The thyroid is part of the endocrine system of the body. It is a gland that, among other things, produced hormones which regulate the metabolism. There are many people who have imbalances in their thyroids which lead to affects on their weight which they can not control through diet or exercise.
Thyroid dysfunction can be broadly divided into under activity, hypothyroidism, or over activity also known as hyperthyroidism. If it is under active, it is not producing enough hormones and if overactive, it is producing too much. Either condition will lead to a metabolic imbalance but the resulting symptoms will depend upon which of these is present.
In the case of hyperthyroidism, the metabolism works too quickly. This will result in weight loss and increased appetite with an inability to gain weight. To a person with weight problems, that might seem ideal. However, it also leads to a speeding up of the entire sympathetic nervous system which in turn can lead to anxiety, palpitations, respiratory problems and a host of other ills.
With hypothyroidism, the opposite occurs. The metabolism is not working quickly enough and this person will generally experience weight gain and water retention. Other symptoms can include fatigue, sensitivity to cold and even depression.
It is rare for these symptoms to come on suddenly. Usually, they develop over a period of time. This makes it tricky to know that medical help should be sought, as most of the symptoms can be indicative or other issues. Fatigue, in particular, can be a result of other illnesses or merely not getting enough sleep.
Once medical help is sought, various tests are usually done to confirm a diagnosis of thyroid disease. Blood tests are done but cannot always be relied upon to give a true confirmation. Causes of thyroid problems are many, whether hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, and there are various treatment methods possible.
In the case of hyperthyroidism, medication is often given which help to decrease the output of hormone levels. In this case, dosages are carefully monitored to ensure that the person is not given too much and does not become hypothyroid as a result. There are cases where the patient is able to go into remission from their disease with this treatment. Another possible treatment of an overactive thyroid is with iodine that is radioactive. There is some controversy regarding this because of the radioactivity. Surgery is an option that is generally avoided if at all possible.
For an under active thyroid, the treatment is generally for the patient to take thyroid hormone replacements. The most common type of thyroid hormone replacement is synthetic, however, it is also possible to have a natural thyroid replacement that comes from pig thyroids.
As with many illnesses, many people would prefer to find a natural alternative therapy. Among those that are being used for disease of the thyroid are herbal supplements, diet, acupuncture or acupressure and yoga or other breathing exercises. However, many alternative therapists say that these are much more effective if the condition is in its early stages and not yet severe. Even so, these therapies may be of interest to sufferers of thyroid conditions as an adjunct to their more traditional therapies.
Would you like to learn more about hypothyroidism and weight gain? Read other articles at hypothyroidism diet
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