1. Hypothyroidism diagnosis
The faster you find out what you have hypothyroidism, the less weight eventually you will type!
Three reasons why you need to protect your health in advance:
01. When you start hypothyroidism, or even before - when your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is elevated above normal, your metabolism may slow down. This means that you eat less, and the excess weight continues to grow.
02. Since hypothyroidism can also make you tired and unhealthy, you start to be lazy, there is a constant sleepy state that interferes with being awake and effectively interacting with the outside world. Conclusion: the metabolism decreases even more.
03. And when we are tired, we sometimes eat - primarily carbohydrates - in an attempt to fight fatigue. And an excess of especially fast carbohydrates in the diet, again, leads to weight gain.
Advice... Diagnose hypothyroidism. Consult an experienced healthcare professional.
2. Physical activity
For many thyroid patients, calorie restriction is simply not enough to induce weight loss. This is why popular "diet plans" that don't require exercise may not work.
In order to speed up your metabolism, or make it more efficient, you first need to exercise because it helps burn calories and fat, which in turn lowers insulin levels, increases resting metabolism, and helps fight hormone imbalances. : leptin, insulin and growth hormone.
However, to lose weight, you should do more physical exercise than is recommended. According to experts, healthy people of normal weight need 60 minutes of physical activity a day to maintain their normal shape and prevent excess weight gain.
At the same time, half of us are not even physically active for 30 minutes a day, and only one in four is actually active for 30 minutes or more. Sedentary work interferes with most.
Advice... Get up and start moving more!
3. Misconceptions about hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is not equal to weight loss. In fact, the percentage of people with hyperthyroidism, on the contrary, gain weight... Why this is happening is not entirely clear. Possibly hunger is the cause of excess calorie intake. Or, endocrine damage can be caused by poor digestion, insulin resistance, or problems with the hormone adrenaline.
Also, weight gain with hyperthyroidism can be caused by medications taken to treat the thyroid gland.
Advice... Study the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
4. The hidden reasons for weight gain "pills"
Some drugs used to treat thyroid glandcan cause weight gain:
For example...
Antithyroid drugs for the treatment of DTG and hyperthyroidism / thyrotoxicosis.
Beta blockers (often given when treating hyperthyroidism).
Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg, prednisone).
Estrogen and progesterone are independent of each other, or together in one "pill".
Some antidepressants, especially Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.
Mood stabilizers and anticonvulsants, such as those used for bipolar disorder, including lithium, valproate (Depakote), and carbamazepine (Tegretol).
Advice... If you are taking one of these medications and are gaining weight, talk to your doctor about your concerns and also explore possible alternatives.
5. Radioiodine therapy (RIT)
The claims of doctors who say that they can somehow cure hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism with radioiodine therapy are not true.
The truth is that most RIT patients develop complications of hypothyroidism and many gain weight. Some studies have shown that more than doubling, to as much as 85% of patients, gained weight after RIT, and with this there was a dramatic increase in weight among hyperthyroid patients who had RIT therapy.
Advice... Talk to your healthcare provider about other options, because radioactive iodine is not the only treatment for hyperthyroidism.
6. What kind of physical activity is better to choose?
If you have the energy and time for just one type of exercise, which one is better to choose? To increase strength and muscle mass or aerobic exercise? Ideally, you should do both.
If you're short on time, opt for strength training. Why is strength training preferable?
The point is, when you build muscle, you give your body the ability to burn more calories, even when you are not exercising. A kilogram of fat only burns about 13-22 calories each day, while a kilogram of muscle can burn up to 130 calories a day. Muscle gain means burning more calories over a period of time.
07. Water and fiber
Are you drinking enough water? Water is very good at helping to speed up your metabolism. It can also help reduce appetite, relieve puffiness in the body, help with bloating, and improve digestion.
How Much Fiber Are You Getting?
Getting the right amount of fiber is one of the basic rules for people with thyroid problems if you want to lose weight. Fiber is good for people with hypothyroidism who are trying to lose weight, and it can come from food and supplements.
Advice... Drink plenty of water. Eat foods high in fiber.
Thyroid hormones are involved in the regulation of numerous functions: brain activity, heart rate, intestinal tract and metabolism. Hypothyroidism, as a rule, slows down these processes and puts the body into sleep mode. With hypothyroidism, symptoms similar to the disease appear, and one of them is weight gain. What are the mechanisms for the development of hypothyroidism in the body, how can you determine this condition, and how can the unwanted effects be reduced?What is the thyroid gland for?
The thyroid gland is a small gland located at the base of the neck, in front of the trachea, and is essential for the healthy functioning of the body. Disorders such as decreased thyroid function (hypothyroidism) or increased thyroid activity (hyperthyroidism) can have implications for the brain, heart rate, bowel motility, kidney function, body temperature, and weight, which becomes one of the main complaints in patients. suffering from this disease.The thyroid gland secretes two main hormones: T3 (triiodothyronine), produced in small quantities, and its inactive precursor, T4 (thyroxine), which is transformed according to the body's needs. The production of these hormones depends on the third hormone TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which is secreted by the pituitary gland. When T3 and T4 levels decrease (hypothyroidism), the pituitary gland releases more TSH to stimulate them. When the level of T3 and T4 is higher, the secretion of TSH decreases.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism:
Thyroid function is assessed by testing the blood for these three hormones. Hypothyroidism is defined when TSH is above 4 mU / L in combination with a low T4 level. The body seems to be in a dormant mode: the heartbeat is slower, intestinal activity is reduced, tangible physical and mental fatigue, lack of appetite, but at the same time there is a tendency to gain more and more weight. In general, hypothyroidism affects about 10% of the population.Hypothyroidism may be asymptomatic when the TSH is lower than 4 mU / L in combination with a normal T4. The effects become nonspecific and generally insignificant even when TSH remains at 10 mU / L. Subclinical (asymptomatic) hypothyroidism does not necessarily require treatment and occurs in a third of patients with hypothyroidism.
Among those who suffer from hypothyroidism, there are often complaints of weight gain or difficulty in losing weight, including with subclinical hypothyroidism and when treatment provides normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. How seriously do these disorders affect weight?
Hypothyroidism can have a limited effect on weight:
There is an inverse relationship between TSH levels and body mass index (BMI). On average, BMI increases by 0.41 kg per m2 per unit of TSH in women, and 0.48 kg per m2 in men, which means an increase of 1 kg for a woman who is 165 cm tall and weighs 60 kg. Therefore, you can only gain a few kilograms of your original weight if your TSH level is 5.6In fact, gaining additional weight does not exceed a few kilograms, except in cases where TSH reaches extreme values. This is partly due to the appearance of edema. However, when treatment is balanced and hormone levels drop to normal levels (TSH is 2.3 mU / L), there is no reason to gain weight. If, nevertheless, excess weight is gaining, then this is unlikely to be associated with hypothyroidism.
What explains the significant change?
Almost a third of the expenditure of energy expended (REE) is controlled by thyroid hormones. In a group of hypothyroid patients whose thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were between 0.1 and 10 mU / L, the REE decreased by 15% 8. This could lead to some weight gain, which is sometimes observed in patients.Hypothyroidism can also stimulate weight gain in an indirect way. People begin to feel tired - another symptom of the disease - which leads to a decrease in their physical activity. Other people, knowing they have an illness, become more anxious and compensate for the discomfort with food.
There are other causes of thyroid dysfunction, which are usually weight-related. In addition to anxiety when a disease is detected, people begin to think more about their weight, and unwittingly, they begin to eat an unbalanced diet.
Finally, hypothyroidism is more common in older patients, as there is often a decrease in activity due to retirement. It also occasionally occurs in the post-menopausal period, which causes hormonal imbalances, including weight gain.
But not all of the actions of thyroid hormones are well known. Perhaps there is an inverse relationship: changes in adipose tissue, weight gain, increases the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
Weight loss is caused by hypothyroidism:
Weight loss can be attributed to many reasons. Once hypothyroidism is confirmed, the first step is to select a treatment that uses synthetic T4 hormones. After 4-6 weeks, sometimes a little more, the TSH will return to normal. In only a few cases, hormone levels will not change after treatment: weight change, pregnancy, or illness.Some patients sometimes ask if it is possible to increase the dose by an order of magnitude, which as a result will help them lose weight faster. But this is absolutely not recommended due to the risk to heart health. For the same reason, hypothyroidism must be treated even if the patient is only concerned about weight gain.
Hypothyroidism does not require a special diet. A balanced and healthy diet combined with regular physical activity (3-4 times a week) is enough to lose those extra pounds.
The effect of hormones on the vital activity of the human body is in no way comparable to the size and weight of the endocrine gland. The main gland that regulates metabolic processes in the body - the thyroid - is a very small organ. The weight of the thyroid gland ranges from 5 grams in newborns to 25-30 grams in adults. Moreover, in women, the thyroid gland is always larger in volume and heavier than in men. Despite such a modest size of the weight of the thyroid gland, the substances produced by it can radically change the fate of a person, spoil not only the figure, but also significantly reduce the quality of life.
How does the thyroid gland affect a person's weight?
The thyroid gland produces three types of hormones:
- T 3 - triiodothyronine;
- T 4 - thyroxine;
- Calcitonin;
- In smaller amounts, somatostatin and serotonin are produced, which also affect metabolic processes in the body.
The most important among all thyroid hormones are T3 and T4, since they act as catalysts for the breakdown of nutrients entering the body and are responsible for their absorption by the body.
Of all thyroid diseases, three main groups are known:
- Normal;
- Decreased (hypothyroidism);
- Increased (hyperthyroidism).
With normal production excess weight is not from the thyroid gland, but from completely different factors. First of all - increased consumption of carbohydrates (passion for overeating) and from a passive sedentary lifestyle. But pathologies that directly affect the change in blood levels have the most direct effect on body composition.
Hypothyroidism - causing weight problems
How does the thyroid gland affect weight? If an excess of thyroid function contributes to the acceleration of metabolism - metabolism. All carbohydrates, proteins and fats that enter the body are quickly broken down, absorbed and excreted from the body, then with a deficiency of T3 and T4, the opposite picture is observed - in the body, the metabolic process slows down sharply. The first symptoms of hypothyroidism are a delay in the body of an excess amount of fluid - edema appears on the face, extremities, and a set of excess weight, unprovoked by excessive food intake.
The main source of energy intake is carbohydrates. With normal metabolism, they are broken down and consumed to ensure the functioning of the body. The excess is converted to fat, which is stored as a reserve. The imbalance between the body's needs for energy and the rate of assimilation of nutrients leads to the fact that even a small amount of food taken by the patient is not spent on maintaining life processes, but turns into useless fats. In addition to the patient's desire, his body weight begins to grow.
How to deal with weight with thyroid diseases
Independent measures of a general preventive nature:
- Diets;
- Reducing the amount of food consumed;
- Increased physical activity with hypothyroidism.
They not only do not achieve an effect, but can be harmful, since as a result of self-medication, a person does not fight with the cause that generates an increase in excess volumes, but with the consequence of much deeper processes in the body. At this time, the progression of a dangerous disease is possible, the gradual manifestation of symptoms that affect vital systems, such as the central nervous system or the genital area.
The most effective means of dealing with overweight is a timely visit to an endocrinologist. This is especially true for women who have crossed the forty-year line in life. This category accounts for up to 75% of patients with hypothyroidism. Having passed a blood test for the content of T3 and T4 in it, the patient immediately receives an answer to the main question - about their level in the blood. Further - the doctor determines. It is usually sufficient to adjust the level thyroid hormones that affect weight,how body weight is normalized, general well-being improves. In about 2/3 of the population, thyroid problems are caused by a deficiency of the trace element iodine in food and water. For prophylactic purposes, iodine-containing preparations, food rich in this element and artificially iodized and fluoridated table salt are prescribed.
Age after 40 years almost always leads to a decrease in a person's physical activity. Physiological mechanisms are turned on that contribute to the deposition of adipose tissue, a person becomes fat. If pathology is superimposed on these age-related changes, weight gain with sick thyroid gland is much faster. To neutralize the effect of age-related and pathological factors, it is necessary to follow a diet that maximally restricts the intake of carbohydrates into the body.
The basis of such a diet is protein-plant foods. The abundance of low-calorie fiber, vitamins, microelements contained in fresh plant food - vegetables and fruits helps to accelerate metabolic processes. The work of the gastrointestinal tract is stimulated - intestinal peristalsis is enhanced, and the excess of difficult-to-digest food is removed from the body. Vitamins act as catalysts. Their effect on metabolism can be comparable to that of the thyroid gland, but not replace them.
Self-selection of a diet to reduce being overweight due to the thyroid gland during the treatment of hypothyroidism is harmful and dangerous. This should be done by a nutritionist. Many vegetables and fruits contain increased amounts of trace elements and organic acids and salts, which can cause side effects if consumed excessively - gout, calcification and stone formation in the gall and bladder, allergic reactions.
"Mono-diets" are especially harmful - when excessive consumption of any one product is offered as a panacea:
- Kefir;
- Apples;
- Kernels of nuts;
- Raw food.
Any diet should be balanced, reasonable, controlled by periodic analyzes of the content of hormones and trace elements in the blood and urine. It is almost impossible to provide this at home.
Cure of hypothyroidism usually entails normalization of the patient's well-being. When the endocrinologist is satisfied with the condition of the gland, maintaining the optimal level depends not on him, but on the patient.
Often, malfunctioning of the thyroid gland and overweight have the most direct relationship. Having found out whether there are malfunctions in the functioning of the thyroid gland, you can decide on a strategy for treating excess weight, the selection of a special diet and a complex of physical activities. The main thing is to understand: is the endocrine system to blame for the excess completeness or the problem lies elsewhere?
Thyroid and overweight
Very often, patients suffering from obesity tend to attribute their troubles to improper metabolism, hormonal disruption and a general problem in the endocrine system, in particular, thyroid gland pathology. Indeed, some diseases of this organ can lead to deviations in body weight, both upward and downward. But obesity, which is associated with malfunctions in the endocrine system, is extremely rare. In most cases of excess weight, excessive systematic overeating and decreased physical activity are to blame.
Before embarking on all sorts of weight loss diets, you need to make sure that endocrine obesity is not the cause.
It is necessary to undergo examination. First of all, exclude malfunctions of the thyroid gland. Diseases of the thyroid gland are divided into the following types:
Why is excess weight associated with the thyroid gland in the first place? This organ is designed to regulate metabolism, and the hormones that it secretes accelerate metabolic processes. The thyroid gland, receiving energy from various resources, is responsible for fat breakdown and the absorption of protein and carbohydrates. This energy supplies all the cells in our body.
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for the body. With a lack of them, the body begins to consume fat. This is the principle of all weight loss diets. Without the consumption of fast carbohydrates, the body feeds on fats, and then protein from the muscles is used.
It can be concluded that with certain diseases of the thyroid gland, there is a different picture in terms of body weight. Weight can also go away easily. And it may not always be redundant.
Interconnection
When thyroid hormones are released excessively, for example, with diffuse toxic goiter, metabolism accelerates, the body works and uses all resources. A person can eat a lot, but he will not be able to get better.
With a decrease in thyroid function, for example, with the development of hypothyroidism, very little hormones are released in the thyroid gland. They do not provide a normal metabolism, therefore, the human body very quickly floats with fat, in addition, water metabolism is disturbed in the body, which also leads to various edema.
During normal organ function, basic metabolism and energy consumption are optimally matched. There is no relationship between the thyroid gland and excess weight. Overweight may be caused by a malfunctioning other gland, or the reason may lie in lack of physical activity and overeating.
When there is a problem with weight on the face, meaning its rapid loss or gain, it is necessary to normalize the thyroid gland. With normal hormone levels, overweight problems will disappear. The situation is more complicated with underweight, since it is necessary to establish the disease that causes thyrotoxicosis.
With reduced secretion, treatment is carried out with a synthetic analogue of the thyroid hormone. He is appointed by an endocrinologist. The selection of the dose is carried out strictly individually, even if hypothyroidism is not very pronounced. When the dosage is selected by a specialist, it is impossible to recover from the artificial hormone.
Losing weight with thyroid diseases
Losing weight with a sick thyroid is a difficult task, you need to be patient and strictly follow the doctor's prescriptions. The complex includes regular physical activity, adherence to the daily regimen and severe dietary restrictions.
Hypothyroidism at an early stage is very difficult to identify, since hormonal imbalance here is not yet so easy to identify. However, at this stage, metabolic processes are already slowing down and the excess mass accumulates more actively.
This disease is characterized by a feeling of fatigue, apathy, there is no strength to play sports, which entails inhibition of metabolism. In such a situation, the body realizes that it is tired and needs to replenish its energy reserves, and food with a high concentration of carbohydrates is best suited. It is important to watch for ailments in order to detect the problem as early as possible.
Thyroid and weight loss: how not to gain weight due to medication? The following medications that relieve symptoms of the disease can lead to weight gain:
- antidepressants;
- medications with progesterone and estrogen;
- drugs with steroids;
- medicines for hyperthyroidism;
- pTU preparations.
Understanding the prescribed treatment, it is imperative to thoroughly study the side effects of pharmacology.
Sometimes doctors may suggest alternative treatments.
Radioactive iodine and exercise
In a large number of patients after such therapy, hypothyroidism is observed, respectively, and body weight gain. This is a side effect of the treatment. More than half of the patients here face the problem of obesity. This type of therapy is the best option for treating serious thyroid problems. However, they use it in such difficult cases when the issue of weight loss and beauty is not even discussed.
How to lose weight in case of thyroid disease with the help of physical education and how intense should the load be? Unfortunately, for people with functional disorders of the endocrine system, simply restricting calories will not be enough. Therefore, it is not enough to follow a diet, there should be an active inclusion of physical education in the daily routine.
Sport stimulates fat burning, lowers blood glucose, improves metabolism and normalizes growth hormones, insulin and leptin. For weight loss with hypothyroidism, doctors recommend doing sports every day for an hour at first.
The thyroid gland is an organ belonging to the endocrine system. The thyroid gland is an organ of internal secretion, it produces specific hormones, which are special regulatory proteins.
This gland is located on the front of the neck from 2 to 6 cartilaginous rings of the trachea, below the thyroid cartilage. It is an active, 24/7 hormone factory. In this regard, it needs a constant supply of iodine, oxygen, amino acids, and other elements. The mass of the thyroid gland is from 20 to 60 g, but an average of 140 - 150 liters of blood passes through it per day!
How does the thyroid gland regulate the storage of body fat?
Thyroid hormones, directly or indirectly, affect all biological processes in our body. This is a powerful regulator of the rate of metabolic processes. In addition, the hormone that directly regulates the activity of the thyroid gland also has a certain effect on many tissues of our body.
Hypothyroidism and overweight
Hypothyroidism (hypo means decrease) is the opposite of hyperthyroidism, which occurs in the body when the content of thyroid hormones is low.
Hypothyroidism occurs in 1.5% to 2% of women and 0.2% of men. These disorders are more common due to age. Up to 10% of women over 65 may have some signs of hypothyroidism.
Less commonly, hypothyroidism occurs among young people. For example, hypothyroidism in newborns causes a condition described as cretinism. It is characterized with mental retardation, jaundice, poor appetite, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. In adolescence, hypothyroidism is characterized by stunted growth and developmental problems with the child's mental development. Some medications can cause hypothyroidism by affecting the production of thyroid hormone. These include some heart medications, lithium medications, and others.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include: weight gain, hypothermia (low body temperature), chilliness, yellowness of the skin, hypercholesterolemia, early atherosclerosis, etc. However, weight gain in hypothyroidism is not too great and is partly due to myxedema edema, and not the accumulation of fat mass. This edema (myxedema) develops due to the accumulation in tissues of mucopolysaccharides - glucosaminoglycans, which sharply increase the hydrophilicity (water content) of tissues.
Such disorders in the connective tissue arise from the effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone, the amount of which in various forms of hypothyroidism increases significantly. Myxedema is also characterized by thickening of the skin, a puffy face. Of course, hypothyroidism is accompanied in many cases by the deposition of additional amounts of fat mass, but the main weight gain is still due to mucous edema.
Hypothyroidism usually develops slowly. Often, the first symptom of the disease is hearing impairment, which forces the patient, first of all, to consult an otolaryngologist. This hearing loss occurs due to edema of the auditory tube (Eustachian) and middle ear organs. Difficulty nasal breathing may also occur, which is associated with swelling of the nasal mucosa, a low hoarse voice due to edema and thickening of the vocal cords, and other symptoms. In severe cases of hypothyroidism, periorbital edema (tissue edema in the eye sockets), a puffy face, large lips and tongue with dental prints along the lateral edges, edematous limbs, difficulty in nasal breathing, etc. are observed.
In the treatment of hypothyroidism, body weight is reduced by losing excess fluid, not fat. Also, in hypothyroid patients treated with levothyroxine (L-T4), the degree of TSH suppression does not affect body weight.
In studies, patients with lower TSH levels had a higher basal metabolic rate, but there was no difference in weight, fat or lean body mass. In contrast, it should be noted that with a low level of thyroid hormones, not only general metabolism decreases, but also appetite, which compensates for the potential risk of gaining excess weight.
Such conclusions are supported by the observation that in patients receiving suppressive therapy for thyroid tumors, the increase in body weight within 3-5 years corresponds to the usual level, despite the decrease in thyroid hormones in the blood.
Thus, as you yourself understand, with general significant obesity and the absence of additional symptoms of hypothyroidism, there is no reason to associate weight gain with hypothyroidism and to prescribe hormonal therapy. Only a laboratory-confirmed insufficient thyroid function may require correction. And this correction does not always consist in the appointment of thyroid hormones!
fig. Myxedema in a patient with hypothyroidism
(decreased thyroid function)
(illustration from the textbook)
Hyperthyroidism and weight
Hyperthyroidism (hyper- stands for enlargement) means an increase in the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. With an increase in the level of thyroid hormones, the metabolic rate increases, as well as the energy consumption at rest and during physical activity. In hyperthyroidism, this leads to emaciation with a decrease in the amount of fatty tissue. Also, many processes in the body are accelerated, the body temperature rises (by the way, an increase in the base body temperature is one of the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction), the heartbeat accelerates, and trembling occurs in the hands. Along with this, appetite increases, but despite this, patients often lose some weight (a kind of metabolic weight loss, not obesity). In this situation, additional energy will be spent on maintaining an elevated body temperature.
Losing weight with thyroid hormones
This effect of thyroid hormones on the metabolism was the reason for the creation of methods for losing weight using them. For this, the overweight patient was additionally given thyroid hormones, despite their normal hormonal levels in the blood, which caused a condition similar to hyperthyroidism and led to a slight decrease in body weight. However, weight loss with moderately severe hyperthyroidism is not too strong, at the same time, with significantly pronounced hyperthyroidism, other symptoms begin to prevail - from the heart, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, etc. (It is in connection with these more tangible disorders that patients turn to doctors .)
Is it right to use thyroid hormones for weight loss?
In my opinion, the appointment of thyroid hormones, with their normal amount in the blood, is a destructive effect on the entire regulatory system of our body. The weight loss caused by this method will be short-lived and will quickly return to baseline values, and even more likely, exceed them. In addition, the effect of increased amounts of thyroid hormones on many organs and tissues will lead to their rearrangement and an adaptive decrease in receptor sensitivity, which will further cause withdrawal syndrome after the end of the course.
It should also be noted that attempts to use thyroid hormones in dietary supplements for weight loss often cause thyrotoxicosis with the possibility of developing thyrotoxic periodic paralysis.
It is quite clear that the appointment of hormones can be justified only in those cases when the thyroid gland cannot, for some reason, produce a sufficient amount of them. In any case, this should be resolved with the participation of a specialist endocrinologist.