Can’t Lose Weight? Maybe You Have A Thyroid Disorder
March 6th, 2007
Can’t Lose Weight? Maybe You Have A Thyroid Disorder
Author: Ken Black
A thyroid disorder called hypothyroidism means you have an
underactive thyroid gland. If you have trouble losing weight no
matter what you do, it could be because you are hypothyroid.
There are almost 30 million Americans with thyroid disease and
women are 7 times more likely than men to have it. Hypothyroid
is the most common thyroid disorder and often misdiagnosed by
doctors.
You may get this because it is inherited, or because of
previous problems, such as nodules, goiter, thyroid cancer,
previous thyroid surgery, another autoimmune disease.
This is a condition where the thyroid gland, a small butterfly
shaped organ located at the base of the neck, does not produce
enough hormone to function properly.
What happens is that it takes in iodine, combines it with
tyrosine (an amino acid) and converts it into the hormones T4
and T3. If your thyroid is normal, 80% will be T4 and 20% T3.
These hormones travel through the bloodstream, converting
oxygen and calories into energy. If this process doesn’t work
properly, then the calories and oxygen cannot convert the
energy properly and you may gain weight or incapability to lose
weight.
The symptoms can include : weight gain, depression,
forgetfulness, fatigue, hoarseness, high cholesterol,
constipation, feeling cold, hair loss, dry skin, low sex drive,
tingling hands or feet, irregular periods, infertility. You may
even experience recurrent pregnancy loss, resistant high
cholesterol, difficult menopause, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue
syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, or mitral valve prolapse.
Do you feel sluggish and fatigued on a regular basis, or do you
get bouts of depression and sadness? Are you always feeling
cold, especially your hands and feet, or do you have brittle
nails? These are just some of the possible signs of the
disease. There may be other causes, but at least this may give
you a clue as to why you do not feel well. Check with your
doctor in all cases to be sure.
When your metabolism doesn’t work right because you have this
disorder, you may find that there’s no amount of dieting or
exercise that takes the weight off. You may in fact put on
extra pounds, even though you are doing just what you are
supposed to.
What can you do ? Meet with your doctor and ask if you need a
thyroid examination and blood test. These likely will be a TSH
(thyroid stimulating hormone) blood test, along with T4, T3,
Free T4 and Free T3 tests.
A drug called levothyroxine (often called Levo-T, Levoxyl,
Synthroid, Unithroid) may be prescribed for you. It is usually
inexpensive, has minimal side effects, and has uniform potency.
However, all thyroid hormone replacement therapies, whether
natural or synthetic, have the ability to restore thyroid
hormone levels.
Supplements that contain the following might also help:
- L-Tyrosine - is one of the amino acids that your body needs
to make thyroid hormones. It is included in some weight control
products because it works to stimulate your metabolism. It’s
also an element in helping your brain operate more efficiently
which makes you feel better.
- Guglipid - an extract from the Indian guggal tree, may
improve thyroid function and assist in controlling your weight.
Scientists are finding that guglipid lowers bad cholesterol and
increases good cholesterol, and thus can help somewhat to
prevent heart disease.
There is always hope and lots of help out there for you. If you
suspect that you have this condition and you are not sure what
to do, talk to your physician for guidance and advice.
About The Author: Ken Black is a freelance writer on Health
related subjects. Visit http://www.thyroid-supplements.com for
more information about hypothyroidism.
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