Thyroid Dysfunction



Hypothyroidism is the disease state caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. There are 3 main types of thyroid dysfunction:


Type

Origin

Description

Primary
Thyroid Gland
The most common forms include Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, autoimmune disease and radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism.

Secondary

Pituitary Gland

Occurs if the pituitary gland does not create enough thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to induce the thyroid gland to produce enough thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Although not every case of secondary hypothyroidism has a clear-cut cause, it is usually caused by damage to the pituitary gland, as by a tumor, radiation, or surgery.[5]

Tertiary

 Hypothalamus

Results when the hypothalamus fails to produce sufficient thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH prompts the pituitary gland to produce thyrotropin (TSH). Hence may also be termed hypothalamic-pituitary-axis hypothyroidism.


There are three things that occur in the thyroid gland itself which cause a thyroid malfunction. These include:

  • Too little production of thyroid hormones resulting in hypothyroidism.
  • Too much thyroid hormone production resulting in hyperthyroidism.
  • Extra tissue forms around the thyroid gland itself and forms a lump which may or may not be cancerous.


    • Early Symptons

  • Poor muscle tone (muscle hypotonia)
  • Fatigue
  • Cold intolerance, increased sensitivity to cold
  • Depression
  • Constipation
  • Muscle cramps and joint pain
  • Arthritis
  • Goiter
  • Thin, brittle fingernails
  • Thin, brittle hair
  • Paleness
  • Dry, itchy skin
  • Weight gain and water retention.[9][10]
  • Bradycardia (low heart rate: less than sixty beats per minutes)


    • Causes

    1. Poor nutrition. Studies have shown that people who develop thyroid problems may suffer from iodine deficiencies. Iodine is a trace mineral found in food that combines with tyrosine to make both T3 and T4, both of the hormones produced in the thyroid, a lack of it can lead to under-production of thyroid hormones. Other studies find that deficiencies in vitamin A, magnesium and iron can also cause the thyroid to malfunction.
    2. Stress. When a person is under stress, hormones like cortisol, are released into the body. The chronic stress many women are under, causes hormone disturbances and deficiencies which affect the endocrine system, and the thyroid.
    3. Genetics. If you have a parent, aunt, or sibling, with a thyroid dysfunction chances are that you mayl too. So, making your doctor aware of your family history plus educating yourself about symptoms will be critical.
    4. Pregnancy/postpartum period. During and after pregnancy a woman’s whole body experiences enormous changes and endures great stress. These changes can trigger thyroid dysfunction for women during and after her pregnancy.
    5. Menopause. At this time in a woman’s life there are continual hormonal changes. These changes and imbalances can cause dysfunction of her thyroid.


    Treatment Options

    Medication prescribed by your doctor is what women are typically offered, no matter which type of thyroid dysfunction they have. If you are taking medication, chances are you are taking synthetic thyroid hormone to treat it. In hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone treatment restores metabolism to normal. Most people with hyperthyroidism ultimately take thyroid hormone as well since the approach to treatment usually means shutting off the body’s natural levels of hormone. Today's thyroid medicine of choice is levothyroxine sodium. This is a synthetic version of natural thyroid hormone.

    A woman’s diet is very important when dealing with a thyroid dysfunction. Choosing a large variety of fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed foods is a good place to start. In addition, choosing organic foods when possible and avoiding toxins will increase your level of health.

    Regular exercise will support the elimination of toxins from the body and boost metabolism in a healthy, natural way.

    Use of a natural progesterone cream is a healthy, safe way to support your body’s thyroid function and improve symptoms relating to thyroid dysfunction.

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