LOW THYROID HORMONES
"Hypothyroidism, or low levels of thyroid hormones, frequently goes undiagnosed. It can affect a high proportion of the population and is often disguised as other conditions."
(Dr Broda Barnes, “Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness”)
The effects of low thyroid hormones can be widespread and devastating and include easy weight gain & difficulty losing it, low energy or exhaustion, anxiety & depression, feeling cold all the time - sometimes unable to get warm, muzzy-headedness, constipation, sluggishness, dry skin or hair, hair thinning or coarsening, nails thinning or thickening, female hormone problems (see below) and many, many other symptoms.
Low thyroid hormones can be triggered by many things, including chronic stress, surgery, grief or changes in female hormone levels.
METABOLISM
Thyroid hormones are crucial in metabolism. Metabolism isn't just how fast you digest your food, but every process in your body that requires energy. To keep everything working at optimum levels, the most biologically active form of thyroid hormone has to be available. A very small amount of this hormone is produced directly by the thyroid gland, but most is converted from other thyroid hormones in certain body tissues.
STRESS
One of the things that can affect this conversion are stress hormones. When these are high, it encourages the conversion into the inactive form of the thyroid hormone, rendering it useless. So your thyroid can be working well, but your conversion is ineffective. The lowering effect on your metabolism and the subsequent symptoms is the same.
FEMALE HORMONES
As well being affected by stress hormones, levels of thyroid hormones have a strong relationship with female hormones. This is reflected in the fact that the ratio of women to men who suffer from low thyroid hormones is 10:1.
Many women become hypothyroid during pregnancy or after the birth of a child, leaving them struggling at a time when they need more energy, not less. It may also be a factor in post-natal depression. Low thyroid hormones can contribute to menstrual problems, infertility, recurrent miscarriage, postnatal depression and menopausal difficulties
LOW LEVELS OF ACTIVE THYROID HORMONES
Many people have less than optimum levels of thyroid hormones and function. Dr Broda Barnes (1906-1988), who was himself hypothyroid, made a lifelong study of this condition. His research made connections between low thyroid hormones and frequent infections, arthritis, low mood, high cholesterol & heart disease, lung conditions and aging. More recently, others have made connections with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.
(Dr Broda Barnes, “Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness”)
The effects of low thyroid hormones can be widespread and devastating and include easy weight gain & difficulty losing it, low energy or exhaustion, anxiety & depression, feeling cold all the time - sometimes unable to get warm, muzzy-headedness, constipation, sluggishness, dry skin or hair, hair thinning or coarsening, nails thinning or thickening, female hormone problems (see below) and many, many other symptoms.
Low thyroid hormones can be triggered by many things, including chronic stress, surgery, grief or changes in female hormone levels.
METABOLISM
Thyroid hormones are crucial in metabolism. Metabolism isn't just how fast you digest your food, but every process in your body that requires energy. To keep everything working at optimum levels, the most biologically active form of thyroid hormone has to be available. A very small amount of this hormone is produced directly by the thyroid gland, but most is converted from other thyroid hormones in certain body tissues.
STRESS
One of the things that can affect this conversion are stress hormones. When these are high, it encourages the conversion into the inactive form of the thyroid hormone, rendering it useless. So your thyroid can be working well, but your conversion is ineffective. The lowering effect on your metabolism and the subsequent symptoms is the same.
FEMALE HORMONES
As well being affected by stress hormones, levels of thyroid hormones have a strong relationship with female hormones. This is reflected in the fact that the ratio of women to men who suffer from low thyroid hormones is 10:1.
Many women become hypothyroid during pregnancy or after the birth of a child, leaving them struggling at a time when they need more energy, not less. It may also be a factor in post-natal depression. Low thyroid hormones can contribute to menstrual problems, infertility, recurrent miscarriage, postnatal depression and menopausal difficulties
LOW LEVELS OF ACTIVE THYROID HORMONES
Many people have less than optimum levels of thyroid hormones and function. Dr Broda Barnes (1906-1988), who was himself hypothyroid, made a lifelong study of this condition. His research made connections between low thyroid hormones and frequent infections, arthritis, low mood, high cholesterol & heart disease, lung conditions and aging. More recently, others have made connections with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.
