Is it true that your blood thickens in colder climates?

Question

When people become acclimatised to a hot climate is it true that their blood thins or thickens in a cold climate.

Say somebody comes from Queensland (i'm australian) or Florida and goes to Tasmania or Alaska. The locals might think it's warm and be walking around in t-shirts but the visitors might have coats on and think it is cold.

My mum/mom (mums know lots) always told me it's because peoples blood is thinner in hot climates and it causes them to feel the cold. I was thinking about it the other day, i'm having trouble seeing how blood would thicken and how it would affect cold sensitivity and not cause other problems, excess bleeding or strokes at either end of the spectrum.

I'm no doctor so please keep it simple, and if the theory is wrong, perhaps you could explain why people feel the cold/heat diferently and get aclimatised to them.

Thanks heaps smart Y!A people.

Answer 1

no, climate doesn't affect the thickness of blood.
People who change environments simply take a while to become acclimated to the new environment.
those living in warm climates tend to be thirstier and therefore drink alot more water, but in order to drink enough water to thin the blood, one would die from water intoxication first. The kidneys and liver work to maintain the correct consistency of the blood. Kidneys excrete excess water, the liver absorbs old blood cells. Temperature has nothing to do with it.

Answer 2

It is true. My doctor told me that when I moved from Michigan to Arizona. He suggested that I take a baby aspirin a day to help thin my blood, because I had been in a cold climate so long that my blood was very thick.

Answer 3

Sure thing. Your blood thins out in warmer climates, and thickens for the colder ones.

Answer 4

Yes warm weather as well as high alittudes thin your blood.

Answer 5

I don't think that your blood is any thicker or thinner (although I could be wrong). I know that your blood vessels vasodilate (get bigger) or vasoconstrict (get smaller) to help regulate temp... dilate to cool, constrict to conserve... You would cool easier when your blood is moving quicker (vasodilation) and conserve heat by moving your blood slower (vasoconstriction)...Interesting question :)