Is your thyroid making you fat?

Thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. Hormonesdefine produced by the thyroid gland have an enormous impact on the health, affecting all aspects of metabolism, from the rate at which the heart beats to how quickly one burn calories.

As long as the thyroid releases the proper amounts of these hormones, the human system functions normally. But sometimes, the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, upsetting the balance of chemical reactions in the body. This condition is known as hypothyroidism, or under-active thyroid disease.

Symptoms

The symptoms of hypothyroidism are often subtle. They are not specific and are often attributed to aging. Though patients with mild hypothyroidism may show no symptoms at all, the symptoms become more obvious as the condition worsens. However, common symptoms include;

• Fatigue and depressiondefine
• Weight gain
• Cold intolerance
• Excessive sleepiness
• Dry coarse hair
• Dry skin
• Constipation
• Muscle cramps
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Decreased concentration
• Swelling of the legs
• Insomnia
• Infertility
• Severe menopausal symptoms

As the disease becomes more severe;

• Puffiness around eyes
• Slowing of heart rate
• Drop in body temperature

In its most profound stage, severe hypothyroidism may lead to a life-threatening coma.

Diagnosis

A simple blood test is the first step in diagnoses of thyroid malfunctioning. When hypothyroidism is present, the levels of thyroid hormonesdefine in blood are usually decreased. However, in early hypothyroidism, the levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) may be normal. Therefore, the main tool for the detection of hypothyroidism is the measurement of the TSH, the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.

Although the blood examination confirms the diagnoses of hypothyroidism, but it does not point to an underlying cause. A combination of patient’s clinical history, antibody screening and a thyroid scan can help diagnose the precise underlying cause more clearly