EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THYROID

Are you living with thyroid or risk of thyroid problem in future??

Thyroid related problem has become very serious globally and hypothyroidism ( lower thyroid in body coming from ‘hypo’ which means lower) is much more common and accounts for more than 90% of the cases. If you are interested to know everything about thyroid disorders and functioning, read till the end. Almost 42 million people in India have thyroid disorders. Hypothyroidism is a very serious problem in India, where 1 in every 10 men & women suffer from hypothyroidism   Women, especially those older than age 60, are more likely (almost 8x higher chances) to have hypothyroidism. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in India is 11%, compared with only 2% in the UK and 4·6% in the USA.

When the problem starts?

Thyroid is a very important gland which produces thyroid hormones T3 and T4. If there are any issues with your hypothalamus (part of your brain which order assess the need and trigger the thyroid production cycle), pituitary gland (a small gland below your hypothalamus which triggers thyroid gland based on order from hypothalamus to produce thyroid) or thyroid gland, it can result in an imbalance in the hormones involved in this system, including T3 and T4. There are two types of problems associated with thyroid dysfunction.

ü  Hypothyroidism is a condition where your body is not getting enough thyroid hormone due to anomaly in thyroid production cycle. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, depression, forgetfulness, and some weight gain.

ü  Hyperthyroidism, another form of thyroid disease, is a condition causing the body to have too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms include irritability, nervousness, muscle weakness, unexplained weight loss, sleep disturbances, vision problems and eye irritation.

ü  95% of Thyroid related problems (Hyper or hypo) occurs due to poor functioning of the thyroid gland or poor conversion of T4 to T3. Hypothalamus or pituitary gland related problems are rare. 

What are the different types of problems with thyroid?

• The most prevalent cause of thyroid problem today is autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, leading either to hyperthyroidism (caused by Graves’ disease) or hypothyroidism (caused by Hashimoto's disease)
• iodine deficiency
• inflammation (which may or may not cause pain), caused by a virus or bacteria
• nodules, or non-cancerous lumps
• cancerous tumours
• certain medical treatments, including radiation therapy, thyroid surgery, and some medicines
• some genetic disorders

Ask following questions to yourself to understand the of cause of your Thyroid issue especially Hashimoto’s which is most prevalent;

Are you sleeping enough? Sleep deviation can alter the function of the human hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT); and is associated with altered levels of TSH, T4, and T3^. Lack of sleep triggers higher cortisol which slows TSH release and leads to lower thyroid hormones in the body.

     Are you chronically stressed? The impact of stress on the thyroid occurs by release of higher cortisol by your adrenal glands. Higher cortisol slows your TSH release and in turn lower triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormone levels. Also, the conversion of T4 hormone to T3 may not occur, leading to higher level of reverse T3.

Are you exposed to certain toxins? Environmental toxins, that mirror thyroid hormone structure and invade the thyroid gland, impair thyroid functioning in many ways. Broadly they cause either 1) auto immune disorder causing body’s own immune system to destroy thyroid gland or 2) they structurally mimic T3 or T4 hormone and bind to the transporting protein or cell receptors inhibiting hormone’s function. These toxins can be classified in broadly four categories.

    Heavy metals : mainly cadmium, aluminum, mercury and lead.

 Household toxins: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), more commonly referred to as flame retardants, populate many areas of the modern-day home such as furniture, carpet padding, clothing made of synthetic materials, and the screens of electronic devices. Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, ingredients used to make plastic for water bottles, children’s toys, and food storage containers.

Industrial chemicals: The most prevalent industrial chemicals are dioxin, perchlorate, per fluorinated chemicals, or PFCs, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. All four of these pollutants negatively affect thyroid function. These are byproducts of various manufacturing and from factories have seeped into ground water, food, soil and air. Agricultural agents: Perhaps the first culprits to come to mind in discussions of environmental toxins; pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides weaken thyroid function to the point of causing hypothyroidism or “low thyroid.” 

Are you eating nutritionally deficient diet? A nutrient dense healthy diet is very important for optimum thyroid gland functioning. Iodine, selenium, zinc or iron deficiency can particularly damage thyroid gland or will cause sub optimum thyroid functioning. Other nutrients, including B vitamins and vitamins A and E, are also needed for optimal thyroid function. Being deficient in one or more nutrients can negatively affect thyroid health and increase your risk of thyroid disease 

Are you eating lot of fat, sugar, processed food? Processed foods are often high in salt and sugar, saturated fat (butter, lad and animal fat) and vegetable oil (excessive high on Omega-6) which can lead to inflammation in the body. High sugar, salty and fatty food impacts thyroid functioning in many ways. It impacts 1) your liver and other organs slowing down conversion of T4 to T3 2) it results in inflammation in body causing sub optimal thyroid 3) it leads to poor gut health which in turn leads to thyroid function impairment 4) it leads to accumulation of fat in your thyroid gland causing sub-optimal thyroid function. It is best to limit the intake of processed, sugary, salty and fatty foods and focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods.

Are you living a sedentary lifestyle? Sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading cause of thyroid disorders.  Our metabolism has to be stimulated with right balance of healthy diet and exercise. A sedentary lifestyle leads to slowing metabolism which leads to thyroid problems.

What is THYROID?

The thyroid is a hormone-producing gland that regulates the body’s metabolism—the rate at which the body produces energy from nutrients and oxygen. Thyroid hormones help you metabolize fats, proteins, carbohydrates & vitamins. Your thyroid does a lot of work and affects almost each critical body functions. Every cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormone. It is responsible for the most basic aspects of our body’s function, impacting all major systems. Thyroid hormone directly acts on the brain, the GI tract, the cardiovascular system, bone metabolism, red blood cell metabolism, gallbladder and liver function, steroid hormone production, glucose metabolism, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, protein metabolism, and body temperature regulation. Think of thyroid as a catalyst in the furnace of the body. Your furnace needs to break down food, maintain metabolism. What happens when the furnace can’t function properly and slows down or runs too fast because of deficient or excess catalyst? Any anomaly in thyroid hormone in body has far reaching impact on each organ and their functioning.

The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the lower neck. It looks like butterfly shaped.

ü     Although the thyroid gland is relatively small, it produces THYROID hormone that influences every cell, tissue and organ in the body.

Let’s understand how Thyroid is produced and regulated in your body

The production and release of thyroid hormone — thyroxine (t4) and triiodothyronine (T3) — is controlled by a feedback loop system that involves the following:

• Hypothalamus.
• Pituitary gland.
• Thyroid gland.
• Multiple hormones.

Your hypothalamus is the part of your brain that controls functions like blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and digestion.

Your pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. It makes and releases eight hormones. Your pituitary gland is connected to your hypothalamus through blood vessels and nerves.  Your hypothalamus communicates with your pituitary gland and tells it to release certain hormones. 

To start the feedback loop, your hypothalamus releases thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH) which, in turn, stimulates your pituitary gland to produce and release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then triggers your thyroid gland to produce T4 and T3. Of the total amount of hormones that TSH triggers your thyroid to release, about 80% is T4 and 20% is T3. Your thyroid also needs adequate amounts of iodine, a substance you get from the food you eat, to create T4 and T3. T4 is inactive form and must be converted into its active form T3 to be used by cells. Majority (almost ~80%) of that conversion takes place in your liver.

This hormone chain reaction is regulated by a feedback loop so that when the levels of T3 and T4 increase, your hypothalamus prevent the release of TRH (and thus TSH). When T3 and T4 levels drop, the feedback loop starts again to do the reverse. This system allows your body to maintain a constant level of thyroid hormones in your body.

How far medication helps? Medication of thyroid is either anti thyroid medicines, surgery or radiation therapy in case oh hyperthyroidism. In hypothyroidism mostly synthetic hormone is given to cover the hormone deficiency in your body. These treatments have long term side effects. The long-term effects of thyroid medication include weight fluctuations, sensitivity to heat, joint pain, changes to your menstrual cycle, and possibly even autoimmune dysfunction. 

One most important fact is once started thyroid medicines have to be taken for life. Because as soon as your body start getting synthetic hormone, it stops producing the hormone. Medication is not addressing the underlying cause of the problem rather its just treating your symptoms..!

Conclusion: You must address the root cause of the problem. Its not suggested to stop the medicine if you are already taking. However healthy living will definitely help you. A good night’s sleep, healthy eating and moderate exercise is the key to avoid thyroid problems.