Thyroid is a little gland in the neck, shaped like a butterfly. In addition, it appears near the windpipe. It produces hormones that influence several aspects of metabolism, including how quickly the heart beats and the rapid burning of calories.
It might be challenging to diagnose thyroid conditions on their own. This is because they can be confused with other health conditions, like menopause or cognitive impairments. On the other hand, people should be aware of thyroid problems’ early warning signals.
5 Early Warning Signs of Thyroid
Weight Gain
The thyroid affects weight because it controls the metabolism. The metabolism may not function properly due to thyroid issues, which can significantly impact body weight.
Measuring a patient’s BMR, or basal metabolic rate, is one of the earliest methods of thyroid disease testing. With this test, the amount of oxygen the body uses over a predetermined amount of time is measured in order to evaluate the metabolism. A low BMR score in this situation would suggest hypothyroidism.
People with hypothyroidism will gain some weight, which may or may not be noticeable. On the other hand, severe hypothyroidism can cause a substantial weight gain of 5 to 10 extra pounds. Not always does this weight gain result from gaining extra fat. Instead, it might be brought on by the body retaining water and salt.
Sensitivity to Heat
Heat sensitivity is a typical sign of an overworked thyroid. Hyperthyroidism makes the metabolism go into overdrive and burn more calories, as mentioned regarding weight reduction. But this has an impact on more than just the weight. People may become significantly more sensitive to heat if they have too much thyroxine, the thyroid hormone.
Being “hot-natured” is only one aspect of heat sensitivity or heat intolerance. People with unusually high heat sensitivity experience heat when others are at ease or even cold. People with hyperthyroidism may experience unusual sweating, as well as heat-related anxiety.
Slowed Heart Rate
Thyroid conditions may impact heart health. For instance, hypothyroidism causes the thyroid hormone to produce insufficiently. Thus, it slows the heart rate.
Insufficient thyroid hormone over time can also make the arteries less elastic. In addition, it makes it harder for the blood to circulate. Thus, this can lead to high blood pressure. The presence of hypothyroidism might also result in higher cholesterol levels.
Fatigue: A common sign of Thyroid
Although the words “tired” and “fatigued” can be used interchangeably, the fatigue that people with hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders experience is very different. While getting a good night’s sleep can frequently make people feel better, it won’t make thyroid disorders-related fatigue go away.
Middle-aged women may find it particularly challenging to distinguish this because weariness accompanies menopause. However, even taking estrogen, millions of women still experience persistent menopausal-like symptoms. This can indicate a thyroid condition that hasn’t been properly recognized, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE).
Weight Loss
Weight loss might also result from thyroid issues. The thyroid gland is underactive in hypothyroidism, whereas the thyroid is overactive in hyperthyroidism. The BMR results would be significantly higher than usual in these circumstances.
The amount of weight people lose due to an overactive thyroid will depend on how severe the illness is, similar to how much weight people acquire. A very hyperactive thyroid burns more calories than a healthy or underactive thyroid. If people don’t meet their new calorie needs, they could gradually lose weight.
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However, because hyperthyroidism also causes an increase in appetite, some people who have an overactive thyroid actually put on weight. This merely serves to highlight the intricacy of the thyroid and the part it plays in metabolism and body weight. Although other factors affect weight, the thyroid’s condition is still a key indicator.
