Does your blood test show perfectly normal results, but you’ve still got unexplained symptoms? Do you feel tired and unwell most of the time and you’re sure there’s something wrong with you but nothing seems to show up on any tests? You could have hypothyroidism, also known as an under-active thyroid gland, as even borderline results can make a huge difference to how you feel. The problem is nobody knows what a normal reading for you personally is, when it comes to your thyroid, unless you had it measured in your twenties when it functioned at it’s peak. So although you may fit the parameters of ‘normal’ in terms of your test result, your thyroid might be working differently to the way it did before and that’s where all the symptoms come in.
Hypothyroidism is a deficiency in the production of thyroid hormones from a gland located in your neck. Thyroid hormones are the hormones that help to keep the metabolism working properly and at the right speed, so they’re incredibly important. An under-active thyroid is quite a common problem, in fact between 10 – 25% of people suffer from hypothyroidism, as it’s often called, but go undiagnosed. It tends to be more common in women, but one in ten sufferers of hypothyroidism are men. It frequently goes undiagnosed because the blood tests carried out by GPs are not sensitive enough to pick up mild forms of the illness and although the milder form may not need medication, the symptoms can still be debilitating, albeit treatable with improved nutrition and supplements. With more severe cases of hypothyroidism it can take a long time for any benefits of medication to kick in and sometimes it’s hard to get the thyroxine dosage right, so you might still experience hypothyroid symptoms and struggle to lose weight even though you’re taking medication for your under-active thyroid.
Hashimotos is a very common cause of hypothyroidism as it impairs the thyroid’s ability to produce adequate amounts of thyroxine. The sooner you can identify the symptoms the sooner you can address them.
Typical symptoms of an under active thyroid show a general slowing down of the body’s functions and can include:
- Hoarse or deep voice (Women)
- Fatigue and general lethargy
- Fatigue on waking, even after a good night’s sleep
- Feeling the cold easily
- Cold hands and feet
- Poor circulation
- Dry and thickened skin
- Muscle and joint weakness
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Thinning eyebrows, especially the outer third.
- Coarse, thinning hair
- Hair losing its curl
- Brittle nails
- Slow movement
- Poor memory
- Fertility problems and increased risk of miscarriage
- Heavy or irregular periods
So if you have any of the above symptoms and think you might be suffering from an under-active thyroid, or if you still have symptoms of hypothyroidism even after taking medication, then contact us for a personally tailored nutrition plan to help put your body and hormones back into balance. We can also assist with weight loss for hypothyroidsim, which is often hard to achieve. Take a look at our Metabolic Balance programme, which might help those of you with an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism) to lose weight.
*Disclaimer: The information and advice provided by The Nutritional Therapy Clinic is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Any person suffering from conditions requiring medical attention, or who have symptoms that concern them, should consult a doctor. Testimonials on this site are examples of what we have done for other clients and of what some of our clients have said about us. However, we cannot guarantee the results in any case. Your results may vary and every situation is different. Please see our disclaimer section for further information.