Everyone has his or her own energy level. We’ve all known people who eat a lot and never gain weight, or, conversely, eat little but easily put on pounds. Perhaps you’ve known those who seem to jitter around and others who move like sloths. While a myriad of factors influence how we act, from genetics to psychology, the hormones that regulate our metabolism come from our thyroid.
Sitting in your neck, just below the bony bump (the hyoid bone), you can feel the thyroid gland as a soft, symmetrical swelling along your windpipe. When it gets diseased, it might swell, which is called a goiter, or develop lumps. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. have thyroid disease, which is eight times more common in women than in men.
The thyroid gland regulates your metabolic rate with two hormones, named T3 and T4. Through instructions from your pituitary, the gland produces just the right amount of these hormones to regulate how much energy your cells burn. Too much, and it causes hyperthyroidism; too little, and the disease is termed hypothyroidism. Either one can be deadly, although in general, these diseases take months to years to evolve.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include a fast heartbeat, unintended weight loss, heat intolerance and anxiety. Most patients will report trouble sleeping, changes in libido, fatigue and loose bowels. Physically, the eyes tend to “bug out,” hands tremble and sweating increases. You might notice swelling in your neck, the goiter developing, as the thyroid enlarges while producing too much hormone.
In contrast, hypothyroidism slows you down. Weight gain, thinning hair, slower heart rates, depression, fatigue and constipation are common symptoms. The condition may present with dry skin, a puffy face and impaired memory. Again, the thyroid can enlarge, this time as it unsuccessfully tries to make more hormone.
Although thyroid disease most commonly occurs without risk factors, in many cases, other family members have had it, too. Some medical conditions predispose someone for thyroid problems, such as diabetes, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Those who’ve had radiation in their neck for cancer, or as children for thymus swelling, also are at higher risk. One in 4,000 infants are born with nonfunctioning thyroids.
Your thyroid requires iodine to make its hormones. Most of the iodine in our diets comes from fish. The other main source in America is iodized salt. I strongly recommend that when you buy salt for your home, be sure and get iodized; it costs and tastes the same. It’s rare to get too much iodine, but possible — especially in certain medications.
While checking thyroid function is easy with a simple blood test, it’s not one of the usual screening tests and must be specially ordered. If the blood levels show abnormalities, follow up tests include a thyroid scan or ultrasound. Hyperthyroid patients are treated with anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodine or surgical removal of the thyroid. In cases of low thyroid function, patients must take thyroid replacement pills for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, they’re quite inexpensive.
If you’re worried about your thyroid, ask your health care provider to check your levels. A properly functioning thyroid will give you the right amount of energy while keeping your mind sharp and your body trim.
Dr. Philip L. Levin is a retired emergency medicine specialist in Gulfport. Learn more or contact him at www.Doctors-Dreams.com.
