Your thyroid produces hormones that greatly influence metabolism – the way in which food converts into energy in your body. When too little of these hormones are produced by your thyroid, this can result in weight gain or difficulty losing it.
Discover thyroid issues by noting symptoms like irregular heartbeat, fatigue, difficulty sleeping or goiter (swelling at the base of your neck). Seek advice from an endocrinologist for an in-depth evaluation.
Weight Gain
An optimal thyroid gland produces hormones to assist with metabolism (the conversion of food into energy) and appetite control, and to keep you at an ideal weight. Without enough thyroid hormone production, your body cannot utilize energy efficiently resulting in weight gain.
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located at the front of your neck, wrapped around your windpipe (trachea). You can check for an enlarged thyroid with just a mirror and glass of water: tip back your head while looking in the mirror, swallow several times while watching yourself swallow, then examine the space below Adam’s Apple and above collar bone for protrusions or bulges; if anything out-of-the ordinary arises consult a physician immediately.
Your thyroid hormones play a significant role in how much energy you use, how fast your heart beats and even your bowel movements. They work closely with the hypothalamus in maintaining both metabolism and energy balance (what’s left over after using all the calories you take in). Your thyroid secretes two hormones known as T4 and T3, respectively; T4 can be converted by other tissues into the more active T3, but T3 itself controls metabolic processes.
Underactive thyroid glands do not produce enough T4 and T3, leading to decreased metabolism and an increased tendency for weight gain, according to UCLA Health. Conversely, hyperthyroidism has been linked with higher basal metabolism rates as well as rapid energy expenditure rates that result in an overall tendency toward weight loss.
Health magazine spoke with integrative endocrinologist Ashita Gupta, MD for advice. She suggested eating four to five servings of vegetables daily and three or four of fruit. Also important are lean proteins, fruits, healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil, expeller-pressed organic canola oil, safflower or sunflower oils as well as nuts butters along with avocados, nut meats and fish for optimal thyroid support.
Weight Loss
Weight loss for those living with thyroid disease can be challenging. When your thyroid hormone levels have returned to normal, however, weight loss should occur at roughly the same pace as for people without this disease; though more work may need to be put in. Therefore it’s essential that you discuss optimizing your treatment with healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Hypothyroidism often results in weight gain due to your body no longer efficiently using calories and an increase in appetite, leading to overeating and making it hard to adhere to a low-cal diet plan. But with careful eating habits and an effective weight-loss plan in place, weight can be shed without compromising control of one’s appetite.
Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism may cause symptoms that impact your heart, including palpitations (the sensation that your heart is beating rapidly or racing), high blood pressure or arrhythmia – conditions which both have the ability to alter the rhythm of the heartbeat and increase risk for heart attack.
One study revealed that even short-term weight loss programs can dramatically improve thyroid function in individuals living with thyroid disease. The 12-month weight-loss program followed an overweight and obese adult group enrolled in it and showed how dietary changes including restricting calories while increasing protein were effective at decreasing levels of rT3 in bloodstream, as well as eliminating cross-sectional correlations between fat mass and homeostasis parameters afterward.
An accelerated weight loss program did not result in changes to levels of rT3, but was associated with increases in TSH and fT4. These results support the idea that it is possible to promote fat loss while simultaneously maintaining normal thyroid hormone concentrations through an individualized dietary approach among those suffering from thyroid disorders.
If you are having difficulty losing weight, it is crucial that you visit a healthcare provider and discuss any possible thyroid conditions. They will help determine the appropriate dosage of medication as well as test fT3 levels to assess thyroid function. It is also vital that you follow a balanced diet with regular physical activity in order to strengthen muscles.
Hyperthyroidism
Your thyroid, located at the base of your neck, produces thyroid hormones to control how fast energy is burned off and your body grows and develops. If it produces too much thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), however, medical or surgical solutions may be required to address it.
Your body needs thyroid hormone to operate efficiently, but too much can throw your entire system out of balance. You might notice yourself sweating more than normal and losing weight despite eating enough to maintain your normal weight, feeling nervous or irritable and experiencing irregular menstrual cycles, rapid heart rates or difficulty focusing. Hyperthyroidism has also been known to make your eyes bulge out with double vision symptoms more commonly seen among women than in men and can run in families; stress or certain medications including iodine-containing products (X-ray contrast mediums or disinfectants) could trigger this condition as well as affect you physically.
Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition, is the most frequently-diagnosed cause of hyperthyroidism. This occurs when antibodies produced by the body attack healthy tissue within the thyroid gland for reasons not yet understood by doctors; as a result, overproduction occurs and too much hormone enters the blood.
Goiter, an enlarged thyroid that makes the neck appear swollen; nodules that form on or within the thyroid; and thyroiditis can all contribute to hyperthyroidism, while overactive pituitary glands may influence how your thyroid operates and cause hyperthyroidism as well.
Your doctor can easily detect hyperthyroidism with a simple blood test and radioactive iodine uptake imaging test, both of which show how much iodine your thyroid absorbs. If diagnosed, antithyroid drugs will likely be prescribed to reduce thyroid hormone production or surgery may be recommended; your blood levels for thyroid hormone should also be checked regularly to make sure the treatment is working; in case complications such as fever and rapid heartbeat arise, urgent treatment must be sought immediately.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones. This medical condition typically requires lifelong medication; your health care provider will monitor your levels and adjust dosage over time until you find an acceptable balance – but don’t worry; living a full life with thyroid disease and managing its symptoms doesn’t have to be impossible!
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped organ located just in front of your windpipe (trachea). It produces hormones that assist the body with regulating and using energy efficiently; without enough thyroid hormone production, many body functions slow down considerably.
People living with hypothyroidism typically report being fatigued, gaining weight and experiencing difficulty managing cold temperatures. Furthermore, memory or concentration problems might arise – it is essential that such symptoms be evaluated by a healthcare provider as they could indicate depression unrelated to thyroid issues.
Blood tests can help healthcare providers determine if your thyroid is underactive or overactive, while imaging studies might also be performed to examine it for changes to size or shape, nodule formation and growths (nodules).
Hypothyroidism can arise for various reasons. One such cause is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid and reduces its functioning, typically affecting middle-aged women and sometimes families.
Graves’ disease, radiation exposure to the neck or throat area, thyroid surgery or issues with the pituitary gland – located in the center of your skull below your brain – are also potential reasons for an underactive thyroid. TSH hormone is released by this gland into your thyroid to stimulate it into producing more hormones.
Low levels of thyroid hormone can create numerous issues for older people, including balance issues and goiter (a swollen gland in front of the neck), peripheral neuropathy (tingling or numbness in arms or legs), as well as impeding fertility.
Pregnant women with an underactive thyroid are at increased risk of giving birth to babies with mental defects or poor development due to gestational transmission of all thyroid hormone from mother to fetus during the first three months. This condition, called congenital hypothyroidism, could affect any subsequent pregnancies as well.