What Vitamin Deficiency Causes You To Feel Cold?

We’ve all got that one friend — or maybe we are that friend — who is always cold. While others are stripping off layers of clothing, we’re pulling on a sweater or grabbing a blanket. Feeling cold all the time may be part of your personal brand, but there’s a chance it could be linked to a deficiency in your body. 

Vitamin deficiencies are rare, but undergoing certain surgeries, taking medications, or following strict diets can cause deficiencies to occur. We’ll uncover which ones can make you feel cold and also discuss a few other conditions that could be giving you the shivers. 

Finally, we’ll discuss a newly discovered vitamin deficiency (the first we’ve known about in 75 years) and how its impact can lead to serious negative health outcomes. Don’t worry, we’ll also talk about the simple way to fix it. 

What’s the Link Between Vitamin Deficiencies and Feeling Cold?

Being extremely sensitive to cold as the result of a vitamin or nutrient deficiency is usually linked to some form of anemia. Anemia is characterized by not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to properly carry oxygen to all the tissues in your body. 

There are three deficiencies that can lead to anemia. 

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps with red blood cell creation and helps the body properly absorb iron. When B12 is low, you may develop a specific type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia. A symptom of this type of anemia is feeling cold all the time. 

Most people get plenty of B12 from their diet, but certain medications may interfere with B12 absorption. People who follow restrictive diets (vegetarian or fully plant-based) may also find it difficult to get enough B12. B12 is found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. It’s also found in fortified foods and supplements. 

Iron

Iron deficiency is more common than B12 deficiency. Globally, it affects 30% of the population. Not getting enough iron can lead to iron deficient anemia. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, and without hemoglobin your body can’t make red blood cells efficiently. 

One of the most common side effects of anemia is feeling cold, but you’ll likely also have other side effects like feeling short of breath and experiencing periodic lightheadedness. You may develop an iron deficiency if you have undergone surgery or an accident and experienced blood loss. Sources of iron include red meat, some fish, beans, dark leafy greens, and fortified foods. 

Folate

Folate is vitamin B9. It is necessary to create strong red blood cells. Not having enough folate also leads to megaloblastic anemia, and a higher sensitivity to cold. 

Pregnant people are more likely to develop this deficiency, along with people who have an alcohol use disorder or who have had gastrointestinal surgery. Sources of B9 include dark leafy greens, fish, liver, beans, nuts, and whole grains. 

In addition to nutrient deficiencies, there are a few other health conditions that could be causing your arctic chills.

What Medical Conditions Lead to Cold Sensitivity?

There are several conditions that can lead to feeling cold frequently or being extremely sensitive to cold temperatures. 

Disordered Eating 

People who severely restrict their caloric intake may not have enough nutrients to allow their bodies to function properly and may be very sensitive to cold. They may also lose so much body fat they cannot properly insulate themselves against cold temperatures. 

Hypothyroidism

The thyroid controls your metabolism, and if you don’t make enough of your thyroid hormone, your metabolism and heart rate will slow, which can make you more sensitive to the cold. 

Both of these conditions need a medical diagnosis and treatment for recovery. If you suspect you may be suffering from one or both, contact your doctor and schedule a visit. Your doctor is also the best person to test you for a vitamin deficiency, even though they’re rare. 

Are Vitamin Deficiencies Common?

In developed nations like the United States, vitamin deficiencies are extremely rare. However, due to popular diets (like the carnivore diet and veganism) that completely eliminate entire food groups, deficiencies may occur. With the development of fortified foods, this is still rare. 

A simple blood test is all you need to find out if your chilly temperatures are caused by a vitamin deficiency or not. Most vitamin deficiencies have been eradicated (think vitamin C deficiency and scurvy, or vitamin D deficiency and rickets) but a newly discovered vitamin deficiency is not only the first to have been identified in 75 years, it’s also common. 

Cellular Fragility Syndrome

Researchers discovered that low levels of a particular essential fatty acid known as C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid) can result in fragile cells that age faster and increase a person’s risk of developing chronic metabolic, heart, and liver conditions. 

As published in the scientific journal Metabolites, low body levels of C15:0 can also lead to ferroptosis, which is a type of cell death that previously had an unknown cause. We now know that nutritional C15:0 deficiencies can cause ferroptosis and Cellular Fragility Syndrome, which may impact as many as one in three people worldwide.

What’s the Impact?

When our cells do not have C15:0 in their membranes, they become fragile, which can lead to lipid peroxidation and cell death by ferroptosis. Cell death by ferroptosis leads to accelerated conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, NAFLD, and even accelerated aging, all of which have been on the rise, especially among younger adults. 

If we can prevent Cellular Fragility Syndrome by restoring our C15:0 levels, we can give our cells a fighting chance to age more healthfully, which in turn gives us a longer healthspan and lets us biohack our longevity. In other words, fixing Cellular Fragility Syndrome can help us lead longer, healthier lives. 

How Does C15:0 Work?

C15:0 is a sturdy, odd-chain, saturated fatty acid that integrates into our cells to support them, repair them, and revitalize them. C15:0 supports cellular health by: 

• Strengthening cell membranes, which naturally weaken with age. Studies show that C15:0 strengthens cell membranes by 80%. 
• Improving mitochondrial function. 
• Lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol. 
• Improving liver enzymes
• Supporting a healthy gut microbiome

Additionally, C15:0 helps cells communicate with one another better by activating PPAR receptors that control functions like mood, sleep, appetite, and immunity. C15:0 also addresses six out of the 12 hallmarks of aging. 

C15:0 is an essential fatty acid, which means our bodies need it to thrive but cannot make it on their own. We have to get it from diet or supplements, or we become deficient. Chances are that many of us are indeed deficient. 

How Do I Know If I’m Deficient?

C15:0 is found in trace amounts in whole dairy foods like whole milk and full-fat butter. In the U.S., it’s uncommon to find households that still drink whole milk. The switch to plant-based milk (which is completely devoid of C15:0) has also driven our C15:0 levels lower. Still, if you’re questioning if you are truly deficient, a trip to your healthcare provider is in order. 

The only way to know for certain is by ordering the fatty15 C15:0 at-home test or having your doctor perform a blood test. Additionally, you can determine the result of increasing your C15:0 levels by monitoring your complete blood count, fasting lipid panel, and liver enzymes.

C15:0 levels should be above 0.2% of your total fatty acids to prevent nutritional deficiencies and Cellular Fragility Syndrome. It’s worth noting that in blue zones (where people consistently live to be 100), C15:0 levels usually measure between 0.4% and 0.6% of total fatty acids.

In Sardinia, Italy, a Blue Zone where residents consistently live to be 100+, levels of C15:0 are much higher (0.64%). 

The Sardinian diet contains high C15:0 content cheeses made from local, mountainous, grazing goats and sheep. Most of us don’t have access to this type of dairy, and consuming whole dairy we buy at the grocery store isn’t a good solution either. Thankfully, there’s an easy solution. 

Fixing Cellular Fragility Syndrome

Fixing Cellular Fragility Syndrome by increasing our C15:0 levels is not only possible, it’s relatively easy. However, increasing our whole dairy intake may not be the ideal solution for a few reasons.

1. Whole dairy contains C15:0 attached to branches of lipids called triglycerides. Our gut has to use digestive enzymes to break down the triglycerides and free the C15:0 so it can be used. These additional steps make the C15:0 in whole dairy less bioavailable for our bodies.

2. Whole dairy contains a mix of both good and bad fats. The good C15:0 fatty acid that is present in whole dairy in trace levels are mixed together with much higher levels of “bad” even-chain saturated fatty acids that are consistently associated with poorer health. This is one reason why whole dairy milk is often a controversial topic with no clear determination of whether it is truly good or bad for us.

3. It involves cows and calories. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, increasing your dairy intake isn’t a health-conscious move. Additionally, whole dairy products aren’t low-calorie, which means we’ll be consuming excess calories and sugar (from lactose) that most of us don’t want or need to consume. 

The bottom line? Whole dairy only contains C15:0 in trace amounts to begin with. We’d have to start drinking a lot of whole milk to increase our C15:0 levels, and it would come at the expense of other negative health consequences. A better solution? Fatty15. 

Fatty15: The C15:0 Supplement

Fatty15 is a simple, once-a-day supplement to help support our cells and fix Cellular Fragility Syndrome without cows or calories. 

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement that contains the pure, vegan-friendly, bioabsorbable, award-winning version of C15:0. At just one calorie per 100 mg daily dose, it’s an easy and effective way to increase our circulating levels of C15:0. 

Taking fatty15 is one of the best ways to support your cells, improve your heart, liver and metabolic health, and give your body a better chance of retaining its wellness as you age. Fatty15 is an important part of a healthy aging routine.

Warm Up With Fatty

If you’re always cold, it could be a nutrient deficiency or a medical condition that needs addressing. Seeing your doctor and getting a blood test can give you the answers you need. 

While you’re there, talk to your doctor about checking your fatty acid levels. If you're deficient in C15:0, fatty15 is a simple solution that helps prevent Cellular Fragility Syndrome and protects your cells as they age. 

Sources:

Megaloblastic Anemia - StatPearls | NCBI Bookshelf

Iron deficiency anemia: pathophysiology, assessment, practical management | BMJ Open Gastroenterology|BMJ OPen Gastro.com

The Cellular Stability Hypothesis: Evidence of Ferroptosis and Accelerated Aging-Associated Diseases as Newly Identified Nutritional Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0) Deficiency Syndrome

Ferroptosis and Senescence: A Systematic Review | MDPI.com

Iron metabolism and ferroptosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus and complications: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities | Cell Death & Disease | Nature.com

Ferroptosis mechanisms and regulations in cardiovascular diseases in the past, present, and future | Cell Biology and Toxicology | Springer.com

Iron metabolism and ferroptosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: what is our next step? | Journals.Physiology.org

Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis | PLOS Medicine

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

Effect of an Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet and pentadecanoic acid on fatty liver disease: the TANGO randomized controlled trial | ScienceDirect

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0), an Essential Fatty Acid, Shares Clinically Relevant Cell-Based Activities with Leading Longevity-Enhancing Compounds