Have you been wondering why you exercise and can’t seem to lose weight? Then it might be time to get your thyroid checked. The thyroid gland is an edocrine gland in the front of your neck. It stores and produces hormones that regulate your metabolic rate, which might explain why you can’t lose weight or in some cases why you’ve lost a lot of weight. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, about 30 million of Americans have a thyroid disorder and about half have not been diagnosed.
Hypothyroid or under active thyroid is a condition where your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones. With this condition your metabolism slows, you feel tired and start gaining weight for no apparent reason.
Hyperthyroid or overactive thyroid is a condition where your thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroxine hormone. It accelerates your metabolism, causing you to lose weight, irregular heartbeat, and irritability.
What Are The Signs?
Tired: If you feel tired and have no energy after sleeping for 8 hours, this can be linked to having too little of your thyroid hormone.
Low Libido: Having little or no interest in sex can be a side effect of not having enough thyroid hormones.
Longer periods: More cramps than usual and a heavier flow can be due to short thyroid supply.
High blood pressure: People with hypothyroidism have 3 times the chance of developing hypertension because low amounts of the thyroid hormone can slow down your heart beat and can affect the strength of your heart pumping blood.
Gaining weight: If you keep gaining weight and your exercise and diet routine hasn’t changed, then it’s time to visit your doctor. This is due to an under active thyroid.
Cant get pregnant: Your overactive thyroid can be a contributing factor if you’ve tried to get pregnant for a long time because hypothyroid and hyperthyroid can interfere with ovulation.
Sweats: If you’re sweating excessively and you’re nowhere near menopause,then this might be due to hyperthyroidism.
Hair falling out: If you have brittle hair, unexplained hair loss, and thinning of your hair this is also linked to an overactive thyroid.
Constipated: An overactive thyroid can cause constipation or diarrhea.
These are only a couple of symptoms. If you suspect something is off, visit your doctor. There are several tests your doctor can give you as well as hormone treatment to help correct the problem.