Does low iron make you cold

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Does Low Iron Make You Cold?

Iron Deficiency and Thermoregulation

Iron plays a crucial role in the body's ability to regulate temperature. Research indicates that low iron levels can impair thermoregulation, making individuals more susceptible to feeling cold. This is particularly evident in women, who are more prone to iron deficiency due to menstruation .

Metabolic Heat Production and Cold Exposure

Studies have shown that iron deficiency reduces metabolic heat production during cold exposure. For instance, one study found that women with depleted iron stores had a significant reduction in metabolic heat production and experienced faster cooling of their core and peripheral body temperatures compared to when their iron levels were repleted . This suggests that iron is essential for maintaining body heat in cold environments.

Thyroid Hormone Levels and Cold Sensitivity

Iron deficiency also affects thyroid hormone levels, which are critical for thermoregulation. Research on both humans and animals has demonstrated that iron-deficient individuals have lower levels of thyroid hormones such as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) during cold exposure. This hormonal imbalance contributes to their inability to maintain body temperature 345. In iron-deficient rats, for example, the lack of increase in T3 and T4 levels during cold exposure was linked to poor cold resistance .

Anemia and Cold Sensitivity

Anemia, a condition often caused by iron deficiency, further exacerbates cold sensitivity. Anemic individuals have been shown to have lower rectal temperatures and reduced oxygen consumption during cold exposure compared to non-anemic individuals. Iron supplementation has been found to improve these thermoregulatory responses, indicating that anemia plays a significant role in cold sensitivity 45.

Adaptive Thermogenesis and Iron Deficiency

Adaptive thermogenesis, the process by which the body generates heat in response to cold, is also impaired by iron deficiency. In a study on mice, those on an iron-deficient diet had lower core body temperatures and impaired thermogenic responses compared to mice with adequate iron levels. This was associated with reduced activation of thermogenic pathways in adipose tissue, highlighting the importance of iron in adaptive thermogenesis .

Conclusion

In summary, low iron levels can indeed make you feel cold. Iron deficiency impairs the body's ability to produce heat, affects thyroid hormone levels, and exacerbates cold sensitivity, particularly in anemic individuals. Ensuring adequate iron intake is essential for maintaining proper thermoregulation and preventing cold sensitivity.

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Most relevant research papers on this topic

Do low levels of iron affect body's ability to regulate temperature, experience cold?

Low iron levels in women can negatively affect their ability to regulate temperature and experience cold, as shown by their increased vulnerability to cold-related symptoms.

1988·

0citations

·T. Kirn

Thermogenesis and thermoregulatory function of iron-deficient women without anemia.

Iron depletion reduces metabolic heat production and increases core and peripheral cooling, affecting cold tolerance and hormone responses.

Non-RCT

1990·

38citations

·H. Lukaski et al.

Interactions of iron deficiency, anemia, and thyroid hormone levels in response of rats to cold exposure.

Iron-deficient rats have poor cold resistance due to their inability to increase thyroid hormone levels after cold exposure, with anemia being a key factor in this sensitivity.

Non-RCTAnimal Study

1982·

38citations

·J. Beard et al.

Impaired thermoregulation and thyroid function in iron-deficiency anemia.

Iron-deficiency anemia impairs thermoregulation and thyroid function, with thyroid-hormone metabolism potentially being responsible for this imbalance.

Non-RCTHighly Cited

1990·

171citations

·John L. Beard et al.

Effect of iron-deficiency anemia on hormone levels and thermoregulation during cold exposure.

Anemia contributes to cold sensitivity in iron-deficient rats, with poor thyroid hormone responses and diminished oxygen delivery contributing to this functional lesion.

Non-RCTAnimal Study

1984·

54citations

·J. Beard et al.

Hypothermia injury/cold‐induced apoptosis—evidence of an increase in chelatable iron causing oxidative injury in spite of low O2−/H2O2 formation

Hypothermia injury/cold-induced apoptosis is primarily evoked by alterations in cellular iron homeostasis and a rapid increase in the cellular chelatable iron pool, rather than increased formation of O2/H2O2.

In Vitro StudyHighly Cited

2000·

196citations

·U. Rauen et al.

Dietary Iron Deficiency Modulates Adipocyte Iron Homeostasis, Adaptive Thermogenesis, and Obesity in C57BL/6 Mice.

Dietary iron deficiency impairs adaptive thermogenesis and increases weight gain in C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet.

Very Rigorous Journal

2021·

19citations

·Jin-Seon Yook et al.

Effect of exposure to low temperature on normal and iron-deficient subjects.

Exposure to low temperature increases norepinephrine levels and oxygen consumption in iron-deficient subjects, potentially causing hypothermia and requiring immediate medical attention.

Non-RCT

1984·

66citations

·C. Martínez-Torres et al.

Changes in iron status during weight loss with very-low-energy diets.

Higher iron intake during very-low-energy diets can maintain higher thyroid hormone concentrations in obese individuals, reducing cold intolerance and improving iron indicators.

Non-RCT

1997·

25citations

·J. Beard et al.

Iron reserves in the female body and susceptibility to colds

Stable iron reserves in women reduce susceptibility to colds, while iron deficiency increases susceptibility and lengthens sick leave periods.

Observational Study

1993·

0citations

·Kirilenko Np

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