Is A Sluggish Thyroid Causing Your Weight Gain?

Posted by Dr. Della Parker     on November 22, 2016

Your thyroid is responsible for regulating many bodily functions including your metabolism and controlling your body’s fat-burning process. If your thyroid is not supplying proper levels of hormones to your body then weight loss and your overall health can be jeopardized. Poor thyroid function has been linked to serious health conditions like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, infertility, and autoimmune diseases. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms below then you many have a sluggish thyroid. 

The most sensitive way to find out is to listen to your body. People with a sluggish thyroid usually experience:

• Lethargy – Fatigue and lack of energy are typical signs of thyroid dysfunction. Depression has also been linked to the condition. If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, make it a point that your physician checks your thyroid levels.

  It’s essential to note that not all tiredness or lack of energy can be blamed on a dysfunctional thyroid gland. Thyroid-related fatigue begins to appear when you cannot sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a past level of fitness or ability. If your thyroid foundation is weak, sustaining energy output is going to be a challenge. You will notice you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things like you used to.

  Some of the obvious signs of thyroid fatigue include:

  • Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and typically not exercising on a consistent basis
  • A heavy or tired head, especially in the afternoon; your head is a very sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status
  • Falling asleep as soon as you sit down when you don’t have anything to do

• Weight gain – Easy weight gain or difficulty losing weight, despite an aggressive exercise program and watchful eating, is another indicator.
• Rough and scaly skin and/or dry, coarse, and tangled hair – If you have perpetually dry skin that doesn’t respond well to moisturizing lotions or creams, consider hypothyroidism as a factor.
• Hair loss – Women especially would want to pay attention to their thyroid when unexplained hair loss occurs. Fortunately, if your hair loss is due to low thyroid function, your hair will come back quickly with proper thyroid treatment.
• Sensitivity to cold – Feeling cold all the time is also a sign of low thyroid function. Hypothyroid people are slow to warm up, even in a sauna, and don’t sweat with mild exercise.
• Low basal temperature – Another telltale sign of hypothyroidism is a low basal body temperature (BBT), less than 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit averaged over a minimum of three days. It is best to get a BBT thermometer to assess this.

Any of these symptoms can be suggestive of an underactive thyroid. The more of these symptoms you have, the higher the likelihood that you have hypothyroidism.

Dr. Della treats all types of conditions but has a special interest in digestive problems, chronic fatigue, and thyroid dysfunction. If you suspect you’re experiencing a sluggish hypothyroid contact Dr. Della Parker for a free consultation at: 503.908-0881 today!

SRC: Click to learn more about Hypothyroidism: The Sluggish Thyroid Syndrome.