The thyroid gland is full. Obesity with hypothyroidism. Myths about hormone therapy

It's not just sex hormones that affect how you look and feel. Among the most influential are the hormones produced by the thyroid gland. A lack of them leads to fatigue and irritability, and also affects the brain and memory. What other symptoms speak about thyroid problems and how to approach treatment correctly?

Ann is a born teacher. She is tough, kind, creative, intelligent and organized, and she receives the love and admiration of her students and their parents year after year. She was my second grade daughter's teacher.

Ann told my wife Tanya that she wanted to see me because she feels tired, blurred and thinks she has ADHD, although she has never had ADHD symptoms in the past. I volunteered to help her.

Ann is a vegetarian, but complained that she was sensitive to many foods and that drinking alcohol only made her pain worse. And if something went wrong with Anne in the morning, she is uncomfortable and irritated for the rest of the day. In addition, she reacted painfully to loud noises and worried a lot. Her anxiety and tendency to replay everything in her head over and over again prevented her from relaxing.

The first thing I did was assign her key tests. It turned out that Ann had a very high level of thyroid antibodies: she had almost 1000 thyroid peroxidase antibodies, while the norm was less than 35. This meant that Ann had an autoimmune condition, that is, her body was attacking its own thyroid tissue. In addition, she was deficient in vitamin D, which is essential for the health of many organs, including the thyroid gland.

By optimizing her vitamin D levels and treating her thyroid gland appropriately, we helped Ann to regain focus and vitality. She did not have ADHD or any other similar condition. Like many women, Anne only needed to fully balance her hormones.

Thyroid malfunction: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

It's not just sex hormones that affect how you look and feel. Among the most influential are the hormones produced by the thyroid gland.

Too low activity of the thyroid gland - and you feel like an amoeba. Yes, hypothyroidism makes you feel like you just want to lie on the couch with a bag of chips all day. Everything works slower, including your heart, intestines, and your brain. A general drop in brain activity in hypothyroidism leads to depression, cognitive impairment, anxiety and blurred consciousness.

What does the thyroid gland suffer from?

The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower part of the neck. When the doctor runs his hands along the base of your throat, he checks for an obvious enlargement of your thyroid gland. But without a blood test, you can't tell exactly what's going on there. And it may take some time to optimize the thyroid gland.

The main hormones associated with the thyroid gland - TSH, T3, T4 - must be balanced. It is believed that tens of millions of people around the world (5-25% of the world's population) have thyroid problems. In their book Thyroid Mental Strength, Richard and Cariley Shames write that “over the past 40 years we have seen a significant increase in the amount of synthetic chemicals that lead to hormonal disruption. These substances penetrate into our air, food and water ... the thyroid gland turned out to be the most sensitive human tissue. "

Most thyroid problems are autoimmune, where the body attacks itself. This can be due to environmental toxins present in the body or allergies to the food we eat or anything in the air we breathe. It is suspected that the recent spike in hypothyroidism may be due to the toxins we absorb interfering with the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3.

Thyroid problems - after childbirth

Thyroid problems can arise in a woman's life at any time. But a particularly vulnerable period is the birth of a child. During pregnancy, the immune system relaxes somewhat so that immune cells and antibodies do not reject the placenta that the baby is feeding on. This is why many women with thyroid problems believe pregnancy is the best condition in their life.

However, after nine months, the situation changes. The baby is born, there is no placenta, and the functions of the immune system, which were turned off to prevent early rejection of the placenta, are now abruptly turned on. It is well known that thyroid disorders usually return within 6 months of delivery. According to researchers from Prague's Charles University, in 35% of women who have antibodies to their own thyroid gland, 2 years after the birth of a child, the thyroid gland begins to function with malfunctions again.

Having a thyroid problem while you're struggling to cope with a 2-year-old is a disaster. Research indicates that about 70% of women with hypothyroidism during the postpartum period become careless and make more mistakes when caring for their children.

Thyroid problems are one of the main causes of postpartum depression and anxiety. According to one study, 80-90% of cases of postpartum depression are associated with a pathology of the thyroid gland. And without effective treatment, it is impossible to recover.

The post-pregnancy period is not the only vulnerable period in this regard. It has been estimated that one in four postmenopausal women has a thyroid imbalance.

How to check your thyroid gland

You can check your thyroid gland with a blood test. Don't settle for just one TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test. Its levels may be normal, even when you have undiagnosed thyroid problems. Insist that your doctor checks the following.

TSH (according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, values \u200b\u200babove 3.0 are abnormal and need further verification)

Free T3 (active)

Free T4 (inactive)

Antibodies thyroid gland: thyroid peroxidase antibodies (AT TPO) and thyroglobulin antibodies (AT TG)

Checking liver function... The fact is that 95% of T4 is activated in the liver, so the state of the liver should be taken into account.

Ferritin level... Ferritin transports active T3 into cells. Its value must be above 90.

These tests can be helpful, but a doctor should still diagnose you. If you have thyroid problems, there are a number of medications that can effectively treat them. Your doctor should regularly check your thyroid hormone levels to make sure you are not taking too much or too little.

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 as a result of the accumulation of mucopolysaccharides - glucosaminoglycans in the tissues, which sharply increase the hydrophilicity (water content) of the 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 precisely 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 (edema of tissues 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 patients with hypothyroidism receiving treatment with levothyroxine (L-T4), the degree of suppression of TSH 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 hypofunction of the thyroid gland 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)
(textbook illustration)

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 base body temperature is one of the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction), the heartbeat accelerates, and tremors in the hands occur. 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 violations 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 baselines, 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.

Diseases of the thyroid gland are numerous, and each of them has its own clinical picture, its own symptoms. Moreover, the same symptom can manifest itself in a radically opposite way. We are talking about fluctuations in body weight in diseases of the thyroid gland.

The hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine, produced by the thyroid gland, are able to change the metabolic rate in the body, and, accordingly, affect body weight. These hormones are carried through the bloodstream through the arteries, actively affecting energy, oxygen consumption, heat production and all systems of the body as a whole. At the same time, an insufficient amount of thyroid hormones leads to an increase in a person's weight, and an excess amount leads to a decrease. This is due to the fact that with hypothyroidism, the metabolic rate decreases, and with thyrotoxicosis (hyperthyroidism), it increases. Thus, weight loss due to thyroid disease becomes a problem for both hypothyroid patients who seek to lose weight and hyperthyroid patients who seek to gain weight.

If you notice that you have begun to rapidly lose weight or also quickly gain weight, do not jump to conclusions. In diseases of the thyroid gland, in addition to fluctuations in body weight, there are usually other symptoms.

With thyrotoxicosis (hyperthyroidism), a person develops weakness, a constant feeling of fever, a strong tremor of the hands, sweating, heart palpitations (up to 120 beats per minute, and in severe cases even higher), severe irritability, nervousness, tearfulness, rapid strong weight loss, sleep disturbance , change of mood. Exapthalmos (bulging) appears, accompanied by swelling of the eyelids, bags under and above the eyes, the inability to concentrate on the subject. Sometimes the patient has a subfebrile temperature. In women, the menstrual cycle fails, in men, a decrease in sex drive.
With hypothyroidism, the patient has the following symptoms: drowsiness, lethargy, pale skin, hair loss, a constant feeling of fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy.

In both cases, the lack of treatment entails serious consequences for a person, therefore, the treatment of thyroid disease should in no case be postponed. And against the background of treatment, it is necessary to constantly monitor your weight: with hypothyroidism, try not to get better, with thyrotoxicosis - not lose weight. Losing weight in hypothyroid patients is challenging as they require more effort to lose weight than healthy people. Nevertheless, you can and should lose weight. And the best way to control your weight for people with hypothyroidism is not to trigger the disease itself, but also to stick to a diet and exercise regimen. Patients with thyrotoxicosis, on the contrary, need enhanced nutrition, rest, lack of physical exertion and stress.

Thyroid gland and weight loss sometimes seem to be completely incompatible concepts. Dysfunctions of this gland lead to excess weight, and conventional diets cannot help. And yet the problem can be solved, but when compiling a nutritious diet, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the pathology.

The thyroid gland (thyroid gland) or, more simply, the thyroid gland is the most important organ of the human endocrine system, constantly supplying the body with a number of hormones that determine metabolic and metabolic processes. The production and distribution of energy is largely dependent on the production of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

How does the level of these hormones affect body weight? With their deficiency, the full processing of nutrients does not occur, which reduces the body's energy reserves. As a result, the rate of metabolic processes is significantly reduced, and with them the activity of a person. The body begins to store energy in a fatty form, which leads to the formation of a fatty layer, i.e. overweight. In other words, with insufficient performance of the thyroid gland, a person becomes fat. This symptom is most typical for such a pathology as hypothyroidism. Hormone deficiency also occurs in people with a removed gland, as well as with other organ pathologies.

The opposite picture is observed with excessive production of T3, T4 and TSH, which is recorded in hyperthyroidism. Metabolic processes are accelerated by burning off excess energy. There is an increased activity of the functioning of all organs, and the disease manifests itself in the form of weight loss.

Thus, the dilemma of the thyroid gland and weight loss is relevant for insufficient secretory function of the organ (in particular, with hypothyroidism). With this pathology, the problem of excess weight becomes quite serious, and losing weight even by 1 kg requires specific approaches.

Etiology of the problem

In order to develop a scheme for dealing with extra pounds, it is necessary to understand the causes of thyroid dysfunction. It can be caused by oncological neoplasms, goiter, postpartum thyroiditis, but most often hypothyroidism. Such factors can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the organ - unstable production of cortisol in case of problems with the adrenal glands, violation of the level of progesterone and estrogen, diabetes mellitus, hereditary predisposition, unhealthy diet.

An important factor in the efficiency of the thyroid gland is the intake and assimilation of iodine, and both a lack of it and an excessive amount are dangerous. In the first case, an endemic goiter develops, and in the second, hypothyroidism, and in both cases, excessive body weight is observed. To eliminate this etiological mechanism, a balanced diet is important. When developing its scheme, it is necessary to introduce products with a high iodine content, take into account the blocking abilities of some products for the assimilation of iodine (mustard, cauliflower, turnip).

A significant increase in body weight becomes a side effect accompanying the removal of the organ in question. Patients who have had their thyroid removed experience a noticeable deficiency of hormones T3, T4, TSH, which immediately affects body fat.

Weight loss principles

The question of how to lose weight with a thyroid disease is decided necessarily with the participation of an endocrinologist and taking into account the characteristics of the organism, the causes of excessive weight, the type and stage of the disease. Losing weight with diseases in the thyroid gland should not interfere with the main treatment of pathology, in particular, hormone therapy should not be abandoned. The exclusion of the risk of complications has undoubted priority over the aesthetics of the physique of a sick person.

Both a diseased thyroid gland and weight loss are closely related. The desired result can be achieved by acting in the following directions:

Drug therapy... In order to lose weight with hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland, it is necessary to activate metabolic processes in the body, which is achieved by eliminating the deficiency of the corresponding hormones. This effect is provided by the intake of hormonal drugs, which include the necessary substances of animal or artificial origin. These funds will help you lose weight in case of problems with the thyroid gland, but their intake should be controlled. An addictive effect may occur.
Optimizing nutrition... Choosing the right dietary food helps to replenish the body with essential trace elements and vitamins.
Physical exercise... Strength and cardiac training helps to optimally shape muscle tissue, normalize metabolic processes, and increase endurance, which helps burn excess calories. Physical activity, with the correct organization of training, will give a positive result. The intensity of the exercise should be increased gradually.

When developing a scheme for how to lose weight with thyroid hypothyroidism, you cannot rely on your own knowledge. A comprehensive technique should be prescribed by endocrinology, taking into account the characteristics of the organism and the course of the disease. With a diseased gland, self-medication can lead to serious complications. In addition, it must be borne in mind that the process of losing weight in this case is slow. If problems of this type in a normal state are solved, for example, in 1 week, then with the diseases under consideration, they are delayed for 3-4 weeks.

Diet Design Principles

Is it possible to lose weight with thyroid dysfunction? A balanced diet plays an important role in this matter. A properly selected diet allows you to effectively reduce body weight, but for this you should take into account the following basic tips:

A cardinal starvation diet impairs the functioning of the gland and will not lead to the desired result. Moreover, the opposite effect is possible.
The dietary ration should replenish the body with the necessary substances, the deficiency of which occurs as a result of the disease. Nutrition should be aimed at normalizing the metabolic and energy balance.
There is no universal dietary table for weight loss in the circumstances under consideration. The diet is compiled individually with the participation of a nutritionist and endocrinologist. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure such conditions - the exclusion of spicy, fried and fatty foods, smoked meats and pickles; increased consumption of products containing iodine; saturation of the diet with foods with a high protein content.
The most useful are seafood, in particular seaweed, as well as garden herbs (especially lettuce leaves).
In the diet, it is necessary to reduce the content of fast carbohydrates.

Features of the diet

The quantitative and qualitative composition of the diet for weight loss is based on the following rules:

The diet is based on proteins, fiber and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates should be eliminated.
Low to medium fat protein should be at least 28-32 percent of the daily diet. High fat proteins are excluded.
Fiber is consumed daily in the amount of 26-42 g. The increased fiber content can lead to flatulence.
You should provide a protein breakfast, combined with fiber, which provides energy saturation of the muscles for subsequent physical activity.
At each meal, the protein content should be at least 29-32 g and include a vegetable dish.
The composition of the diet should not affect the effectiveness of the medicinal (hormonal) drugs taken. So after taking the medicine, foods with a high content of iron and calcium can be consumed only after 3.5-4 hours. Do not combine drugs and coffee.
It is recommended that you maintain a calorie deficit of 12-17 percent.
Adequate drinking regime should be observed.

Limitations

From the diet for weight loss with thyroid disease, it is necessary to significantly limit or completely exclude such foods:

Foods that have a negative impact on the development of goiter - cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi; turnips, rutabagas and turnips; soy; millet; peanut; sweet potato; some fruits (peach, pear, cherry, plum); almonds and pine nuts; Strawberry; spinach; flax-seed; radish. The use of the listed products is possible only after heat treatment.
Simple carbohydrates are found in large quantities in sweets, honey, and sugar. To limit them, you should not consume large amounts of sweet fruits.
Bakery products. It is recommended to eat bran bread, brown rice, low-grade wheat pasta.
Refined vegetable oil. In general, dietary fat should not exceed 22-24 percent.
Foods with a high glycemic index are limited in consumption. These include - beets, corn, potatoes, bananas, carrots, oranges, watermelons, raisins.

Metabolic processes in the body are accelerated with a sufficient amount of proteins. To increase it, it is recommended to increase the consumption of protein foods - seafood, beans, lean meat, egg white. Particular attention should be paid to vitamins and minerals. In particular, zinc helps to normalize the production of the T3 hormone. Selenium has a positive effect. The daily intake should be - zinc - up to 24-26 mg, selenium - up to 430-460 mg.

The required amount of iodine is provided by increased consumption of seaweed and fish. The most useful is such sea fish as hake, pollock, cod. Iodized table salt helps to eliminate iodine deficiency. It is recommended to introduce buckwheat and oatmeal, dried apricots, figs into the menu.

The thyroid gland is an organ of the human endocrine system. Its main function is the production of hormones responsible for the regulation of metabolism: thyroxine (tetraiodothyronine, T 4) and triiodothyronine (T 3).

Often, overweight people blame her improper work for the fact that their figure leaves much to be desired, and it is useless for them to diet and play sports. In fact, this is only partially true. Indeed, the thyroid gland and excess weight can be interrelated. But, firstly, this is noted only in 25% of cases. Secondly, her diseases are treatable, which means that weight loss is possible.

What is the connection between them

Excess weight due to the thyroid gland appears in the event that it produces an insufficient amount of hormones. This can be due to various diseases. So, with a shortage of thyroids in the body, a chain of processes is triggered leading to the accumulation of fat reserves:

the heart rate goes astray - oxygen starvation of tissues begins;
decreased physical activity and performance;
metabolic processes slow down;
body temperature drops;
digestion worsens, problems with stools begin;
decreases the level of glucose in the blood;
gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis in the liver slows down;
lipolysis (breakdown of adipocytes) is blocked, the formation of fat increases, which is "stored" mainly in the abdominal cavity;
water exchange is disturbed, severe edema is observed.

If the thyroid gland produces an insufficient amount of thyroid hormones, growth hormone, which also contributes to weight gain, cannot manifest itself in full force. And the first sign of this pathology often becomes, which begins to increase at an incredible rate. However, the arms and legs can remain moderately full.

Interesting fact. The thyroid gland is formed already at the 16th week of intrauterine development of the fetus. It reaches its largest size during puberty. It begins to decrease only after 50 years.

Diagnostics

To find out if excess weight is associated with the thyroid gland, you need to make an appointment with an endocrinologist, get tested and undergo the necessary laboratory diagnostics:

computed tomography of the brain;
scintigraphy;
a blood test for hormones (they will look exactly thyroid ones).

Indicator standards:

the volume of the thyroid gland in men is no more than 25 cm³, in women - about 18 cm³;
tSH concentration \u003d 0.4-4 μIU / ml;
triiodothyronine \u003d 3-8;
thyroxine \u003d 4-11.

According to the test results and the clinical picture, it will be clear whether the excess body weight is due to a lack of thyroid hormones or its cause lies in something else. With diseases of the thyroid gland, there is usually either a dramatic weight loss, which is called hyperthyroidism, or weight gain with hypothyroidism. This is one of the main symptoms of a malfunction of this organ.

On a note. One of the most important foods for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland is cranberries, since 100 g of this berry contains 350 mcg of iodine, which is necessary for the synthesis of hormones.

Diseases

Hypothyroidism

Long-term, persistent lack of thyroid hormones. One of the most common causes of excess weight.

Provoking factors:

various diseases: thyroiditis, thyroid hypoplasia, hypopituitarism, sepsis, pancreatitis;
congenital pathology;
improper diet (lack of iodine, excess of thiocyanates);
surgical removal of the thyroid gland;
radiation therapy;
long-term use of certain medications;
low sensitivity of cellular receptors to thyroids;
deiodination of hormones;
oncology of the brain.

Symptoms:

lethargy, sluggishness, decreased performance, drowsiness, chronic fatigue syndrome;
impairment of memory, concentration of attention;
dehydration of the skin;
swelling of the arms, legs, face;
coarsening of the voice;
delamination of nails, hair loss;
excess weight, ;
chilliness, low body temperature;
paresthesia;
constipation.

iodine compounds: Iodomarin (Iodomarin), Iodide (Iodide), Betadine (Betadine);
x-ray therapy;
synthetic analogs of thyroxin: L-thyroxin (L-Thyroxin), Eutirox (Euthyrox), Bagothyrox (Bagothyrox);
combined drugs: Thyreotom, Thyreocomb.

With this diagnosis, pills can be prescribed for the rest of life (like insulin for diabetics). The problem is that the body gets used to them, so dosage adjustments will be constantly required.

Myxedema

A neglected form of hypothyroidism, insufficient supply of tissues and organs with thyroid-stimulating hormones. It provokes excess weight gain, since it slows down the metabolism by almost 60% and is characterized by congestion, causing severe edema.

foci of inflammation, autoimmune pathologies, thyroid oncology;
surgical interventions in nearby tissues;
radiation;
pathology of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland.

Symptoms:

lethargy;
dehydration, pallor of the skin;
severe, up to swelling, swelling of the face, arms and legs;
thinning, splitting, hair loss;
hypothermia of the body;
hypotension, bradycardia;
high levels of bad cholesterol;
hypochromia;
myxedema face: pale, swollen, swollen, narrowing of the eyes, indistinct contours.

hormonal drugs: L-T4;
glucocorticoids;
correction of hemodynamic symptoms.

In the absence of treatment or under the influence of certain factors (due to severe hypothermia of the body, the use of antipsychotics or barbiturates), a person may fall into a myxedema coma. The lethal outcome is more than 80%.

Autoimmune thyroiditis

Another name is Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Chronic thyroid inflammation due to autoimmune problems. It is always accompanied by a sharp decrease in hormones in the body, which invariably leads to excess weight.

disorders in the immune system: its antibodies mistakenly perceive the thyroid gland as a foreign organ, attack it, introducing destructive changes in thyrocytes;
heredity;
autoimmune diseases: myasthenia gravis, infiltrative ophthalmopathy, Sjogren's syndrome, alopecia, vitiligo, collagenosis, lymphoid cell hypophysitis;
infectious and inflammatory diseases;
trauma, thyroid surgery;
iodine deficiency.

Symptoms:

seals, nodes in the thyroid gland;
an increase in its volume;
pain syndromes;
difficulty swallowing;
labored breathing;
excess weight.

synthetic thyroids: thyroxine, triiodothyronine, thyroidin;
glucocorticosteroids (prednisone);
surgery;
selenium supplements.

The forecasts are favorable: recovery occurs in most cases, and with it, the weight returns to normal.

Nodular goiter

Another disease, without treating which, you will not be able to lose weight. Represents various sizes of nodes on the thyroid gland, which can be benign and malignant.

iodine deficiency;
heredity;
depressive state;
poor ecological situation, radiation;
circulatory disorders in the follicles of the thyroid gland;
hormonal disruption in the body in women;
autoimmune diseases;
foci of inflammation in nearby organs.

Symptoms:

visual increase in the volume of the thyroid gland;
when it is palpated, nodes are found (one large or several small);
excess weight.

L-thyroxine;
thyrostatic drugs: Espa-carb (Espa-CARB), Thiamazole, (Thiamazole), Propicil (Propicil);
iodine preparations.

To combat excess weight in thyroid disorders, you must first identify these diseases. When confirming the diagnosis, you will have to take hormonal pills. Some take separate courses, others are assigned for life.

Did you know that ... thyroid looks like a butterfly, the right wing of which is slightly larger in size than the left?

Diet

To improve the work of the thyroid gland for weight loss, in addition to the treatment prescribed by the endocrinologist, a special diet will be required. There are foods that are good for this body:

coffee drinks, homemade juices and fresh juices, low-brewed black and green tea, still mineral water, herbal infusions;
cereals: barley, millet, buckwheat, oats;
chicken eggs;
low-fat milk;
white, sea fish, seafood;
red meat, rabbit, chicken, turkey;
rye, whole grain, bran bread (rare wheat);
butter, olive oil;
fresh fruits, vegetables, berries.

Foods harmful to the thyroid gland:

carbonated, alcoholic, energy drinks, cocoa, coffee, strong tea;
mushrooms, legumes;
fatty fish, caviar;
greens: sorrel, spinach;
concentrated meat broths;
smoked and canned foods;
vegetables: radish, radish;
pork, lamb, duck, goose, meat offal, sausages;
sweets;
cream, sour cream, fermented baked milk;
sauces, spices;
dried fruits;
bakery, pastry with cream;
persimmon, grapes, bananas.

Sample menu

If you are sure that excess weight is dictated by diseases of the thyroid gland, it is imperative to undergo an examination and begin a course of treatment with an accompanying change in diet. This is a rather serious problem, since hormone replacement therapy in such cases is often prescribed for life. You also have to adhere to dietary restrictions constantly.