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How Your Thyroid Causes Hormone Imbalances

The thyroid, whose name originally came from the Greek word meaning shield, is a ductless gland in your neck that secretes hormones. Your body’s metabolism — the chemical process necessary to break down food and convert it to energy — is ultimately controlled by your thyroid hormones. It’s important that these hormones remain balanced, so they don’t disrupt the normal functioning of bodily systems. So how does it all work?

Your brain produces a thyroid stimulating hormone. This TSH triggers the pituitary gland to tell the thyroid to produce (or lower production of) two additional hormones. These hormones are tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), and they control your metabolism. If you have too much or too little of either hormone, then you’ve got an imbalance.

An imbalance can occur due to many factors. Some of those factors include inflammation of the thyroid gland. An immune system disease can cause an imbalance. Age plays a role in hormone production. Certain drugs or an iodine deficiency can affect production of your thyroid hormones as well. Also, an injury to the thyroid can cause a problem.

Because body cells are all affected by thyroid hormones, an imbalance can lead to a wide range of issues. If your thyroid hormones dip too low, it can lead to difficulty in handling the cold, constipation, fatigue, weight gain, low libido, shortness of breath, and more. If your thyroid hormones are too high, it can lead to sensitivity to heat, hyperactivity, diarrhea, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety, among other problems.

When your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones, it’s considered an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism). When your thyroid produces too many hormones, it’s considered an over-active thyroid (hyperthyroidism). These two conditions are the most common thyroid problems.

According to the CDC, thyroid problems are quite widespread throughout the population. In fact, approximately 20 million Americans have thyroid disease. Though most common in older adults, anybody can get thyroid disease, even babies. Some people are more susceptible than others, though. For example, women have a greater chance of having thyroid problems than men, because a woman’s body is more sensitive to hormone changes.

Male Hormone Imbalances — Low thyroid function can affect testosterone and growth hormones in men, especially as they get older. By age 80, men are typically left with only five percent of their original amount. However, an imbalance can occur at any age. Symptoms can include those listed above, as well as hair loss, memory loss, depression, and gynecomastia (breast development) to name a few. These hormone imbalances are treatable, though. With proper treatment, the symptoms generally disappear.

Female Hormone Imbalances — It’s estimated that one in eight women will develop thyroid problems in their lifetime. A hormone imbalance due to a thyroid problem can change how heavy a woman’s menstrual cycle is and can even stop it. When a hormone imbalance affects the menstrual cycle, it also affects ovulation, making it more difficult to get pregnant. As a woman ages, her chances of suffering a hormone imbalance increases. A drop in thyroid hormone levels is most likely after menopause. This can lead to mood swings, night sweats, hot flashes, and heart palpitations. With treatment, though, normal hormone levels can usually be restored.

Different types of treatment exist that can help restore your hormones to proper levels. Depending on your individual situation, a dose of radioactive iodine could return your levels to normal in a few weeks. A prescription for thyroid drugs is another common treatment to keep your hormones balanced. In some situations, surgery might even become necessary, though this is the least common treatment.

If you think that you’re suffering from a hormone imbalance, tell your doctor so you can get tested as soon as possible. Once diagnosed and treated, you won’t have to tolerate the uncomfortable symptoms associated with a hormone imbalance anymore. You’ll be able to resume your life without any worries of those symptoms getting worse or causing you additional problems in the future.

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