as an occasion to look more closely and do your body some good.
Well prepared for the appointment
Set up your medications in brite for free and take a clear overview to the appointment. This helps to find the cause of your feeling cold faster and to keep up the treatment reliably.
Free · ad-free · GDPR-compliant
This article is for general information and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. With sudden, unusually strong feeling cold with paleness, cold sweat and severe exhaustion, please seek medical help immediately, if in doubt via the emergency number.
