Do you, or someone you know, often complain of having constantly cold hands and feet? In most cases, this is not a problem, and simply due to the body maintaining its temperature.
For our bodies, blood is a fantastic store of heat. By diverting blood to the skin, heat is transferred to the outside air, helping to cool us down. This is why we might look a bit “flushed” on a hot day.
On the other hand, when we are feeling cold, the blood vessels in our skin narrow so less blood is diverted there. Less blood means less warmth, and this becomes particularly noticeable in the hands and feet.
It’s a normal process, and shows that our body is doing its job of maintaining a normal internal temperature and protecting our organs.
Normally, the feeling is only temporary. But if someone always has cold hands and feet, even when their body is quite warm, it could be a symptom of some following diseases.
1. Anemia
If, in addition to the cold hands, there are some other symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and fatigue, check the level of iron in the blood. Iron is the main component of hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood and gives it a red color.
2. Thyroid gland
Hypothyroidism, or slow thyroid gland, resulting in slower metabolism, and is often accompanied by cold feet or cold sensation. Fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness, slow speech and movement, as well as poor tolerance of high temperatures, are clear symptoms of this disorder.
3. Diabetes
Cold and tingling in hands and feet, may be the first signs of diabetes. Diabetes has consequences for blood circulation and nervous system, and is often accompanied with these phenomena. If you are constantly thirsty, eat a lot and not cultivate or lose weight, be sure to inspect your blood sugar.
4. Stress
Stress can also be the cause of cold hands and feet. It, in fact, increases adrenaline, a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, which constricts blood vessels and circulation is weaker, and the hands and feet are colder.