12 Medical Reasons You’re Always Cold

You have low iron

If your hands and feet are always cold, iron-deficiency anemia might be to blame. Red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen into the blood, and low levels of iron could hurt your circulation, says registered dietitian nutritionist Alyssa Tucci, MS, of Compass Nutrition. “Coldness in extremities—hands and feet—is most pronounced, because the body is smart, so it diverts blood to vital organs like the heart and brain first,” she says. Meat is the most common dietary source of iron. Leafy greens and legumes are good sources, but pair them with a vitamin C-rich food like red pepper for maximum absorption, she says; it’s harder to absorb iron from plants. Here are some other signs you have iron deficiency.

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