An often overlooked, but essential part of your body and the way it functions is your thyroid gland. Not only is it responsible for creating and releasing certain hormones in the body, but the thyroid also controls your metabolism. It’s important to understand what a thyroid is and the early warning signs of a problem. If your thyroid isn’t working properly, then it could have both negative physical and mental health effects.
What is the thyroid?
The thyroid is a gland in the endocrine system, which is made up of a series of glands that make, store, and secrete a number of hormones into the blood [1]. It’s a butterfly-shaped organ located at the base of the neck and is a critical player in a number of bodily functions. But what exactly is the purpose of your thyroid?
What does the thyroid do?
In order to work properly and make hormones, the thyroid requires iodine, an element that can be found in food, and water. It traps the iodine and turns it into hormones [2].
There are two main hormones that the thyroid produces: thyroxine, also referred to as T4, and triiodothyronine, more commonly known as T3. While T4 contains four atoms of iodine, T3 only contains three. First, your body creates T4, then it releases into your bloodstream where certain cells turn it into T3 [3]. This is called the de-iodination process.
Once T4 becomes T3, it affects the following bodily functions:
- Brain development
- Breathing
- Body temperature
- Digestion
- Fertility
- Heart rate
- Metabolism
- Mood
- Muscle strength
- Skin/bone maintenance
- Weight
What causes thyroid problems?
Issues with the thyroid can stem from an iodine deficiency, autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s disease, nodules, cancer, medical treatments such as radiation therapy, inflammation, and certain genetic disorders [4]. These will affect the thyroid by causing it to either underproduce or overproduce thyroid hormone.
Hypothyroidism is one of the most common diseases in the world [5]. It occurs when the thyroid gland is underactive and doesn’t create enough thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism can go undiagnosed for years because its early-stage symptoms might not be noticeable. However, eventually, untreated hypothyroidism can cause serious problems like obesity, muscle weakness, joint pain, depression, and fatigue.
On the other end of the spectrum, the thyroid can also overproduce hormones, which is known as hyperthyroidism. This is less common than hypothyroidism, but still has serious symptoms like anxiety, heart palpitations, tiredness, and weight loss.
How do you treat hypothyroidism?
To treat hypothyroidism, it must first be diagnosed by a health physician. The only accurate way to diagnose these disorders is through blood tests that measure your hormone levels [6]. Once they confirm that’s the issue, there are several different ways to go about treating hypothyroidism.
Standard treatment for hypothyroidism is typically a synthetic thyroid hormone called levothyroxine. It’s an oral medication taken daily to reverse the effects of hypothyroidism by restoring the body’s accurate hormone levels.
But if you’d rather not take medication, there are other ways to combat low thyroid hormone levels while promoting healthy fat loss. I Prevail T2 Rise and T2 Rise Non-Stim are metabolic enhancers that promote improved thyroid function, boost mood and energy, control appetite, and increase fat loss.
Don’t let a thyroid issue get in the way of your fitness goals.
References:
Thyroid: What it is, Function & Problems. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23188-thyroid
Your thyroid gland. British Thyroid Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.btf-thyroid.org/what-is-thyroid-disorder
Pomona Valley Health Centers. (2016, January 15). The importance of thyroid function. Pomona Valley Health Centers. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://mypvhc.com/the-importance-of-thyroid-function/
Chiovato, L., Magri, F., & Carlé, A. (2019, September). Hypothyroidism in context: Where we've been and where we're going. Advances in therapy. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6822815/#:~:text=Hypothyroidism%20is%20one%20of%20the,hormone%20for%20the%20body's%20requirements.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, November 19). Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20350284
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, November 19). Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350289