Is Reduced Thyroid Function Making You Fat?

According to the Thyroid Foundation of America, the answer is YES!

There could be tens of millions of women in American suffering from an under active thyroid gland who aren’t even aware that this little gland causes their problem. Certainly there are over 11 million women known to have a thyroid gland not working properly, says the Thyroid Foundation of America.

Women ages 35 to 55 are most affected – during this time women start and go through the change of life – menopause.

Cold hands and feet, low body temperature, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint pains, constipation, mental dullness, tiredness, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido and weight gain (sometimes uncontrollable) are some of the symptoms caused by underproduction of thyroid gland hormones.

Research is pointing to the fact that an under active thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women, in the US today.

A thyroid gland that does not produce enough hormones is a condition called hypothyroidism, where your body uses energy more slowly than it should. This is the most common condition. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, causing the body to use energy more quickly than it should. Besides the above listed symptoms, hypothyroidism can also be responsible for hot flashes, irritability, depression, high cholesterol, and palpitations.

Optimizing your thyroid activity can help you control weight with ease.

As main regulators of the body’s rate of metabolism, thyroid hormones regulate how the body burns carbohydrates and fats. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of these “energy-generating” thyroid hormones, causing a low resting metabolic rate, which can cause weight gain and obesity.

In addition to disrupting metabolism, thyroid imbalances also affect appetite control. Studies suggest that thyroid hormones may modulate levels of leptin, a hormone produced from fat cells that is believed to control hunger and stabilize energy levels.

How much energy people have, how well they get up in the morning, how well they sleep, and how much stamina they have for the day is directly related to their levels of thyroid hormone, in addition to body weight. When your thyroid level is too low, you don’t have the energy to cope adequately with anything, much less the additional stress and emotional liability associated with the menopausal years.

There is more to hypothyroidism than just less thyroid activity. The thyroid gland produces less thyroxin (T4). The T4 must then be converted to triiodothyronine (T3) by the liver. T3 is the active hormone. The body must then effectively utilize T3. Any of these processes can be disturbed and lead to hypothyroidism symptoms. At a point where thyroid hormone levels are insufficient, the body’s processes start slowing down.

Blood tests are the only certain way to find out if you have hyperthyroidism because there is such a variety of symptoms.

Get your thyroid hormone levels stabilized and experience:

1. A gain in metabolic rate, thereby increasing number of calories burned.

2. Eliminate diet failures caused by lack of thyroid hormone balance.

3. Less feelings of hunger.

4. Easing of other symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Learn how to improve your quality of life and increase your longevity at the Angel Longevity Medical Center