Thyroid
There are millions of people who are wondering, “Why has my metabolism suddenly hit a wall?” Feeling tired throughout the day, with cold hands and feet, dry skin, and feeling depressed. And there are many more that begin to notice this during the menopause years.
Your thyroid gland is your body regulator, affecting everything from mood to metabolism, tissue repair to digestion.
Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, is estimated to affect over 11 million Americans, 9 million who are female. And there are countless others who fall into what is called subclinical hypothyroidism; which means they exhibit the symptoms, although either the tests still show that they are normal, or they are not having all the necessary tests that are needed to be done.
The reason numbers increase around menopause is because there is an interchange between the ovaries and the thyroid gland. The ovaries have thyroid receptors, and the thyroid gland has ovarian receptors, so any decrease in hormonal activity can lead to a decrease in the hormonal counterpart.
Like estrogen, there is not just one thyroid hormone, although patients are often tested as if there was. There are two main thyroid hormones to be monitored and supplemented if necessary; they are T4 (thyroxin) which is produced by the thyroid gland and T3 (triiodothyronine) which is made in other tissues and also converted from T4.
There is also a hormone called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which the body uses to signify the rest of the body to begin creating more thyroid hormone when needed.
Often time’s doctors only order T4 and TSH which is not giving them as clinicians, or their patients the whole picture. That is why a complete thyroid panel (which you will find in the full version of i Hormone) is the preferred tool for assessment.
For more information on Thyroid such as What Tests Are Needed, Functions, Benefits and Symptoms, check out the FULL VERSION of iHormone in the App Store.