So…Is Your Thyroid Normal or Not???

By Anju Mathur, MD

Have you asked yourself if you are suffering from a malfunction of your Thyroid? Do you often feel tired, have a lack of enthusiasm, feel down and can’t get off those last few pounds?

Shaped like a butterfly or shield (which is why its name comes from the Greek “shield”), the thyroid is a vital part of the body’s endocrine system. It is a gland that is under the Adam’s apple and located before the trachea in the neck. The hormones it produces get moved throughout the body via the bloodstream to supply bodily tissues; these hormones include T4, or Thyroxine, and T3, or Triodothyronine.

One’s metabolism is really how well one can convert food to energy, and the thyroid hormones act to regulate this ability. Also, the thyroid hormones must convert food into waste, which utilizes additional energy. There are many other systems in the body that are affected by the efficiency of the thyroid, simply by its function to control the metabolic rate. For example, one’s calcium levels in circulation in the blood are affected by the production of calcitonin, a thyroid hormone. Tyrosine and Iodine are vital and necessary components of hormonal creation within the thyroid.

Women around the ages of 35 to 55 might be affected by a deficiency in thyroid function to a greater or lesser degree. These women, tens of millions of them, could especially be at risk when also experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms, and might not even be aware of their situation.

Per a study made by the Thyroid Foundation of America, more than eleven million women have a thyroid function insufficiency, above that, there are several million more with a barely able to be perceived below normal, or “borderline” thyroid function, known as hypothyroidism. As stated earlier, the thyroid that isn’t working properly appears more frequently in during perimenopause or menopause (35 to 55) more than others.

The thyroid is important in its function to create hormones that control one’s metabolism. In fact, when a woman experiences tiredness and irritability, along with the inability to think straight, this might point to a thyroid issue. Other notable problems might be hot flashes, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, and the gaining of excess weight.

Since thyroid hormones affect one’s metabolism, one can notice any deficiency when there are symptoms related to weight control and the ability of the body to utilize and process fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates. These important hormones are also indicated in the proper function of one’s digestive system, muscular and nervous system, circulatory and reproductive systems, as well as some cellular functions including the manufacturing of the substance that makes energy and the normal functioning of body organs. The thyroid also regulates how a body uses the oxygen it receives through breathing.

Thyroid hormones produce energy in the body, and when insufficient supplies are produced, a person’s metabolism slows down. Then, it comes as no surprise that a person is subject to excessive weight gain or obesity.

A person’s appetite or craving for food is also affected. Leptin, a hormone that comes from fat cells, has been shown by studies to be modulated by thyroid hormones, and this factor is what controls hunger and regulates energy within the body. Other functions are also noticed such as the ability to rise after sleeping at night and the ability to control weight and energy levels.

There are numerous symptoms that hypothyroidism shares with other malfunctions that can occur in the body. Because of this, hypothyroidism is known as the “great imitator.”

When a person has the following medical symptoms, why have they been told their thyroid is normal?

* Drowsiness in the beginning of the day

* Memory difficulties

* Brain befuddlement or fogginess

* Skin rashes

* Serious and painful headaches

* More susceptibility to hot and cold conditions

* Dehydrated and inflated skin (on face in particular) as well as decrease in amount of hair (on eyebrows in particular)

* Dispirited nature (more observable in seniors)

* Apprehension and nervousness

* Intensified demand for sufficient sleep

Almost every doctor will give a woman the usual TSH and T4 tests in an attempt to determine low thyroid function. Unfortunately, these tests are not complete and most women end up being diagnosed as having normal thyroids when they do not. Usually, doctors rely on determining thyroid function from these tests since TSH comes from the brain’s pituitary gland and is what determines the secretion of T4 which is then converted to T3. This is why the drop in these two hormones should indicate hypothyroidism as a simultaneous increase in TSH occurs. Using this method will omit the diagnosis of those who do not have severe hypothyroidism, yet are low normal only. There are so many other factors that can contribute to low thyroid that a more thorough testing is necessary for a complete diagnosis.

Women might instinctual know there is something wrong with their thyroid yet not get those answers from their doctors; this can be rather frustrating. So, when thorough testing shows there is a thyroid issue, women can get some comfort knowing they are on their way to true healing and a properly functioning thyroid level.

The latest research as reported in the journal of Archives of Internal Medicine indicates that subclinical hypothyroidism (or those with low normal efficiency of the thyroid) will have double the incidence of having a heart attack and a seventy-percent higher chance of having hardened arteries (arteriosclerosis). Unfortunately, when low normal thyroid function is left unnoticed and untreated, many women will not find relief from the symptoms of stubborn excess weight, tiredness, despair, and more. A person can have hope for a better state of health and state of mind when getting the proper level of thyroid functioning back to its previous healthy standing.

If you or anyone you know is unnecessarily suffering from these symptoms, get a consultation at no charge to find out if handling the thyroid is the answer. There is a chance that you can relieve some aggravation about this and get to the root of the problem.

You can enjoy your life more when you feel better! Have the energy and vitality that you had in your 20′s and 30′s. Find out more now – go to Angel Longevity Medical Center. This article, So…Is Your Thyroid Normal or Not??? is released under a creative commons attribution license.

categories: women’s health,thyroid,menopause,perimenopause,natural,hormone replacement therapy,health,healthy life style,alternative medicine

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