Dealing With an Under Active Thyroid Term Paper

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Hypothyroidism is a fairly common disorder that patients are diagnosed with and it can have wide ranging effects. While hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid is excreting too much into the bloodstream, hypothyroidism is the opposite. If untreated, the effects on the body are numerous and substantial with the most prominent affected area being the body's metabolism rate and quality. Even with these risks, there is absolutely treatment available for the disorder once it is identified with certainty. This report will cover, after a more detailed description of hypothyroidism, the pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods that are used to address the disorder.

As indicated in the introduction, the main effect that hypothyroidism has on the human body is a slower and more sluggish metabolism. However, to say it is just that is less than accurate. As described by WebMD, the thyroid is in charge on controlling how one's body uses energy from food. This is precisely what metabolism is. The metabolism and how well it performs is no small thing as it affects body temperature, heartbeat, how well calories are burned and so forth. If a person's thyroid is not active as it should be, all of these processes slow down and become more inefficient than they could or should be. This means less energy for the body and a lower burn rate of calories. This means less energy is consumed when the body is at rest and this makes it easier to gain and keep on body weight. The implications for obesity and the associated disorders that come with it such as diabetes, heart disease and so forth are quite obvious to see (WebMD, 2016).

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is what is known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is a fancy way of saying that the thyroid is inflamed. This problem actually falls under the category of autoimmune disorders. When this disorder happens, the thyroid is inflamed because it is being attacked by antibodies. There may or may not be a viral infection in play as this is going on. There are other causes that can rear their head, though. Just a few examples can include a side effect of radiation therapy (e.g. for cancer treatment), radioactive iodine treatment, use of certain medications, surgery on the thyroid and too little iodine in one's diet. The medications that can cause an issue include Cordarone (amiodarone), lithium, interferon alpha an interleukin-2. Other potential causes or aggravating factors of hypothyroidism include pregnancy (the reason is unknown), thyroid problems at birth, pituitary dysfunction or problems with the hypothalamus, an area of the brain. Hypothyroidism manifests in one of two ways, those being primary hypothyroidism and secondary hypothyroidism. Primary is when the gland itself has a problem. Secondary is when another problem exterior of the thyroid is causing problems with the secretion levels of the thyroid. The pituitary dysfunction catalyst mentioned earlier would be an example of a secondary cause of hypothyroidism (WebMD, 2016).

People that are at risk of hypothyroidism include white and Asian people, older people, people that have graying hair at an early age, people with any sort of autoimmune disorder such as diabetes or celiac disease, people with bipolar disorder (since the aforementioned lithium is a commonly prescribed medication for that disorder), people with Down syndrome and people with Turner syndrome. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include changes in menstrual cycle (women, of course), constipation, dry hair, hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, sensitivity to col, slower heart rate, swelling of the thyroid, unexplained weight gain or a general inability to lose weight even with great effort and carpal tunnel syndrome. Other symptoms include cold hands or feet, extreme sleepiness, hoarse cries, little or no growth, very low muscle tone (especially in infants), persistent jaundice (yellowing in the skin or eyes), poor feeding habits, puffy face, bloating of the stomach and swollen tongue. The presence of hypothyroidism is done via blood tests. The two commonly used ones are the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4 (thyroxine). When it comes to the latter, a lot T4 level means that hypothyroidism is present. TSH test can be useful because moderate levels of TSH means that the hypothyroidism case is milder rather than more severe (WebMD, 2016).

The primary treatment for hypothyroidism is pretty basic and that would be the taking of synthetic (man-made) T4 hormone so as to boost the presence of thyroid in the system. It is not unlike a type I or II diabetic that takes insulin because the body is not producing enough of it. Leaving hypothyroidism untreated is less than wise as it can lead to heart problems, infertility, joint pain and obesity, just to name a few. Women who have hypothyroidism and are pregnant need to know that the disorder can and will affect their unborn child.

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As one might expect, a baby needs thyroid as well and that would come from no place other than the mother herself. If this is not address in utero, there can be mental development issues with the child when it is born. Further, extremely low levels of thyroid can lead to a condition that is known as myxedema. This is far and away the most severe form of hypothyroidism. Someone that gets bad enough can lose consciousness (faint) or even slip into a coma. There can also be a body temperature drop that can be fatal if it is not addressed (WebMD, 2016).

All of the above information came from the WebMD website. However, there are other sources and websites out there that have great information on how to prevent and treat hypothyroidism when it is identified and diagnosed. One important aspect that is not fleshed out above is that there are a number of different drugs and dosages that are used when it comes to the use of synthetic T4. Just a few drugs that can be used are Synthroid, levothyroxine, Armour Thyroid, Levoxyl, Cytomel, Tirosint and Thyrolar. The vast majority of thyroid treatment drugs are oral. However, the Mayo Clinic has a write-up on treating hypothyroidism and they are very cautioning when it comes to starting or adjusting a thyroid medication. They note that taking too much T4 can cause its own problem including increased appetite, insomnia, heart palpitations and shakiness. Mayo is highly regarding of levothyroxine. The cost of levothyroxine varies based on dosage. However, it is relatively cheap. Thirty tablets of fifty milligrams costs about fourteen dollars even without insurance and two hundred milligrams is about twenty-two dollars without insurance. However, they do note that starting at a low dose and gradually raising it is perhaps the best way to go sometimes. One potential complicating factor is if a person is taking iron supplements, Cholestyramine, aluminum hydroxide (found in antacids) and calcium supplements. There are alternative medicines out there such as synthetic thyroxine that is derived from pigs. However, those products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and should be used with caution (Mayo, 2016).

Not all of the touted treatments for hypothyroidism involve prescription drugs. Indeed, there are other ways to help mitigate or even eliminate hypothyroidism even if the prescription drug route is the obvious and perhaps easier path. Things that can be done include the cutting of caffeine, the cutting of sugar (including any refined carbohydrates), taking in more protein, taking more nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, zinc, copper, vitamin A, vitamin B (all of them) and iodine. Other suggestions include removing gluten (wheat) from one's diet and being mindful of goitrogens. These are foods that potentially or definitely interfere with the thyroid. They include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips, millet, spinach, strawberries, peaches, watercress, peanuts, radishes and soybeans. This does not mean those foods can never be eaten. In fact, cooking those items will eliminate the problem most of the time. Regardless, eating them in moderation is a minimum. Beyond the above, a hypothyroid patient can also address underlying food sensitivities (if any), the use of probiotics (to boost good bacteria in the gut), the addressing of silent inflammation, the addressing of adrenal fatigue, the reduction of stressors and/or addition of relaxation techniques and the use of a "thyroid collar" to wear when getting x-rays so that the gland is not aggravated by the rays of the machine (MBG, 2011).

Another website that has a litany of non-drug tips is HealthWyze. They suggest a number of things that include the discarding and non-use of non-stick cookware, the eliminate of soy, an adherence to an alkaline diet, the balancing of estrogen levels in women, exercise, hemp fiber (as a laxative and supplement), the use of L-Tyrosine (an amino acid), the use of L-Arginine, the use of iodine, the avoidance of fluoride, eating a natural diet, eating more chlorophyll, a focus on eating pears or apples, taking zinc/selenium supplements, the use of coconut oil and the avoidance of canola oil. To come back to one point made, many SSRI anti-depressant drugs have fluoride in the contents of….....

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