10 important facts about hypothyroidism
Suspect your thyroid is underactive, or been recently diagnosed? It can be overwhelming when you first learn about hypothyroidism. But there are some key pieces of information that you need to understand if you want to stay happy and healthy for many years to come.
10 Important Facts About Hypothyroidism
What is hypothyroidism?
This condition occurs when your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones are responsible for running your metabolism and other key functions in the body. So if you’re not getting enough thyroid hormone out into your system, the whole body ‘slows down’.
Causes of hypothyroidism
There are many potential causes of hypothyroidism. They include:
Autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s)
Pregnancy
Perimenopause
Nutrient deficiencies such as iodine and selenium
Surgical interventions (e.g. for thyroid cancer or Graves’ disease)
Medications that suppress thyroid function
Chronic stress
It’s also possible for multiple factors to work together and slow your thyroid down.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
There are many symptoms that can arise with an underactive thyroid. Common signs you might spot include:
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Fatigue and lethargy
Feeling cold
Constipation
Dry, flaky skin
Dry, thinning hair
Fertility issues
Sore, painful or tender muscles/joints
Brain fog
A hoarse throat
Puffy, sensitive face
You may also experience temporary signs of an overactive thyroid in some cases. This is more common in hypothyroid cases that are caused by either Hashimoto’s or even thyroid cancer.
Who is most at risk of an underactive thyroid?
Females develop hypothyroidism more often than males. It also tends to be more common between 30-50 years old. You may also see it run in the family, which is more common with Hashimoto’s (autoimmunity).
Diagnosis of an underactive thyroid
This condition is typically diagnosed based on a blood test that looks at your thyroid hormone levels – specifically TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T4 and T3.
Unfortunately, many doctors only start by testing TSH if that is normal, they don’t persist. But this doesn’t give us a true picture of hypothyroidism! You can have low T4 and/or T3 even with a normal TSH level, particularly in the early stages. The earlier it is detected, the better.
Conventional treatment options
So what happens if your blood test indicates your thyroid isn’t doing its job? Your doctor will likely prescribe thyroxine as a way to correct your TSH levels. It can take some time to find the dose that suits you, so you may need to try a few different doses.
Keep in mind - some people also don’t respond to thyroxine-only therapy. In that case, it can be useful to work with a doctor who has experience in combination therapy or T3-only therapy.
Diet and lifestyle play a critical role in management
Despite what your doctor might say, there is more to managing an underactive thyroid than daily medication! Most contributing factors in hypothyroidism can be reduced or removed by addressing your diet and lifestyle.
This can include:
Remove dietary intolerances and trigger foods
Increasing nutrient-dense foods
Moving your body consistently
Managing your stress levels
Optimising your sleep
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to diet and lifestyle for hypothyroidism. It needs to be tailored based on your specific case and drivers of the disease.
Risk of future chronic conditions
It might be tempting to simply ignore the problem. But if your hypothyroidism isn’t managed properly, it can lead to serious health issues.
Your risk of heart disease, infertility, obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes is higher if you have an underactive thyroid, particularly if it’s poorly managed.
Monitoring is a must
There can be different factors that influence your thyroid function. This can also depend on the cause – be it autoimmune, pregnancy, environmental exposure, stress, nutrient deficiencies or a combination. Frequent testing helps to ensure you’re taking the right amount of thyroid hormone.
And don’t forget - thyroid hormone levels are only one piece of the hypothyroid picture. 15% of people with hypothyroidism will experience symptoms even when their TSH levels are within range.
Why? Because supplementing with thyroid hormone doesn't address the underlying causes. It also can't correct cellular hypothyroidism, where active thyroid hormone can't get into your body's cells.
You can feel great even with an underactive thyroid!
When you receive a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, you might feel overwhelmed and powerless. It could even be that you’re not clear on what’s driving it at first!
But even if you’re still uncovering the cause, it doesn’t mean you need to suffer the symptoms forever! Your daily habits can make a massive difference – all you need to do is learn about your condition and empower yourself.