Effects of Hypothyroidism on the Body

Hypothyroidism is a disease where in the thyroid glands creates not enough thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones are crucial because they are available in almost every cell of the body and they help in managing carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.

The underproduction of thyroid hormones in hypothyroidism causes symptoms that are results of a slow body metabolism. Those who have an under active thyroid usually feels worn out because they cannot get energy appropriately from the carbohydrates that they take in. They cannot endure cold, have higher sensitivity to it, and have a decreased basal body temperature because of the lack of thyroid hormones required for heat generation. They've weakened body composition on account of the lowered metabolism of their body. As a result of that they usually have thinning of the eyebrows, poor muscle tone (hyptonia), dry itchy skin, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoperosis, muscle cramps and joint pain, thin brittle hair and fingernails. Furthermore, hypothyroidism activated by iodine deficiency and lymphatic thyroiditis presents with the swelling of the neck due to the inflammation of the thyroid glands, often known as goiter.

The sluggish metabolism also has an effect on different systems of the body, making them unable to do their job and can bring about the following symptoms of hypothyroidism: abnormal menstrual cycles, constipation, low heart rate (bradycardia), weight gain and water retention, decreased sweating, and in severe cases, heart failure. Hypothyroidism can also result in a myxedema coma that can be initiated by severe illness, traumatic injury, surgery, or stress.

In addition, besides the symptoms listed above, there are also others that not usually appear in those who have hypothyroidism. These include impaired renal function, yellowing of the skin due to the failure of the body to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, irritability, increased need for sleep, recurrent hypoglycemia, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, elevated serum choleterol, acute psychosis, anemia, hair loss, decreased libido, sluggish reflexes, decreased sense of taste and smell, slow heart rate, hands and feet, puffy face, impaired cognitive function, gynecomastia, and impaired memory.

Thyroid hormones are important constituents of the body and therefore deficiency of it can greatly have an effect on the overall condition of your well being. Therefore, it's recommended that you check with a health professional whenever you noticed that you have most of these symptoms.