Thyroid Disorders And Weight Loss

Thyroid Disorders And Weight Loss

Weight loss can be as easy as eating better and exercising more, but sometimes other problems get in the way. If you are trying to lose weight and it just seems impossible, don’t be angry at yourself or give up – find out if you have a condition that is interfering with your regimen.

Thyroid disorders are near the top of the pile when it comes to common conditions that can get in the way of your weight loss plan. 27 million Americans suffer from some sort of thyroid problem. Hypothyroidism accounts for about 80 percent of all thyroid disorders and occurs most frequently in women. Hypothyroidism can make you feel sluggish, achy, and lead to difficulties in dropping weight. It can also cause weight gain.

The biggest issue in dealing with hypothyroidism is that so many people do not realize they have the problem. After all, the symptoms read like sort of a bad day. But over time if these symptoms cannot be shaken off, it is wise to get tested for hypothyroidism and determine if your thyroid is producing enough of the necessary hormones.

Luckily, getting your thyroid checked is easy – you can even do it at home. From a small sample of blood your TSH levels can be determined. TSH is not actually produced by the thyroid – the pituitary gland releases it. However, the thyroid gland relies upon the level of TSH to “know” how much hormone it should be producing – so if your TSH levels are out of whack, your thyroid will be out of whack as well.

Treating your thyroid disorder is generally easy as well. Medication is available and not overly burdensome. When treated, it is likely that not only will weight loss be easier for you, but everything else will too, as common symptoms like fatigue and depression will also be addressed by better thyroid management.

If you’re finding it difficult to lose weight, be sure to be proactive and make sure you are not being held back by an undiagnosed thyroid problem. There’s no reason to be held back from the life you want by something as treatable as hypothyroidism!

Robyn Schelenz is a writer for the online home health business Home Health Testing. You can learn more about testing for a thyroid condition by visiting their home thyroid test page.