Hypothyroidism and the weight battle

 

Although many have heard about it- not too many can tell exactly what the hypothyroidism is about! Well, hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. We all know that the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to run the body's metabolism and that’s why- it is logical to assume that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. This is extremely common condition and experts are saying that over five million Americans have this common medical condition. Not only that, statistical data show that as many as ten percent of women may have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency. The fact is also that many people have it, even not knowing for it! Unfortunately, when we talk about slow metabolism, we talk about a patient’s battles against their weight.

Every patient should know that there are two fairly common causes of hypothyroidism.

It is proven that hypothyroidism can be a result of previous inflammation of the thyroid gland! How come? Well, experts are saying that this inflammation leaves a large percentage of the cells of the thyroid damaged and incapable of producing sufficient hormone. Which is the most common inflammation of thyroid? Well, experts are saying that it could be one disorder called autoimmune thyroiditis (also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis). This is a form of thyroid inflammation caused by the body’s own immune system.

Several researches done in the past have shown that the second major cause is some kind of previous medical treatment of thyroid gland! The main cause of this is the fact that the treatment of many thyroid conditions includes surgical removal of a portion or all of the thyroid gland. Logically- if the total mass of thyroid producing cells left after the surgery is not enough to meet the needs of the body, the patient will develop hypothyroidism. It is also important to point out that, in case of benign conditions, the purpose of the radioactive iodine therapy is to kill a portion of the thyroid to prevent goiters from growing larger, or producing too much hormone.

All patients should know that there are several other rare causes of hypothyroidism. The strangest condition is one with completely normal thyroid gland which is not making enough hormones because of a problem in the pituitary gland. How come? Well, in the case where the pituitary does not produce enough Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) then the thyroid simply does not have the signal to make hormone.

All the patients should be aware of the fact that the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism can vary widely. This of course depends on the severity of the hormone deficiency.  The fact is also that symptoms can develop over the years! Most patients complain at first, on barely noticeable symptoms such as fatigue and sluggishness. But after some time, almost all patients develop more obvious signs and symptoms, including:

·          Unexplained weight gain

·          Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness

·          Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints

·          Muscle weakness

·          Heavier than normal menstrual periods

·          Increased sensitivity to cold

·          Constipation

·          Pale, dry skin

·          A puffy face

·          Hoarse voice

·          An elevated blood cholesterol level

·          Depression

Experts are saying that it is important to know that, when hypothyroidism isn't treated, signs and symptoms can gradually become more severe, which could represent a big problem.  Every patient should know that the advanced hypothyroidism is condition known as myxedema. This is rare condition, but when it occurs it can be life-threatening. Signs and symptoms include:

·          low blood pressure

·          decreased breathing

·          decreased body temperature

·          unresponsiveness

·          coma

·          death

We should point out that, although hypothyroidism most often affects middle-aged and older women, proven fact is that almost anyone can develop the condition, including infants and teenagers. Interesting fact is that, initially, babies born without a thyroid gland or with a gland that doesn't work properly may have few signs and symptoms. The most common symptoms of this congenital hypothyroidism, they may include:

·          Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. This condition is called jaundice 

·          Frequent choking

·          Protruding tongue

Other possible symptoms:

·          Constipation

·          Poor muscle tone

·          Excessive sleepiness

Not only that, it is proven that untreated hypothyroidism in infants can lead to severe physical and mental retardation.

These kids also as adults have several other symptoms such as:

·          Poor growth, resulting in short stature

·          Delayed development of permanent teeth

·          Delayed puberty

·          Poor mental development

The most important question about all this is: are there and what the connection between thyroid problems and weight is! Well, it is important to point out that it has been appreciated for a very long time that there is a complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight and metabolism. How come? Well, it is simple to explain because thyroid hormone regulates metabolism. We should know that the metabolism is determined by measuring the amount of oxygen used by the body and -if the measurement is made at rest, it is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR). All this is very easy to prove because all the patients whose thyroid glands were not working were should be found to have low BMRs, and those with overactive thyroid glands had high BMRs.  

What exactly is the connection between the BMR and patient’s weight! Well, experts are saying that all differences in BMRs are associated with changes in energy balance which reflects the difference between the amount of calories one eats and the amount of calories the body uses.  However, these connections are probably much more complex then we believe and there is still much to discover! For example, when metabolic rates are reduced in animals by various means, these animals often do not show the expected excess weight gain. How come? No one knows! That’s why- experts believe that the relationship between metabolic rates, energy balance, and weight changes is very complex. The explanation probably is hidden in the fact that there are also many other hormones, proteins, and other chemicals that are very important for controlling energy expenditure, food intake, and body weight. That’s why- no experts can truly and precisely predict the effect of changing thyroid state on any individual’s body weight. Therefore, although we already know a lot- there is still much left to be uncovered! 

 

Like we have already mentioned- the BMR in the patient with hypothyroidism is decreased and therefore- we can surely say that an underactive thyroid is generally associated with some weight gain. What’s also characteristic- the weight gain is often greater in those individuals with more severe hypothyroidism. Because nothing in medicine and these disorders associated with hormones is simple- we could say that the cause of the weight gain in hypothyroid individuals is also complex, and not always related to excess fat accumulation. The fact say that most of the extra weight gained in hypothyroid individuals is due to excess accumulation of salt and water. Therefore, massive weight gain should not be mixed with hypothyroid-type of weight gaining!

Here are also some extremely useful data for all the patients that have treated their underactive thyroid gland! Because the great percentage of the weight gain in hypothyroidism is accumulation in salt and water, when the hypothyroidism is treated a patient can expect a small weight loss. Some statistical data showed that in most cases- this weigh loss is usually less than 10% of body weight. What’s good about all this, like after hyperthyroidism treatment, treatment of the hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone should result in a return of body weight to what it was before the hypothyroidism developed. Only problem is that, because of the fact that hypothyroidism usually develops over a long period of time, it fairly common to find that there is no significant weight loss after successful treatment of hypothyroidism. Therefore, the bottom line is that, after the hypothyroidism has been treated and thyroid hormone levels have returned to the normal range, the ability to gain or lose weight is the same as in individuals who do not have thyroid problems.