thyroid.mercola.comWhat You Need to Know About Your Thyroid Health

Subscribe to the FREE #1 Natural Health Newsletter Loading Please Wait Want Access to My All-Time Top 30 Health Tips? It's Free! Loading Please Wait View our privacy policy 0 ADVERTISEMENT Loading Please Wait Fact Checked 0 September 15, 2019 1071607 Previous Next How to Increase Metabolic Autophagy and Why You Should Easy and healthy fruit pizza recipe Story at-a-glance - The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland found inside your neck, right under your larynx or voice box Your thyroid is responsible for producing hormones that control vital functions in your body Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, a condition that is often linked to iodine deficiency. Hyperthyroidism is the opposite, wherein your thyroid produces too many hormones Table of Contents Thyroid Gland: Understanding How It Works Hypothyroidism: The Sluggish Thyroid Syndrome How to Know if You Have Hypothyroidism How About If You Have a Hyperactive Thyroid? Diagnosing Possible Thyroid Issues Are Your at Risk of Thyroid Cancer? 4 Things That Affect Your Thyroid Health Iodine: Your Best Weapon Against Thyroid Problems How to Increase Your Iodine Levels Naturally Simple Steps That You Can Do to Improve Your Thyroid Health Your thyroid, one of your most important endocrine glands, greatly influences almost every cell in your body. Aside from regulating your metabolism by releasing the necessary hormones, the thyroid is also important for the growth and development in children, as well as nearly every physiological process in your body. 1 When your thyroid levels are out of balance, so are you. Too much (hyperthyroidism 2 ) or too little (hypothyroidism 3 ) hormone secretion can spell trouble for your overall health. A 2018 study noted that 0.3% to 3.7% of the general U.S. population suffer from hypothyroidism, although it could be as high as 15% if you count a type of "subclinical" hypothyroidism. On the flip side, 0.5% of the population have hyperthyroidism. 4 Poor thyroid function has been linked to health conditions such as fibromyalgia, 5 irritable bowel disease, 6 vitiligo, 7 gum disease, 8 infertility in women 9 and autoimmune diseases , 10 which is why it's imperative to learn how your thyroid works and what can cause it to go off-kilter. The Thyroid Gland: Understanding How It Works The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland found inside your neck, right under your larynx or voice box. It has two lobes on each side of the windpipe that are connected by a tissue called the isthmus. 11 A normal thyroid gland weighs somewhere between 20 and 60 grams (0.7 to 2.1 ounces). 12 Your thyroid is responsible for producing the master metabolism hormones that control every function in your body. It produces two hormones: 13 Triiodothyronine (T3) Thyroxine (T4) Hormones secreted by your thyroid interact with your mitochondria, causing "an increase in nutrient breakdown and production of ATP." 14 The fact that these hormones play important roles throughout your body explains why a less-than-optimal thyroid status is associated with many widespread symptoms and diseases. Almost 90% of the hormone produced by your thyroid is in the form of T4, the inactive form. 15 Your liver then converts the T4 into T3, the active form, through deiodination. 16 If everything is working properly, you will make what you need and have the correct amounts of thyroid hormones, which control the metabolism of every cell in your body. 17 If your T3 is inadequate, either by scarce production or by not converting properly from T4, your whole system suffers. T3 is critically important because it plays a role in burning fat in your body. In one study, researchers noted that when they increased T3 levels in participants, weight loss occurred. 18 Your thyroid hormone levels can be disrupted by various risk factors. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases outlines the following possible factors for both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism: 19, 20 Hypothyroidism Hyperthyroidism Age (more common among people 60 years old and above) Age (more common among people 60 years old and above) History of thyroid problems, such as goiter, and thyroid surgery Have a disease such as Type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia or primary adrenal insufficiency History of radiation treatment to thyroid, neck or chest Eating foods with large amounts of iodine, or drinking medicine that contains iodine Pregnant in the past six months Pregnant in the past six months Have a disease such as Turner syndrome, Type 1 diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anemia Advertisement Hypothyroidism: The Sluggish Thyroid Syndrome Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, a condition often linked to iodine deficiency. 21 Dr. David Brownstein, a board-certified holistic practitioner who has been working with iodine for the past two decades, claims that over 95% of the patients in his clinic are iodine-deficient, as stated in his book "The Soy Deception." 22 In addition, a study published in 2012 estimates that 4.3% to 8.5% of the population has subclinical hypothyroidism, 23 a condition wherein you seemingly have normal thyroid levels but "serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are mildly elevated." 24 However, only a marginal percentage of people with subclinical hypothyroidism are being treated. The reason behind this is the interpretation of lab tests, particularly TSH. Most physicians believe that if your TSH value is within the "normal" range, your thyroid is fine and you don't need treatment. But as the saying goes, the devil is in the details. If your doctor suspects that the TSH levels may be slightly elevated even if the tests don't indicate such, treatment may be started early to help prevent the subclinical condition from becoming overt. 25 How to Know if You Have Hypothyroidism Identifying hypothyroidism and its cause can be tricky. Many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are vague and may be confused with other disorders. Physicians often miss a thyroid problem since they rely on just a few traditional tests, leaving other clues undetected. The most sensitive way to find out is to simply pay attention to signals from your body. According to InformedHealth.org, people with a sluggish thyroid usually experience diverse indicators, such as: 26 Fatigue and lethargy Sensitivity to cold temperatures Slight to moderate weight gain Shortness of breath during exercise Problems concentrating Constipation Hair loss and dry skin Hoarse voice Depression Heavy menstrual bleeding or other menstrual problems in women Muscle or joint pain Slow reflexes Any of the mentioned symptoms can be suggestive of an underactive thyroid. The more of these symptoms you have, the higher the likelihood that you have hypothyroidism. Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic notes that if the disease is left untreated, it may lead to more health complications, such as: 27 Goiter Increased risk of heart disease Infertility Birth defects for pregnant women Damage to peripheral nerves Increased severity of mental health problems, such as depression Myxedema, a severe form of hypothyroidism that may result in "cardiogenic shock, respiratory depression, hypothermia and coma" 28 The more vigilant you are in assessing your own symptoms and risk factors and presenting the complete picture to your physician, the easier it will be for you to get the proper treatment. How About if You Have a Hyperactive Thyroid? Thyroxine or T4 is a hormone made by the thyroid gland and converted into T3 through deiodination. Many of your cells and tissues depend on these hormones to work properly. 29 An overactive thyroid secretes too much T4 or T3 (sometimes both), 30 causing some of your body functions to accelerate. This condition is hyperthyroidism, wherein your thyroid overproduces hormones. According to a 2016 study published in The Lancet, women are more susceptible to this condition. 31 Hypert...