| Hypothyroid Causes Weight Gain and more The thyroid is an endocrine gland located in the front of the neck. It secretes thyroid hormone which regulates protein synthesis, growth, temperature, oxygen consumption of cells, and metabolic rate. When thyroid hormone levels are low, signals from the brain tell the thyroid gland to release more thyroid hormone in the form of T4. Thyroid hormone is very influential over a person's ability to burn fat therefore low thyroid is a very common cause of weight gain. How does the Thyroid Work? Here is the simplified version that will give you a good understanding of proper thyroid function: 1. Your brain determines that your body’s metabolism is not working fast enough, perhaps because your body temperature drops. 2. Your brain sends a signal from the pituitary gland to the thyroid gland in the form of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). 3. TSH tells the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormone in the form of T4. 4. Once in the blood stream, T4 travels to the liver where it can be converted into a more active form of thyroid hormone called T3. 5. The T3 will then bind to different tissues in your body (muscle, heart, brain, etc.) and causes the metabolism of those tissues to increase. 6. Body heat rises as does overall metabolic rate. 7. Your brain is satisfied and stops releasing TSH. What is Hypothyroid? Hypothyroid (low thyroid) refers to decreased function of the thyroid gland or of the thyroid hormone itself. If the function of the thyroid is compromised in any of the steps described above, one of the first symptoms you might experience is fatigue due to decreased energy production or metabolism. With a decreased metabolism, it makes sense that hypothyroid is a common cause of weight gain. Other symptoms of hypothyroid include emotional instability, mental sluggishness, muscle weakness, muscle tremors, nervousness, anxiety, cold intolerance, dry skin or hair, puffy hands or face, loss of the outer third of the eyebrow, joint aches, muscle cramps, and constipation. Hypothyroidism can significantly affect ones life and a healthy thyroid gland is vital to overall health for many reasons. What can cause hypothyroid? There are many reasons for low thyroid. Autoimmunity, specifically Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, is a condition where your immune system is attacking the thyroid gland. Autoimmune thyroid is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, yet it remains wildly undiagnosed by mainstream medicine. To properly treat hypothyroidism we must know the true cause of it. There are many blood tests that need to be completed and evaluated before determining the course of treatment. The majority of hypothyroid patients have only had TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and T4 levels tested, but this is not enough to determine the cause of hypothyroid. This leads to ineffective treatment and potentially an autoimmune disorder that is left unattended to. If you have a disorder that is destroying your thyroid gland, you need to know about it so it can be dealt with properly!. Nutrient deficiency can cause hypothyroid. There are many nutrients (Mg, Fe, Zn, Tyrosine, etc.) that are required for the thyroid to work properly. When you are deficient in a nutrient, one or more of the step described above might fail, resulting in hypothyroid. Simple testing can determine the exact deficiency that could be causing your low thyroid. Once the deficiency is identified, supplementing with high quality nutrients will be the key to regaining thyroid health. One of the most important nutrients for thyroid function is Iodine because it, along with tyrosine, is one of the basic building blocks of thyroid hormone. How would I know if I am Iodine deficient? Sub-optimal Iodine levels are very common in America today. Testing reveals that many people do not get enough Iodine to meet their total body needs or for optimal thyroid health. Iodine is not only concentrated in the thyroid, but also in breast tissue, prostate, testes, ovaries, stomach and the sweat glands of the skin. Often, individuals with low Iodine do not sweat as much as normal. Those low in Iodine are susceptible to thyroid disorders as well as hormonal imbalance, irregular or painful menstruation, indigestion, fibrous cystic disorders of the breasts, ovaries (PCOS), testes and prostate and eventually cancer in those respective tissues. Testing reveals that some people require very high doses of Iodine to re-establish normal iodine levels in their bodies. Testing Iodine levels is very simple, accurate and inexpensive. The test will tell you if your body is starving for Iodine or if your body can not properly absorb Iodine. The treatments for either case are very simple and inexpensive as well. A months supply of Iodine can cost as little as $4-5. Often this is all it takes to get someone's energy back and to trigger healthy weight loss, not to mention the reduction in cancer risk. Caution: You should NOT take high doses of Iodine without being properly tested for Iodine deficiency. If you have autoimmune thyroid disease, Iodine can make it much worse. Toxicity can also be a root cause of hypothyroid. Here are a few chemicals that can have a toxic affect on the thyroid. • HRT and Birth control • PCB, BPA, Phthalates • Soy • Mercury, Arsenic • Fluoride, Bromide • Benzene, Toluene • Recreational Drugs and Alcohol Excess estrogen can cause your body to release a protein called thyroid binding globulin (TBG). As its name suggests, TBG will bind to circulation thyroid hormone. Once bound to TBG, the thyroid hormone is rendered useless and the metabolism continues to suffer. For this reason, excess estrogen (and excess TBG) can be considered a cause of hypothyroid. Poor conversion of T4 (thyroid hormone) into the more active form (T3) is a very common cause of low thyroid function. If conversion of thyroid hormone is not sufficient you will have all of the signs and symptoms of low thyroid. Poor thyroid conversion can be caused by Adrenal Fatigue (excessive stress leading to low cortisol production), exposure to certain chemicals, and nutrient deficiencies (Se, Zn, Vit. D, etc.). Poor conversion is not true hypothyroid so it will not show up on standard thyroid blood tests (TSH, T4). Luckily, we can easily test for thyroid conversion problems and the underlying causes. As you can see, there are many potential causes of hypothyroid. Uncovering the true cause of your low thyroid is the crucial first step in finding the best treatment for you. Natural Treatment and Diet for Hypothyroid As with any illness, diet and nutrition play a huge role in rehabilitating your thyroid. Food is our fuel; unless you provide your body with quality fuel then your body will begin to fail. A diet of processed food heavily laced with chemicals and additives will not provide your body with the specific nutrients that you need to complete the thousands of tasks occurring every single second in your body. A poor diet can create a toxic environment within your body and your health will decline. To help increase the nutrients specific to the thyroid it is advisable to get on a hypothyroid diet. Exercise can play a big role in thyroid health. In fact, exercise has been shown to increase T4 production. The right type of exercise is very important as well. Too much cardio can often increase adrenal fatigue, leading to increased symptoms of hypothyroid. We recommend a combination of burst training, interval training and strength training for our patients in a customized ratio that is compatible with their individual metabolism. We use both metabolic testing and genetic testing to determine the exact type of exercise that best fits each individual. Detoxification and other lifestyle modifications will also be utilized where appropriate. Remember, the cause dictates the treatment so if a toxin is causing you to have low thyroid, then detoxification may be the best treatment plan for you. If your hypothyroid is caused by low iodine or another nutrient, then diet and supplementation would obviously be a part of your plan. Everyone is different so we feel like their natural thyroid treatment plans should be equally unique. How do I get Evaluated for Treatment? Call Complete Health and Weight Loss today for a complete thyroid analysis. 972-735-0707 If you are having trouble losing weight and have symptoms of low thyroid but you do not live in the Dallas Fort Worth area, we can still help you through phone consultations. Click for more great Weight Loss Tips Complete Health and Weight Loss 5000 Legacy Dr. #240 Plano, TX 75024 972-735-0707 |
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