Hello, 5mmmmm5-ga!
Thank you for providing such a detailed question with adequate
background information! Such detail is extremely rare and researchers
are always appreciative of any extra information they can obtain!
I have done considerable research into your question and will do my
best to provide some thoughts concerning an explanation of your
symptoms. Please be mindful, however, that I am not a physician. GA
researchers cannot, and will not, dispense medical advice, as
evidenced by the disclaimer on the bottom of this page - Important
Disclaimer- "Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are
general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed
professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal,
investment, accounting, or other professional advice."
With that said....here are some thoughts for your consideration:
Overall, it sounds as if you are in relatively good health, with
blood, hormone and urine tests presenting results in the normal range.
Yet, you are nagged with a variety of minor but chronic health
annoyances that leave you feeling "sub par," achy, sluggish, headachy,
with cold symptoms, and feeling like you could bundle in a blanket
most of the time. Since doctor's have been unable to provide you with
any further insight, this demands that you must be the detective,
which is not really a bad thing. Many doctors rarely think outside the
box, and we, as individuals, often end up feeling foolish about our
contention that we still don't feel quite right when medical tests
come back normal. Yet, we know our bodies the best, and a little
investigative work of our own can go a long way toward correcting and
maintaining our health in the long run.
I am assuming that your symptoms have come on gradually over the
years to the point that they are now chronic. You have given no
indication of a trauma or serious illness that occurred four years ago
- yet, you have stated that your symptoms have become noticeable
specifically during the last four years. You have also not mentioned
any regular use of prescription or over-the-counter medications,
which can often have side effects.
Nevertheless, I do have a few ideas about the "potential" causes for
your symptoms and they all seem to tie in together. I will discuss
them first, along with my reasons for suspicion, and then follow with
other possibilities that seem less likely.
My three suspicions as a "potential" cause for your complex of symptoms are:
* Insufficient caloric intake, leading to a deficiency in vitamins and
minerals;
* A consequent weakened immune system;
* The possibility of attendant allergies.
DEFICIENCY IN CALORIC INTAKE, VITAMINS AND MINERALS
====================================================
The first point that struck me was the statement that you are eating
1,000 - 1,400 calories per day with a weight of 92 kg, or
approximately 202 pounds. I don't know if you have recently attempted
to diet, or if you have accidentally misrepresented your daily calorie
consumption. However, you appear to be eating far too few calories for
your body size!
Somehow, you must be fluctuating your caloric intake enough to
maintain your size without losing a drastic amount of weight. However,
it seems your body might be suffering the effects of undernutrition
with an attendant deficiency of adequate vitamins and minerals to
maintain good health. Symptoms of insufficient nutrition include slow
metabolism, lowered immunity, poor body temperature regulation,
fatigue, reduced muscle strength, poor concentration, aching joints
and a host of other conditions.
From the information you have provided, it appears you are just barely
maintaining the calorie requirement essential for the most basic
bodily function for a man of your size.
A base level of calories is necessary just to maintain the bodily
functions necessary to sustain life. Basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is
defined as - "The approximate number of calories required by the body
at complete rest (all non-voluntary functions). Calories (energy),
expended for activity and exercise are above and beyond BMR."
http://www.imakenews.com/bioanalogics/e_article000020926.cfm
Aside from the calories necessary for our basal metabolism, we all
need extra calories for the other functions we perform during our day.
In your case, this would be rising from bed, making your food, taking
a shower, washing clothes, walking to work, typing at your computer,
moving about your office, etc.
From the rough calculations I have made, you are consuming an amount
of calories far below that which you need to maintain a healthy state.
** And, with a lack of calories comes a lack of essential vitamins and
minerals, which can all contribute to a gradual weakening of the
body's defenses. Consequently, you may not be consuming enough
calories to maintain good circulation or fight off infections like you
would if your diet was superior.
Take a look at the following calorie calculator
http://www.am-i-fat.com/calmaintain.html
* Your basic caloric need is between 2300 and 2400+ calories,
depending on how you rate your daily activity. Even discounting the 1
mile walk and rating your lifestyle as completely sedentary, your
daily caloric requirement is roughly 2300 calories.
==
Another calculator, which allows for hourly estimates of activity, can be see here:
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
If I plug in 92kg for weight and 182.88000000000002 centimeters for
height, 8 hours resting, 14 hours very light, and 2 hours light
(accounting for a slow walk), you can see your calorie requirements as
follows:
BMR (basal metabolic rate) - 1867 calories
Activity - 778 calories
Total Calories needed on a daily basis = 2645.
** At this point in time, you are consuming less calories than you
need even for your most basic metabolic functions - even without the
slight movement at your computer keyboard and the daily 1 mile walk to
work!!
How does this translate into symptoms?
--------------------------------------
While you are not clinically starving, you could be suffering milder
versions of some of the symptoms of inadequate food intake which
gradually build upon themselves over time.
Refer to the Merck Manual section on Undernutrition and note some of
the symptoms that you share, even though your are not, as I said,
clinically "starving":
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec12/ch153/ch153a.html
* hypothermia (low body temperature)
* Impaired ability to fight infections and repair wounds
* Reduced muscle size and strength, reducing the ability to exercise or work
It is possible that your inability to stay warm, the general feeling
of being "sub par", and the continuous runny or stuffy nose, aches,
etc. may all stem from an inadequate intake of calories and vitamins
and minerals necessary to sustain your body at a healthy level to
maintain warmth, store energy and fight off mild infections or bugs.
Mild Anemia and Cold Intolerance
---------------------------------
Low blood iron levels can cause cold intolerance and fatigue, and an
inadequate diet can certainly lead to decreased iron. Has a blood test
ruled this out?
From "Iron Deficiency - Conventional and Alternative Views," by Rebecca Wood.
http://www.rwood.com/Articles/Iron_Deficiency.htm
"Iron deficiency symptoms may include anemia, fatigue, digestive
problems, decreased alertness, intolerance to cold, susceptibility to
chronic infections and frequent colds. People at high risk of iron
deficiency are menstruating women, children, teenagers and anyone
lacking adequate nutrition."
From "Anemia." Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemia
"Cold intolerance occurs in one in five patients with iron deficiency
anemia, and becomes visible through numbness and tingling. Impaired
immune functioning leading to increased likelihood of sickness is
another possible complications......Consumption of food rich in iron
is essential to prevention of iron deficiency anemia. These foods
include red meat; green, leafy vegetables; dried beans; dried
apricots, prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits; almonds; seaweeds;
parsley; whole grains; and yams. In extreme cases of anemia,
researchers recommend consumption of beef liver, lean meat, oysters,
lamb or chicken."
==
Excerpt from "Possible Iron Deficiency." The Body Pro.
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Fatigue/Archive/Anemia/Q15190.html
Q. "I get icy feelings especially in legs, what could be the cause of
this? My last hemoglobin reading was 10.6 - Hematocrit 33.5."
A. You are definitely anemic...... Symptoms of anemia -- low red
blood cells -- include fatigue, exercise intolerance, shortness of
breath, intolerance to cold, dizziness, inability to concentrate, and
a long list of other problems. Your "icy feelings" in your legs might
be related to "intolerance to cold" experienced by some anemic
folks.....
NUTRITION AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
================================
The "Diagnose Me" website provides an excellent resource for looking
up certain symptoms or conditions, and then allowing one to follow
links for accessory information.
See what the site has to say about a weakened immune system, and note
all the associated causes and symptoms, including dietary
insufficiency:
"Weakened immune system:
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C47006.html
"Immune responses can be depressed by various external influences
including emotional stress, physical stressors such as inadequate
sleep or athletic over training, environmental and occupational
chemical exposure, UV and other types of radiation, common viral or
bacterial infections, certain drug therapies, blood transfusions and
surgery.
* "DIETARY HABITS also have an impact on immune response. Excessive
fat, alcohol or refined sugar consumption or * INADEQUATE PROTEIN,
CALORIE, VITAMIN, MINERAL OR WATER INTAKE fosters decreased immune
performance as well. In addition, the biological state of aging
counteracts immune function, particularly after age of 40."
Note some of the symptoms that parallel yours:
Slow recovery from colds
Frequent colds/flu
Recent/chronic productive cough
==
A weakened immune system can also wreak havoc with hormones,
especially from the adrenal glands. Scroll down the page to "Risk
factors for Weakened Immune System" and click on the link for "Low
Adrenal Function / Adrenal Insufficiency," which will bring you to
this page:
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C17669.html
Note many of the "possible" symptoms that can accompany Adrenal
insufficiency that mimic or parallel yours:
Low energy/stamina
Low body temperature
Frequent colds/flu
Tender muscles
Various severities of fatigue
Allergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose)
Occasional/regular/frequent sore throats
** NOTE - the above is simply for your consideration. It is NOT a
diagnosis. In fact, I have simply mentioned the link because so many
symptoms are interconnected and there is often a multitude of causes
for mild but chronic symptoms such as yours.
==
Cold sores, which are caused by the herpes simplex virus, can also
occur more often when the body is exposed to stress (even nutritional
stress) or lowered immune protection. Nutritional supplements can be
very helpful in preventing reoccurrence.
Read "Learn About Cold Sores."
http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hc/resourceareas_learn/1,1441,448,00.html
Also see "Herpes Simplex Virus." University of Maryland Medical Center
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsConditions/HerpesSimplexViruscc.html
==========
ALLERGIES
==========
It is entirely possible that you also have some allergies which are
contributing to your symptoms of runny/stuffy nose, aches, cough and
headache. Again, your detective skills will have to come into play,
since you know your lifestyle and surroundings the best.
** You might also consider taking an allergy test.
A general overview of allergies and symptoms:
Overview - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/8633-1.asp
Causes - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/8633-2.asp
Symptoms - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/8633-3.asp
Allergic Rhinitus
http://healthydevil.studentaffairs.duke.edu/health_information/allergy.html
=
The following article is interesting, to say the least, but it
certainly does not provide a total explanation for your symptoms, nor
have you mentioned skin hives, which are the most usual presentation:
"Physical Allergy." Merck Manual.
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec16/ch185/ch185f.html
Excerpts:
"A physical allergy differs from other allergic reactions because the
trigger is a physical stimulus. The physical stimulus can be cold,
sunlight, heat, other stimuli that cause sweating (such as emotional
stress or exercise), vibration, a minor injury (such as that due to
scratching), or physical pressure. For some people, symptoms occur
only in response to a physical stimulus. For some people who have
other allergies, a physical stimulus makes symptoms worse."
"What causes this type of allergic reaction is not understood. One
theory suggests that the physical stimulus changes a protein in the
skin. The immune system mistakes this protein for a foreign substance
and attacks it....
"A few people who are sensitive to cold have abnormal proteins (called
cryoglobulins or cryofibrinogen) in the blood. Sometimes the presence
of these proteins indicates a serious disorder such as cancer, a
connective tissue disorder, or chronic infection."
"When people who are sensitive to cold are exposed to cold, they may
develop hives, asthma, a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, or swelling of
tissues under the skin (angioedema). Rarely, a widespread anaphylactic
reaction occurs."
"The diagnosis is based on symptoms and the circumstances under which
they occur. To diagnose reactions caused by cold, doctors place an ice
cube on the skin for 4 minutes, remove the ice cube, then watch for
the development of a hive."
=
Also see "Cold Allergies and What Can Be Done About Them."
http://www.drgreene.com/21_650.html
=======================
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
=======================
I would also like to present you with some articles that discuss
reasons for cold sensitivity or intolerance, "in general." While
these articles are very interesting and may have some application to
you, they do not provide a reason for all of your other symptoms.
=
"Why you're always cold (or hot) at work," By Laura Morsch. CareerBuilder.com
Friday, May 20, 2005 http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/05/18/work.climate/
"How can some people in an office feel too hot, and others too cold,
when they're sitting right next to each other? Donadio says a
multitude of factors can cause an otherwise healthy person to feel
warmer or colder than his or her peers. "The reason why a person is
cold is very individual and unique to that person," she says.
Among the factors:
Weight: "The more body fat you have, the more insulation you have, so
you tend not to be as cold generally," Donadio says.
Fitness: The amount of dense muscle an individual has helps the body
regulate temperature more efficiently, Donadio says. "There's no
question," she says, "that if you want to enhance the overall
regulation of your system -- exercise. It's scientifically proven that
it's the single most important thing anyone can do for themselves,
ever."
Diet: People who do not get enough vitamins, minerals, protein,
vegetables and other essential nutrients for a healthy metabolism
could find themselves feeling tired and cold because their metabolism
is not getting the nutrients it needs to work efficiently, Donadio
says.
Gender: Women are more prone to hypothyroidism than men are, according
to Donadio. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid works
too little and causes the patient to feel cold. Women's body
temperatures are also prone to irregularity due to their menstrual
cycles and menopause, and women generally have less dense muscle mass
than men do, which lowers their average body temperature.
Age: According to Donadio, as people age, their hormonal systems may
begin to function differently. When they do not produce as many
hormones as they once did, they may find themselves feeling colder.
Likewise, hormonal surges associated with menopause can cause hot
flashes.
Stress: Being too tense or uptight in the office could reduce your
circulation, making you feel colder, Donadio says."
==
"Why some people never feel cold while others never get warm." Medical
News Today. 2/2004 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=5711
Excerpts:
"Scientists have found a reason why some people never seem to get warm
while others never seem to feel the cold: some nerve cell receptors
deep in the body are stimulated by signals other than temperature.
These cells never come in contact with environmental signals like
those near the skin but are studded with receptors that appear to get
sensory input from hormones, proteins and other biochemical compounds
within the body."
'What we are working to understand is the physiological and
pathological roles of these receptors and why some people may feel
cold or pain despite external stimuli,' said neuroscientist Jianguo
Gu, a researcher in the university's College of Dentistry and the
McKnight Brain Center."
'That could explain why it is that you and I can sit in the same space
and you will feel comfortable and I may feel cold, yet the
environmental stimuli are the same.'
"But what Gu and his colleagues found is that there are receptors so
deep in the body that they literally chill to the backbone. 'In
addition to under the skin on the peripheral side of the nervous
system, there are also cold receptors on the central side of the
peripheral nervous system within the spinal cord,' he said."
"More research will be needed to understand how the mechanisms for
activating the receptor work inside the body, Gu said. 'Right now, we
really just don't know how this receptor might function in the central
nervous system, but we see all these possibilities.'"
==========================================================
OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT RESULT IN COLD INTOLERANCE
==========================================================
While you are always chilly, you have neglected to mention whether
your body temperature actually measures at a lower than normal level,
OR whether you simply "feel" cold. There is a difference, and that
distinction can be helpful in determining contributing factors or
diagnosing a condition.
=
While it is true that insufficient thyroid hormone is often one of the
first suspected causes of cold intolerance, and thyroid tests can be
inaccurate, you have not mentioned the other symptoms which are
usually pronounced as well - dry, itchy skin, constipation, brittle
hair and weight gain.
http://www.parknicollet.com/healthadvisor/conditions/hypothyroidism_2.cfm
=
Raynaud's phenomenon is another suspect in cold intolerance, but the
symptoms are primarily seen in the extremities.
http://www.ajc.com/health/altmed/shared/health/alt_medicine/ConsConditions/RaynaudsPhenomenoncc.html
==
** The following sites should be viewed with a healthy grain of salt ***
The Cold Body Page
http://www.mall-net.com/mcs/coldbody.html
"TEMPERATURE DYSREGULATION IN STRESS."
http://www.majidali.com/temperat.htm
====================
FURTHER SUGGESTIONS
====================
If you would like to try an online medical analysis, "Diagnose-Me"
might be a worthwhile place to start. You can pay for a simple or full
report
http://www.diagnose-me.com/index.html
=
Another useful site is Wrong Diagnosis.com, though it can be slightly
overwhelming and easily cause confusion more than help if you are not
careful!!
See the listings under "cold sensitivity":
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/cold_sensitivity.htm
====================
WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?
====================
In the absence of any significant relation to serious diseases or
hormonal disorders, it appears that your dietary patterns and
nutritional requirements are the easiest aspect to tackle. Simple
changes might make an enormous impact in how you feel. Give it a
while, however. The body takes time to respond, but patience is well
worth it in the long run.
I have provided some references to help you analyze your calorie and
nutritional needs. If you do not eat much meat, as per your
clarification, you might consider eating more, or pay very close
attention to foods that provide enough iron.
=
"Eating for Exercise" provides a good overview of dietary needs by
calorie as well as by food group. Once again, if you plug in your
gender and weight, and choose even the lowest exercise requirements,
you will see that you are calorie deficient.
See http://www.uhs.uga.edu/nutrition/eating_exercise.html
=
"Building a better diet." From MayoClinic.com
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/NU/00190.html
==
The BBC Health site provides a wide range of articles on diet and
health. I have compiled a few links, but feel free to browse around.
"Over-50s," by Alison Greenhalgh
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/nutrition/life_over501.shtml
"A healthy diet," by Jacqueline Young.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/complementary_medicine/staying_diet.shtml
==
"What is healthy body weight?" (Read through entire article)
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition/weightconcerns.htm
==
A sample 1500 calorie/day meal plan looks like this. Are you eating at
least this much, and hopefully more?
http://www.nutritionwerks.com/he/heseniors.asp
Sample Meal Plan
Breakfast
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 tbsp. wheat germ
1 medium banana
Snack
Whole wheat toast with peanut butter
6 oz pure orange juice
Lunch
1 bowl cream of tomato soup
1 egg salad sandwich on whole-wheat bread
Glass of water
Snack
2 graham crackers
Tea
Dinner
3 oz baked fish
3/4 cup carrots & peas
1 medium boiled potato
Water
Snack 3-4 whole wheat crackers
1 cup of cocoa with 1 tbsp. added milk powder
Nutritional analysis:
1540 calories, 19% protein, 29% fat, 57% carbohydrate, 26 grams fiber
==
Finally, from the Harvard School of Public Health:
What Should You Really Eat?
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramids.html
======
BOOKS
======
Finally, you might want to look at the updated version of
"Prescription for Nutritional Healing : Third Edition (Prescription
for Nutritional Healing, 3rd ed) (Paperback) by Phyllis Balch, James
Balch
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1583330771/ref=ase_healthcatalog-20/104-7975471-1663955?v=glance&s=books
===
I sincerely hope I have provided you with some useful information. I
have tried to cover all the bases and truly believe that working
toward a superior state of nutrition might bring you some relief from
your symptoms.
If I can clarify anything further, please don't hesitate to ask.
I wish you all the best,
umiat
cold intolerance
sensitive to cold
cold insensitivity
calorie requirements by weight
BMR calculations
symptoms of calorie deficiency
symptoms weakened immune system
iron deficiency and cold intolerance
nutrition AND cold sores
hormones and cold intolerance
depressed metabolism
nutritional causes for low body temperature
vitamin and mineral deficiency AND cold intolerance
slow metabolism and body temperature
allergies and sensitivity to cold
sample healthy diets |
