The Thyroid, Thyroxin, and Hypothyroidism - Fitness After 40

By Donovan Baldwin

The size and appearance of the thyroid gland belies its importance to health and fitness in humans.

It is shaped roughly like a butterfly, an odd looking one to be sure, and is located on the front of the neck beneath the Adam's apple. It lies to the front of the windpipe. The two lobes, the wings of the butterfly, are connected by an isthmus or bridge. Despite its importance to the overall health of the body, when a body is healthy, the thyroid gland cannot even be felt.

The thyroid is richly supplied with blood through a vast network of blood vessels.

Several hormones are secreted by the thyroid, but the main hormone, in fact commonly referred to as "thyroid hormone" is thyroxin. Thyroxin, also referred to as T4, influences many activities and functions of the body, including growth, physical and mental development, body temperature, and metabolism. During childhood, thyroid hormone is critical for the development of the brain.

Considering the importance of the thyroid, and thyroxin, to so many aspects of health, it is not surprising that there can be many negative conditions which can occur as a result of a problem with the thyroid.

Unfortunately for those experiencing various conditions which affect, or are affected by, the thyroid, many of the conditions may exist for some time with little or no outwardly noticeable ill affects. This delay in diagnosing or treating a thyroid conditins may be the cause of various health problems. Additionally, problems with the thyroid may contribute to, or be associated with, other conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

A swelling of the thyroid is referred to as goiter.

As alluded to above, goiters can be symptoms of various problematic health conditions or may be completely harmless. Various causes, such as a viral infection or autoimmune condition can cause an inflammation of the thyroid known as thyroiditis. This condition can be harmless with no symptoms or can be a very painful condition.

Two of the most common problems with the thyroid are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism is the excessive production of thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is the opposite, a low hormone production by the thyroid.

Since one of the most important functions of the thyroid is to control how your body uses energy, you can understand that hypothyroidism can have a negative affect on many aspects of health, fitness, and just plain zest for life.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism can commonly include feelings of tiredness, weakness, depression, inability to withstand cold, dry skin, constipation, brittle nails, problems with memory and sluggish or unclear thought processes. Women may experience irregular and/or heavy menstrual periods.

While not necessarily directly linked to an increase in weight, the sluggishness and lack of energy associated with hypothyroidism can make it difficult to lose weight or to prevent weight gain, especially as it also tends to be associated with a decreased metabolic rate.

Slower metabolism means weight gain, unless offset in some way by alterations in diet, increased exercise, or, preferably, both.

As you can see, many items listed as symptoms of hypothyroidism could also indicate a great many other health problems as well. Many of the problems listed could be related to a dietary deficiency, a Candida overgroth, or a lifetime of bad habits. Due to wide range of potential problem, you cannot self-diagnose this condition. However, there are tests which can detect it, and your doctor can arrange these for you if appropriate.

Hypothyroidism does not develop overnight. It gradually makes itself known, if detected at all, by a slowly increasing amount or intensity of the symptoms of hypothyroidism listed above. It can have many different causes, including being the result of immune disorders, reactions to prescription drugs and/or surgery, the result of lifestyle, and simple genetic inheritance.

In most cases, problems with production of thyroxin and other thyroid hormones is easily treated, usually by prescription of thyroid hormone. It may take a few weeks to a few months to see appreciable results, but there are usually few complications, although several visits to your doctor may be required to get the dosage right.

Hypothyroidism, and other problems associated with the thyroid, thyroxin, and other thyroid hormones cannot always be prevented. There are, however, steps which can be taken, literally and figuratively, to lessen their impact. The simplest step, of course, is to live a healthy lifestyle, eating a well-balanced diet, getting regular exercise and the proper amount of sleep. I always like to recommend that everyone take a good daily multivitamin and have explained my reasoning for this in other articles.

Of course, there are also thyroid health supplements one can take such as Thyromine Thyroid Health Formula, or Thypro Thyroid Support.

Source: http://fitness-after-40.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-thyroid-thyroxin-and-hypothyroidism.html

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