Underactive thyroid is also known as hypothyroidism among medical professionals . This disease is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 50. Unfortunately, this disease is very difficult to detect and is overlooked by many doctors. To better understand the effects of the disease, let’s first explain why a healthy thyroid is so important.
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What are the tasks of the thyroid?
The most important task of the thyroid gland is the production of two hormones: The first hormone, thyroxine (T4), is produced directly by the gland. The second hormone triiodothyronine (T3) can only be produced if there are enough T4 hormones in the body, since triiodothyronine consists largely of the T4 hormone. The thyroid gland produces both hormones from protein and iodine, which are stored in the gland itself. But why are these hormones so important for your body? Both thyroid hormones have a very large influence on the psyche, circulation and metabolism.
Good to know
Women are four times more likely to develop an underactive thyroid than men.
What is hypothyroidism?
An underactive thyroid occurs when too little T4 and T3 hormones are produced. If too little or none of these hormones are produced, it can impair your performance and your metabolism.
There are many causes of thyroid dysfunction. If there is a disorder inside the organ, it may be in the thyroid itself. On the other hand, the reason can also be a restricted brain function. In this case, the brain can only commission the production of thyroid hormones to a limited extent. But an iodine deficiency in your body can also be another reason for an underactive thyroid.
Unfortunately, an existing hypothyroidism is recognized late in most cases. The symptoms that occur with the disease are often identical to age-related physical phenomena that can show similar “symptoms”. To name just a few symptoms of an underactive thyroid: muscle weakness, sexual reluctance, fatigue , memory problems, high cholesterol, dry skin, missed periods or low blood pressure.
How is the disease properly treated?
After diagnosing hypothyroidism, the first step is to change your diet. The daily requirement of iodine is 200 micrograms per day – for pregnant women this value is even 260 grams. In order to get the iodine balance back under control, you should eat foods with a high iodine content – for example eggs, Greek yoghurt or saltwater fish.
But just a change in diet is not enough in most cases – hormone or iodide tablets often have to be taken in addition to compensate for a hypofunction. However, these must be prescribed by a doctor, which is why a medical examination is essential if hypofunction is suspected.
