Thyroid: Are You Taking it Seriously?

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The thyroid is one of the smallest and yet significant glands in our body. It is responsible for controlling a wide range of our metabolic activities, from regulating our body temperature to strengthening our immune system.

Unfortunately, the early stages of thyroid disease are not easy to detect, and around 60% of people are not even aware of their illness until it is too late.

Why Checking for Thyroid is Important?

Despite being a small organ, the thyroid is of immense use to the human body due to its ability to secrete some essential hormones, namely T3 and T4.

This organ alone is responsible for controlling some of the significant activities in the human body, including metabolism, regulation of body weight, homeostasis, and energy, alongside helping with improving concentration.

It is precisely why any thyroid malfunction can result in mild to severe physical and even emotional disorders. As a result, it is of the utmost importance that thyroid checks are done regularly to discover any problems with the thyroid as early as possible.

These regular thyroid tests are actually quite basic. Since the thyroid is present right above the clavicle, your physician can manually feel your organ for any enlargement or nodules. These examinations efficiently diagnose any morphological changes in the organ and detect any subclinical thyroid illness.

Besides this, your doctor may request some of the following blood tests to detect any abnormalities. TSH- This is the initial test to evaluate thyroid function, where high and low levels indicate hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, respectively.

Total T4- The test gives both free T4 and bound T4 levels in your blood. Free T4- Free T4 levels together with your TSH give very accurate results on your thyroid health. Total T3- This is the total amount of T3, free and bound, present in your blood, and is useful for diagnosing and assessing the severity of hyperthyroidism. Free T3- The test measures the free T3 levels in your blood, which is the active form of thyroid hormone rT3- It’s the inactive portion of the T4.

Explaining in a different way we can say that T4 is divided into two parts: The T3 and the other one called RT3 that blocks the function of the T3 as a mechanism of regulation and prevention of thyroid overactivity. Also, T4 converts in a higher RT3 when we are combating a chronic disease or we are on a too-strict diet, slowing down the metabolism of the body and can reduce the thyroid function producing symptoms of hypothyroidism Thyroid Antibody Panel- Here, doctors look for autoantibodies against your thyroid organ to rule out autoimmune thyroid illnesses like Hashimoto and Graves disease.

All such blood tests are quite important to detect any thyroid condition in its early stage. Consequently, you can control your thyroid illness by taking the proper treatment seriously and starting early to prevent further damage to the thyroid. Even bringing minor changes to your life, like your diet, can help you live a long and healthy life.

Think of it as an investment for your future health. Just like how trees do not grow in one day and need nurturing, you need to take small steps to achieve good thyroid health. In this way, you can even reduce the risk of any diagnosed thyroid disease from progressing to a severe form of thyroid dysfunction.

What Thyroid Actually Does

As mentioned previously, the thyroid gland is responsible for carrying out a large number of jobs. It secretes two critical hormones called T3 and T4, responsible for regulating various metabolic activities in our body. The thyroid gland works in conjunction with the pituitary gland to control our energy levels and plays an active and major role in the growth and development of the human body.

Besides this, it is responsible for regulating the following functions. Brain development Bone maintenance and maturation Heart rate Body temperature Breathing rate Digestion Cholesterol levels Muscle strength Immune system Menstrual cycle Bodyweight Appetite Nervous system If all this was not enough, these hormones ensure the healthy function of our skin, hair, nails, and eyes too.

Is Your Thyroid Alright?

The symptoms of a malfunctioning thyroid are often misdiagnosed as symptoms of some other disease. Along with this, there are many causes of thyroid disease which occur together with other autoimmune conditions. It is due to this reason that people who suffer from other medical conditions like Type I Diabetes, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, or Sjögren’s syndrome are advised to carry out regular thyroid check-ups.

What’s more, women are at a higher risk than men when suffering from thyroid disease. Moreover, medications that are high in iodine or radioactive iodine can also cause thyroid malfunction. You can even acquire thyroid issues if you have a family history of any thyroid disease. If it is in the family, you definitely need to take the thyroid seriously and get regular check-ups.

The T3 and T4: What Are These?

The thyroid secretes two crucial hormones known as Triiodothyronine, T3, and Tetraiodothyronine, also known as T4. These two hormones regulate all of our metabolic activities, including metabolism, temperature, and heart rate. The normal T3 hormone present in the body is about 100-200nanogramsperdl, whereas normal T4 hormone levels are about 5-12 micrograms per dl. An increase or decrease in these hormone levels can result in mild to severe mental or physical implications.

In addition to this, about 80% of the total T3 produced in the body is due to the conversion of T4 into T3. Meanwhile, the rest comes directly from the thyroid. Notably, it is quite easy to confuse the difference between free T3 and T4 with total T3 and T4 levels in our blood. You have to understand that our blood contains both the active and inactive forms of T4 and T3.

When we bind the hormones to plasma proteins, they become inactive and cannot carry out their functions. In contrast, our body leaves the part of the total T4 and T3 in their free or active form to carry out different functions in the body. Whenever our body uses up the free hormones and their blood levels decrease, the bound T4 and T3 are unbound and released into the blood as free T4 and T3. Lastly, it is also crucial to mention that the pituitary gland, the master gland, is responsible for thyroid hormone regulation. It controls the synthesis, release, and conversion of thyroid hormones in our body.

Thyroid Malfunctioning

There are two major thyroid malfunctions. You can either have an insufficient amount of hormones (Hypothyroidism)or excessive hormones (Hyperthyroidism). The effects of both diseases can range from mild to severe, depending on how long it has been undiagnosed and left untreated.

Producing Fewer Hormones

Hypothyroidism is the most common type of thyroid disorder, affecting around 4.6% of the US population. In this condition, the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones for the body. The most common victims of this disorder are older women. What’s more, this disease is left undiagnosed for years quite often. Called subclinical hypothyroidism, it affects around 3 to 8% of Americans with little to no symptoms. However, it can later progress to severe forms of the disease.

Overall, there are three types of hypothyroidism, namely primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary hypothyroidism refers to the condition in which the thyroid itself is malfunctioning and cannot synthesize and release the thyroid hormones in sufficient quantities. It can occur due to Hashimoto thyroiditis, congenital diseases, iodine deficiency, radioactive iodine treatment, or even viral infections.

Secondary and Tertiary types of hypothyroidism, on the other hand, includes a malfunctioning pituitary or hypothalamus. They release a hormone called TSH, which is responsible for regulating thyroid hormone synthesis. As a result, the low TSH levels do not stimulate the thyroid gland enough, resulting in the underproduction of thyroid hormones.

Producing More Hormones

Unlike hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism refers to the condition where your gland produces thyroid hormone excessively. This disease affects women under the age of 40 almost ten times more than men. Hyperthyroidism is often caused by an autoimmune disorder called Graves’ disease, which is highly fatal if left untreated. Typically, you need to undergo thyroid excision surgery to treat your hyperthyroidism and replace your hormones with medications.

Living with Thyroid Problems

While it may seem daunting to live with a chronic disease at first glance, you can gain control of your life with only a few changes in your lifestyle. Even if you add small positive habits to your daily routine, you can live a symptom-free and healthy life in the future.

Thyroid and Your Mood

Thyroid diseases play a significant role in affecting your mood. From anxiety to depression, the severity of your condition and flare-ups will affect how you feel throughout the day. However, keep in mind that different forms of thyroid dysfunction have different effects on your mood. For instance, people with hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid have a higher metabolism and present mood changes like:

Anxiety Irritability Restlessness Nervousness In contrast, hypothyroidism involves a lower hormone level in your body. Hence, patients have a low metabolism and experience the complete opposite spectrum of symptoms when it comes to their mood: Depression Severe fatigue Stress Decreased motivation

Hypothyroidism and Regular Life

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There is no doubt that your everyday life is greatly affected by hypothyroidism. Since it is a lifelong disease, you need to change your lifestyle to cope with the symptoms to carry out your daily activities. Fortunately, there are many treatments available to help regulate the hormone levels in your body.

They help to keep your symptoms down, prevent flare-ups, and allow you to work normally. While medications are one way to deal with your disease, you need to alter your lifestyle too. Since stress is a significant factor for flare-ups of thyroid symptoms, you need to engage in less strenuous and emotional activities in your everyday life. Besides this, you need to work on controlling the physical aspect of thyroid illness too. For instance, hypothyroidism can cause significant weight gain and fatigue. Similarly, hypothyroidism has a hand in affecting many other aspects of your life too.

Apart from weight gain, you have low energy levels, low appetite, decreased concentration, constipation, fatigue, irregular menstrual cycle, intolerance to heat, and even low motivation. It is one of the major reasons why you need to go for regular thyroid checks and treat your illness right from the start. If you start early management, you can save yourself from many of these symptoms in the future.

Managing Physical and Emotional Side Effects

As mentioned above, there are many side effects of thyroid illness, both physical and emotional. Besides medication, you need to find the right holistic doctor to treat thyroid symptoms effectively. Here are a few ways to control some of the most common side effects of thyroid illness.

Physical Side Effects

Thyroid illness can either cause weight gain or weight loss, depending on your hormone levels. If you suffer from serious thyroid dysfunction, you need to visit a nutritionist to create a diet chart. They will guide you about all the healthy foods you can take to benefit your thyroid gland. Besides this, you can cope with low energy levels and fatigue in hypothyroidism by engaging in moderate exercises regularly. Just 30 minutes of workout can bring a lot of positive change in your life. Your thyroid gland also affects your menstrual and ovulation cycles.

Hence, you might have to contact your gynecologist and endocrinologist before trying for pregnancy. Not only is it hard to get pregnant, but hypothyroidism in mothers can result in babies with development disorders. Furthermore, people suffering from hypo and hyperthyroidism have high cholesterol levels, which can cause heart complications in the future. Make sure to contact your doctor and get regular lipid blood tests to keep your cholesterol in control.

Emotional Side Effects

The above section mentioned how thyroid imbalance can cause many mood swings and affect you emotionally. Apart from the side effects, you have to deal with the fact that you need to live your whole life with the chronic disease. As a result, most doctors recommend talking to a therapist to deal with the depression and anxiety that often occurs with thyroid dysfunction.

You can even join support groups online and in person to get help from people suffering from the same disease. Moreover, you can overcome many of your emotional side effects by reducing the stress in your life. Since stress and emotional periods can exacerbate your symptoms, you should engage in meditation and less strenuous activities.

Lifestyle Tips

Here are some tips that you can incorporate into your lifestyle to cope better with your thyroid symptoms. Practice good sleep hygiene of around eight hours every day to control your symptoms. Engage in meditation or mind-body exercises like yoga and tai chi to improve your energy levels and reduce stress. Quit smoking to prevent flare-ups of your thyroid symptoms.

Practice intermittent medium intensity Exercises regularly to keep your weight at a healthy level, reduce fatigue, and strengthen your muscles. Also, start a weight training program to help to keep your muscle mass and bone density as you age. Consider using alternative therapies like EFT, meditation, yoga, etc to cope with your emotional health. Learn to control the triggers of your symptoms, including stress, dietary, and environmental factors.

Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, opting for more meat, vegetables, fruits, and even probiotics. Keep away from processed, sugary, and conventional farming produce which can contain many toxins that further damage your thyroid health and consume organic vegetables and fruits, and grass-fed meats.

Conclusion

Since the thyroid is responsible for most of our metabolic activities, you have to take thyroid-related illnesses seriously. These diseases are especially concerning with the increase in thyroid cases globally. Besides this, thyroid diseases, like hypothyroidism, come with a large number of symptoms including disturbed mental health, weight gain, low metabolism, high cholesterol levels, and low muscle strength.

As a result, you need to opt for regular thyroid check-ups to know about any underlying health issues that affect also your thyroid. Have the right tests to have a correct diagnosis of any issues with your thyroid. Also, you need to find out if you have problems with your T4 converting to free T3 and if you have too much RT3 that is one of the causes of hypothyroidism symptoms. Look for the right doctor with experience in thyroid issues that will listen to your health concerns and will give your options of natural medicines (Armour) and traditional medicines like(Cytomel or liothyronine the generic form) that can be compounded by pharmacies that customize these medications in different doses and without fillers.

Although thyroid diseases do not have a complete cure, you can stop your illness from exacerbating in the future by taking prompt action. We hope this article helped you learn about thyroid illness symptoms in detail and how to cope with them in your daily life. The contents of mythyroidrelief.com such as text, graphics or images, and other materials are for educational and informational purposes only. It’s not intended to be a substitute for professional medical and nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. t should not be used as a substitute for medical consultation. The knowledge provided in this blog is from the author’s own experiences and research. Please consult your doctor before making any health care decisions.

The content on mythyroidrelief.com, such as text, videos, graphics or images, and other materials, are for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical and nutritional advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used as a substitute for medical consultation. The knowledge provided in this blog comes from the author's own experiences and research. Consult your doctor before making any decisions about your medical care.

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