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Hypothyroidism Symptom Checklist

Are you unsure as to whether or not you suffer from hypothyroidism? Does your doctor tell you that your TSH levels are fine but you still believe that you’re hypothyroid? If you answered yes to either of these questions then this hypothyroidism symptom checklist can help.

Problems with TSH Testing

It’s well known that TSH levels are not a very accurate indicator of hypothyroidism. But for some reason, the medical community continues to use it, and oftentimes as the only reference point. But there are many well known factors that can lower TSH levels in hypothyroid people which this test does not account for. And because of this, hypothyroidism has become extremely under-diagnosed today.

But that’s also where a good hypothyroidism symptom checklist can come in handy. It can give you a good indication of whether or not hypothyroidism is the likely culprit of your hypothyroidism symptoms.

Hypothyroidism Symptom Checklist

Using this hypothyroidism symptom checklist is easy. All you have to do is place a check mark next to any symptom below that you’ve experienced more recently or as a child.

By using this hypothyroidism symptom checklist to look back at your childhood it becomes easy to see if you were at risk of hypothyroidism as a child which typically worsens over time.

 

Download The Printable Version of This Thyroid Checklist

 

Hypothyroidism Symptom

As A Child

Currently

I have a diagnosed thyroid problem  
I have a family history of thyroid disease  
   
I am gaining or losing weight inappropriately  
I am unable to lose weight with diet/exercise  
I often feel and look puffy  
I tend to gain weight around my mid-section  
I don’t have much of an appetite  
   
I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome  
I am constipated  
I have other gastrointestinal problems  
I am sensitive to strong odors (perfumes, cigarette smoke, etc.)  
I have gallstones, or I’ve had my gallbladder removed  
I have other liver problems  
   
I often feel cold when everyone around me is comfortable  
My hands, feet, nose, maybe even my rear end are cold, especially at night  
I am less tolerant of hot weather  
I feel tickling or prickly sensations on my skin, as if a bug was on me  
   
I have persistent fatigue  
I have low energy  
Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic  
It takes me longer to recover from activities  
I feel worse after exercise or other exertion  
It takes me much longer than normal to complete tasks  
I’ve had changes in perspiration: I sweat very little, or I sweat heavily  
   
My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle  
My hair is falling out  
My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick  
I have orange calluses, or my palms have an orange tone  
I bruise easily  
I have less body hair (armpit, chest, arms, legs, etc)  
I can’t pinch the skin on my outer upper arms/upper thighs because it’s too thick  
My face looks puffy/swollen, especially my upper eyelids  
My skin color looks pale and a bit yellow  
I have acne  
My nails are thin and brittle and break easily  
I have ridges on my nails  
   
I have bulging eyes  
My eyelids are puffy/swollen  
The outer third of my eyebrows are thinning or missing   
My eyes feel gritty and dry  
My eyes feel sensitive to light  
My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes (eyelid spasms)  
My vision has gotten worse/suddenly need reading glasses  
   
I have a feeling of fullness in neck or throat  
My neck appears swollen  
I am having trouble swallowing or spasms in my esophagus  
I have a hoarse or gravelly voice  
My tongue is swollen and has scalloped edges/teeth marks  
I am having trouble clearly annunciating words, as if talking with my mouth full  
My speech is slow/it takes effort to speak  
I have chronic gum infections  
I have receding (or, overdeveloped) gums  
Tooth decay is particularly a problem  
I have TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction)  
   
I am snoring more lately  
I have/may have sleep apnea  
I have insomnia  
I have frequent nightmares   
I often need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom  
I have a hard time getting up in the morning  
   
I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet  
I have arthritis  
I have developed carpal-tunnel syndrome, or it’s getting worse  
I have sore feet or plantar fasciitis  
I have muscle weakness  
I have muscular pain/painful trigger points  
I have muscle spasms/cramps  
I have a slow Achilles tendon reflex  
   
I have difficulty concentrating  
I have ADD/ADHD  
I am having trouble remembering things  
I am having trouble learning new things  
I am having trouble grasping or “wrapping my head around” concepts  
My thought process has slowed down  
Colors seem less vivid and “flat” to me lately  
   
I feel anxious  
I feel restless  
My moods change easily  
I feel melancholy or depressed often  
I am shy/avoid social contact  
I have strange thoughts  
I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities  
I have manic depression/ or Bipolar Disorder, or psychosis  
   
I have/had frequent upper respiratory infections (colds, bronchitis, strep, etc)  
I have frequent bladder infections  
I have frequent fungal/candida infections  
I have other frequent infections (viral, parasitic etc.)  
I have had other serious viral/bacterial infections (polio, TB,  etc)  
I have an auto-immune disorder-e.g. MS, Lupus, etc.  
I have tender lymph nodes  
I am anemic  
I have allergies  
   
I have tinnitus (ringing in ears)  
I have excessive ear wax  
I have fluid in my ear, or unexplained ear pain  
My hearing is reduced  
I have vertigo  
I feel some lightheadedness  
I feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest  
I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen (air hunger)  
   
I have high cholesterol  
I have blood pressure irregularities (low or high)  
I have a low pulse (under 70 beats per minute)  
I have an irregular heartbeat  
I have atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)  
I have other heart problems  
I have prolonged bleeding (cuts/nosebleeds/bleeding gums/other bleeding)  
I have blood clotting problems (lack of clotting, or blood clots)  
   
I have/have had cancer  
I have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)  
I have diabetes type 1  
I have diabetes type 2  
   
I have a low sex drive  
I was born with a defect in my genitalia  
I am having trouble conceiving a baby  
   
Men Only:  
My testicles and/or penis is diminished and softer  
I have erectile dysfunction  
   
Women Only:  
I am having irregular/longer/heavier/more frequent menstrual cycles  
I have severe menstrual cramps  
I have fibroids  
I have fibrocystic breasts  
I have taken the birth control pill  
I am currently taking the birth control pill  
I have a history of miscarriage  
I have had a baby in the past nine months  
I had excessive during or post-partum bleeding or clotting  
I had post-partum thyroiditis in the past  
   


Copyright © 2014  www.HypothyroidismRevolution.com

Hopefully this hypothyroidism symptom checklist has opened you eyes to the wide array of symptoms that are associated with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism truly is responsible for a multitude of health problems and diseases and has failed to get the recognition that it deserves. And there are plenty of hypothyroidism treatment options that you can consider today to start getting some results with your health.

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems

If your thyroid gland stops making enough thyroid hormone, or if it begins to make too much, chances are fairly certain that you will eventually develop symptoms of thyroid problems.

Unfortunately, in its very early stages, hypothyroidism is usually without noticeable symptoms. Occasionally, a patient may have very mild symptoms such as a feeling of general tiredness or just a lack of energy. These are often wrongfully attributed to other conditions. However, as the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels increase so do the symptoms of thyroid problems.

Because the disorder can progress to some serious and even life threatening conditions, it’s important that you have a good idea of what to look for when dealing with symptoms of thyroid problems.

There are several factors that can contribute to hypothyroidism. Some of these factors include estrogen dominance and liver dysfunction; however, it can just as easily be caused by increased stress.

Unfortunately, diagnosing hypothyroidism is not necessarily simple because not all tests for the disorder are accurate. In fact, many people are prone to receive a false negative result, when they would actually benefit greatly from the right hypothyroidism treatment. Because testing is not always reliable, it’s best to be personally aware of and take notice of any symptoms of thyroid problems to determine if you need further evaluation.

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems and Your Weight

symptoms of thyroid problemsWhen we hear the word hypothyroidism, we usually associate it with the body’s rate of metabolism.  Most people assume that if they aren’t having a problem with weight loss or weight gain, then their thyroid gland is working properly.  But, weight loss or gain, while certainly a factor in dealing with the thyroid gland, is just one of dozens of symptoms of thyroid problems.

These can range from problems with the digestive system to the autoimmune system, and even the body’s heart and circulatory system. Let’s take a look at these crucial body systems to see the effects of hypothyroidism and what it can lead to if it goes untreated.

Hypothyroid Symptoms of the Digestive System

Digestive problems are so common that most people just assume they are going to have to deal with them at one time or another during their life.  While many of these symptoms can easily go unnoticed, or be attributed to another condition, many digestive disorders are really just symptoms of thyroid problems.

Keep in mind how important the digestive system is when it comes to turning the foods we consume into energy.  Without a healthy digestive system, we run the risk of not only doing damage to our body, but also we leave ourselves open developing deficiencies that further damage your thyroid and cause even more symptoms.

That’s why it’s so important to be aware of any problems we experience and determine if they are really symptoms of thyroid problems.

You will notice from this list of symptoms that the problems can be found all along the digestive track from the mouth and tongue, all the way through the body and bowels.

Watch for these symptoms of thyroid problems:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Food allergies
  • Food sensitivities
  • Swollen tongue
  • Ridges on the tongue
  • Dry mouth
  • Cravings for salt
  • Cravings for sweets
  • Bad breath
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Excessive gas
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Liver and or gallbladder problems
  • Diabetes

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems Associated with Your Immune system

The immune system is the body’s best defense against disease and infection. Once the immune system is compromised by ongoing symptoms of thyroid problems, the body is open to any number of immune system diseases.

Keep in mind that the immune system is basically the army inside of our bodies that is well organized and trained to find and destroy any invaders.  It is especially crucial that the immune system be in good working condition in order for it to determine the difference between cells that are invading the body with an illness and the body’s own natural health cells.

If, for any reason, your immune system fails to function properly, the result can be that the body’s cells react against itself. This is what causes autoimmune disease. For this reason, it is important to be aware of any symptoms of thyroid problems which can affect your immune system.

Let’s take a look at some of the immune system symptoms of thyroid problems to be aware of:

  • Urinary tract infections (UTI) especially if they are recurring
  • Upper respiratory infections, especially if they are recurring
  • Fungal infections
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Lupus
  • Candida Infections
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Any autoimmune disease
  • Cancer

Symptoms of Thyroid Problems Associated with Your Heart

One of the greatest concerns of hypothyroidism is its effect on the heart and in turn the circulatory system.  The disorder is sometimes associated with an increased risk of heart disease because of high levels of the bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) LDL which often occurs in people with hypothyroidism. Statistics have recently indicated that even a mild form of hypothyroidism can cause an increase in total cholesterol levels.

Of major concern is that this can impair the circulation of blood through your heart.  The disorder has also been associated with an enlarged heart and in extreme cases, heart failure, which is why it is so important to know the symptoms of thyroid problems.

Some of these heart related symptoms include:

  • High cholesterolsymptoms of thyroid problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Low blood pressure
  • Slow or Weak pulse (less than 60 beats per minute (bpm)
  • Fast or racing pulse (more than 90 beats per minute (bpm)
  • Issues with clotting
  • Bleeding irregularities
  • Heart Disease
  • Enlarged Heart

Another important factor to keep in mind is that having relatives with any of the above symptoms of thyroid problems increases your risk for the condition as well. There are many factors involved such as the health of your mother at birth, your diet, stress levels, and others. And many of these factors are commonly shared among family.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all family members will develop any or all of the symptoms of thyroid problems. It just makes you more susceptible. So, even if you don’t suffer from many of the different signs of thyroid problems, it’s all the more reason to start eating the best hypothyroidism diet to help ensure that you keep it that way.

Hypothyroidism Diagnosis

One of the biggest problems with diagnosing hypothyroidism today is the unreliability of the testing that is used. Most doctors base their hypothyroidism diagnosis entirely on the levels of a single hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).

But TSH alone does not provide enough evidence for a proper hypothyroidism diagnosis. And because this is primarily the only test that doctors use, the majority of hypothyroid people walk away undiagnosed.

But it goes even deeper than that which I’m about explain.

Below I’m going to talk about a couple of controversial topics regarding lab tests that are commonly used to make the hypothyroidism diagnosis and why they are useless.

Then I’ll also cover the better options out there along with one of the easiest and most accurate ways that you can diagnose yourself.

Poorly Used Hypothyroidism Diagnosis Methods

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Labs

There’s no doubt about it. Hypothyroidism is by far the most under-diagnosed health problem today. And the biggest reason for this is the fact that the reference ranges used to diagnose are completely bogus.

hypothyroidism diagnosisIf you really want to get into the details of this, be sure to check out my free report, 7 Simple Solutions to Hypothyroidism, where I get into all of the details.

But the reference ranges used today were based on the results of the old Protein Bound Iodine test that was once used as the hypothyroidism diagnosis gold standard. But since then, there has been plenty of research showing that this old test was a poor indicator of hypothyroidism at best.

But aside from that catastrophic problem, TSH is still not a good indicator of hypothyroidism. And that’s because there’s plenty of other factors, independent of hypothyroidism that can effectively lower your TSH levels giving a false negative hypothyroidism diagnosis.

Some of these include the hormonal influences of…

  • Aging
  • Excessive stress or cortisol
  • Infection
  • Pain or trauma
  • Poor dietary choices
  • Caffeine
  • Fever
  • Adrenaline
  • Somatostatin
  • Dopamine or L-dopa
  • Amphetamine
  • Feedback effect of thyroid hormones

Free T3 and Free T4 Labs

The idea of measuring free T3 or free T4 is yet another very controversial topic. The free hormone theory was originally developed based on a limited understanding of the human cell. And research has clearly disproved this theory, even though some healthcare professionals continue to make their hypothyroidism diagnosis based on these results.

When hormones enter your bloodstream, they are carried to different cells by what are called, transport proteins. And the free hormone theory was based on the idea that your hormones had to be “free” or detached from these transport proteins in order for these thyroid hormones to enter your cells and do their job.

But research has clearly shown that these transport proteins can also enter your cells while carrying the hormones, which was once thought impossible.

So when you account for only the “free” thyroid hormone in your bloodstream (5%) then you fail to account for the other 95% of the hormone that is still active.

This means that free thyroid hormones are not a good indicator of hypothyroidism and should not be used as a basis for a hypothyroidism diagnosis.

Good Hypothyroidism Diagnosis Methods

Comprehensive Blood Tests

One beneficial way to look at hypothyroidism is to look at multiple indicators that collectively can provide a much better picture of how well your thyroid is working.

Some useful indicators by blood test include…

  • Cholesterol
  • Albumin
  • Glucose
  • Sodium
  • Lactate
  • Total T4
  • Total T3

For example, it’s well known that cholesterol is directly proportional to hypothyroidism. So, high cholesterol is one indicator. Hypothyroidism also results in the production of lactic acid so measuring the level of lactate in your blood can provide another useful indicator. Hypothyroidism also causes your body to lose sodium at an accelerated rate. So, low sodium levels are yet another indicator.

When many of these indicators all point to the same problem then a hypothyroidism diagnosis can be made using an educated process.

And one of the best things about blood testing like this is that it can also be used to help determine the best hypothyroidism treatment plan by giving you further insight as to what the underlying cause really is.

Basal Metabolic Rate

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), when determined by lab equipment, used to be the gold standard back when doctors were confirming their hypothyroidism diagnosis with 40-45% of the population.

Doctors would hook the patient up to a machine that would measure their oxygen consumption which was a clear indicator of thyroid function. When you’re hypothyroid, your body shifts aware from its health oxidative energy system which readily uses oxygen to other energy systems that are much less efficient at utilizing oxygen.

Achilles Reflex

The Achilles Reflex is a physical test for hypothyroidism that was used long ago along with BMR. But it is still quite valid and useful even today.

One of the well known hypothyroidism symptoms is slowed nerve reflexes. So, you can easily test the reflex related to your Achilles tendon. With a healthy reflex, the muscle will relax immediately and the foot will quickly swing back to its resting position. But an unhealthy reflex where your foot slowly returns to its resting position is oftentimes used to support the hypothyroidism diagnosis.

Recommended Hypothyroidism Diagnosis Method

Morning Temperature

Monitoring your morning temperature was a concept that was pioneered by an American doctor by the name of Broda Barnes. And Broda Barnes found that your morning temperature which is determined by your metabolism could be strongly correlated with the health of your thyroid.

A morning temperature of 97.8°F (36.5°C) or less is highly indicative of hypothyroidism.

Of course, there are factors that can affect the accuracy of this measurement such as climate, stress hormones, etc. But it’s an easy test that you can do in the comfort of your own home which can be far more accurate than most lab tests.

Pulse

Respected endocrine physiologist, Dr. Raymond Peat, discovered that in warmer climates your morning temperature was not always the most accurate means of making a hypothyroidism diagnosis. You see, when the air temperature around you is warm, then your thyroid doesn’t have to do much work to maintain your core temperature of 98.6°F (37°C).

And it doesn’t make sense to measure your thyroid’s capacity to work when it doesn’t have to work very hard to begin with.

Dr. Peat also noticed a trend of very low pulse rates with those who suffered from hypothyroidism, even when their core temperatures were influenced by air temperature. But when these people took a thyroid supplement, their pulse rates returned to normal.

So, by taking into account your morning temperature and pulse rate together, you get more accurate results than with morning temperature alone.

According to Dr. Peat, the average resting heart rate of a healthy person is 85 beats per minute. And less healthy people average closer to 70 beats per minute which together with other indicators could be used to support the hypothyroidism diagnosis.

Therapeutic Trial

Bear with me for a minute because this one is borderline crazy. In fact, it’s so crazy that doctors today don’t dare use it (please note the sarcasm).

I’ve mentioned previously that long before every hypothyroidism diagnosis was made using the faulty lab testing used today, doctors use to confirm their diagnosis based on the concept of a therapeutic trial.

Equipped with this novel idea, doctors would make the diagnosis based on their patient’s symptoms, multiple tests results, and their own clinical opinions. And they would treat their patient accordingly.

But during the entire treatment, some of the indicators that were mentioned above, such as BMR, cholesterol, temperatures, and reflex rate were continuously monitored for improvement.

If the patient’s hypothyroidism symptoms improved as these clinical indicators improved then the hypothyroidism diagnosis was confirmed.

And this type of therapeutic trial can still be used today. If your hypothyroidism symptoms improve as your temperature and pulse begin to normalize then it’s safe to say that your self diagnosis is confirmed.

Hopefully this has opened your eyes to some of the bigger problems associated with the sheer under-diagnosis of hypothyroidism today. And hopefully it has opened your eyes to some things that you can do to make your own hypothyroidism diagnosis and monitor your progress with the use of your own hypothyroidism diet and therapeutic trial.

Hypothyroidism Causes

There’s a lot of confusion and misunderstanding floating around regarding the cause of hypothyroidism. Most people are led to believe that the underlying cause of hypothyroidism is some sort of defect to the thyroid gland itself. But the truth is that there are multiple hypothyroidism causes that all need to be addressed as part of any successful hypothyroidism treatment protocol.

Is Your Thyroid Gland Really the Problem?

It’s true that most doctors are trained to believe that 95% of hypothyroidism is a matter of a sluggish thyroid gland that is incapable of producing enough thyroid hormone to support your body’s needs. And you can’t necessarily blame them because on a very superficial level, it makes sense.

But if that were the case, then 95% of hypothyroidism patients who were put on supplemental Thyroxine (T4 thyroid hormone) would respond favorably and their hypothyroidism symptoms would simply disappear. And doctors prescribe T4 because that’s the primary hormone that your thyroid gland secretes.

But the results of prescribing T4 have been far less than impressive. In fact, they have been outright horrid.

The majority of patients who are put on T4 medication get no relief. Many even get worse. And most doctors fail to come to terms with the fact that this form of treatment is more of a problem than a solution. So, they continue to ignore the various other hypothyroidism causes and reassure their patients that the medication is working but that there are some other “unrelated” problems that they now need to investigate.

The Truth About Hypothyroidism Causes

The truth is that there’s an entire long process that occurs between the time that your thyroid gland produces its hormones and the time that those hormones get delivered to your cells for use. And if any part of this process is broken then the end result is… hypothyroidism.

So, it becomes much easier to see that there are a number of hypothyroidism causes that you have to account for if you really want to correct the problem.

But it gets even deeper than that.

Unfortunately, when any one single part of this process is broken, all the other parts suffer as well, much like a domino effect. So it’s not as easy as fixing the one little broken link in the chain. Once this process is thrown off, you have to work to restore functionality to the entire process to get it working properly again.

And that’s why it becomes so important to address all of the hypothyroidism causes at the same time.

And while TSH levels are high in the majority of hypothyroidism cases (but not all) this is not necessarily an indication of a problem with your thyroid gland. If any part of the process becomes broken then your thyroid gland is going to naturally down regulate and stop producing so many hormones. And it’s important to use the right thyroid function test before basing a diagnosis off of TSH alone.

But it’s easy to point the finger at your thyroid as the problem and that’s a big mistake that most people and doctors make.

Below I’ve listed the 3 main parts of this process to give you a much better idea of what can go wrong and the various hypothyroidism causes involved with each individual part.

Hypothyroidism Causes Related to Thyroid Hormone Secretion

When it comes to your thyroid gland, there are a few factors that affect its ability to secrete the thyroid hormones that it produces (aside from other broken parts of this process).

Iodine Deficiency

One such issue is an iodine deficiency. But in industrialized countries now days, this is actually one of the very rare hypothyroidism causes. And supplementing with iodine should be approached with extreme caution because you can easily experience iodine toxicity based on many of the popular recommended dosages out there. And this can actually have a number of negative health effects and make you even more hypothyroid in the end.

So it’s important to always get appropriate testing to determine your true iodine levels instead of using a shotgun approach of iodine supplementation.

Excessive Estrogen

One of the very common hypothyroidism causes today that affects your thyroid’s ability to secrete your thyroid hormones is excessive estrogen levels. And this goes for both men and women although it’s more of a problem with women since they naturally have higher estrogen levels.

When estrogen is in excess within the body, it deactivates the proteolytic enzymes that are responsible for signaling your thyroid to release its hormones. So the thyroid hormones tend to build up within the gland and many times leads to goiters and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Progesterone Deficiency

The hormone that is responsible for opposing and balancing estrogen is progesterone. And one of the many beneficial roles of progesterone is to activate the same proteolytic enzymes that estrogen deactivates.

And a deficiency in progesterone oftentimes goes hand in hand with excessive estrogen.

Hypothyroidism Causes Related to Thyroid Hormone Conversion

Your thyroid gland produces primarily the inactive T4 hormone that must be first converted by your liver into the active T3 hormone in order to be used by your cells. And because this process is responsible for producing about 2/3 of your active thyroid hormone then it can be a major player among the various hypothyroidism causes.

Protein Deficiency

Hopefully you are well aware of the fact that protein plays an important role in your diet. And when you don’t get enough protein in your diet then your body begins to break down your own muscle tissue in order to get the protein that it needs. But this comes with a price.

The process involved in breaking down your muscle tissue requires the use of your body’s stress hormones. And when these stress hormones rise, they also block the conversion of T4 into T3 making this one of the hypothyroidism causes.

Low Carb Diets

There’s a lot of controversy out there regarding the healthiest diet. Some claim that low-fat is the only healthy diet. And others argue that carbs are the problem. But in reality, both are wrong.

But low carb diets can really cause some problems with your thyroid. And this is because your liver requires carbs in your diet in order to convert T4 to T3. So it’s safe to say that carbs are not necessarily the problem. It has more to do with eating the wrong carbs vs. the right carbs.

And this is where a good science based hypothyroidism diet comes into play. But you have to be careful because not every hypothyroidism diet is created equal. And some are flat out bad.

Lack of Salt

Let’s move back to the topic of stress for a minute.

One problem that goes hand in hand with hypothyroidism is the inability to retain sodium within your cells. When you become hypothyroid, your cells easily take up water and sodium is readily eliminated.

But sodium plays a number of very important roles in your body, one of which is to help keep stress hormones levels low. So, your stress hormones are naturally going to be high with hypothyroidism and if you’re not getting enough salt in your diet to then you won’t be able to keep those stress hormones under control.

And as I already mentioned above, stress hormones are another one of the hypothyroidism causes.

Over-Exercising

Keeping along the same topic of stress, many people over-exercise which only places more stress on your body. In fact, it has been shown that over-exercising with hypothyroidism can actually stop your body’s production of the active thyroid hormone, T3, immediately.

So if you think more exercise or working out harder is going to do the trick then think again.

Hypothyroidism Causes Related to Thyroid Hormone Utilization

There are a few hypothyroidism causes that affect your body’s ability to properly utilize thyroid hormone. But few have the far reaching effects of these.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Poly Unsaturated Fats are a major contributing factor with hypothyroidism. They can easily be put into the category that affects thyroid hormone secretion because they do play an active role in suppressing the thyroid gland from secreting its hormones. But these fats also have more far reaching effects.

Polyunsaturated fats also work by blocking the transportation of your thyroid hormone in your bloodstream. So, this means that even less of the needed hormone is actually making it to your cells.

And to make matters worse, once your cells do get the little bit of thyroid hormone, these fats make your thyroid hormone less effective within your cells. So it requires even more thyroid hormone to keep your metabolism and cells healthy.

And with the prevalence of polyunsaturated fats in everyone’s diet today, it’s very easy to see that this is another one of the major hypothyroidism causes of today.

Miscellaneous Hypothyroidism Causes

Of course, there are so many other hypothyroidism causes that it’s impossible to list them all. But there are a couple of others that I think are worth mentioning because they do shed some light as to why hypothyroidism is so common.

Natural Aging

As you age, there’s a natural shift that occurs in your hormone levels, thyroid hormone included. And as your body naturally decreases its hormone secretion, then it becomes more and more important to get these necessary hormones from other sources, such as this.

Diet

Our diets have changed drastically over the past century and unfortunately, it’s been entirely for the worse. And this has become another one of the bigger hypothyroidism causes of today.

We use to utilize the entire animal that we ate including the various organs, bone, etc. And many of these parts that we now discard without thinking use to be very rich in thyroid hormones. So we use to get a good amount of thyroid hormone directly from our diet. And that meant that our thyroid gland didn’t have to produce quite so much on it’s own.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into how complex this issue really is and that it’s not as simple as saying that your thyroid itself is the problem. Instead, you have to consider the entire process and all of the hypothyroidism causes that can be involved along the way if you ever want to truly be successful at healing hypothyroidism.