Thyroid

Is your thyroid making you fat? Why is it so hard for people with an underactive thyroid to lose weight? When you're hypothyroid, the slowed metabolism and changes to your endocrine system can make losing weight seem like a losing proposition.

Thyroid function is intimately connected with your metabolism — thyroid hormones basically regulate calorie consumption. But a healthy thyroid also depends on the proper functioning of other body mechanisms, including your neurotransmitters, your reproductive hormones and your adrenal glands.

Because patients with an underactive thyroid tend to have a very low basal metabolic rate, one of the most noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain and difficulty losing extra weight. Often the “metabolic burn” continues to fall as calories are reduced when dieting. That’s why some with low thyroid can have weight gain even when they severely restrict calories. In order to fix your metabolism, you have to understand your entire health picture, not just your thyroid.

More women than men suffer from hypothyroidism, and many more women than men with thyroid issues have problems with weight gain. Most thyroid problems occur within the gland itself and often don’t reveal themselves until a broader pattern of hormonal imbalance develops. That’s why thyroid issues, menopause, andropause and weight gain often appear together.

The first thing to do if you are experiencing stubborn weight gain is have a thyroid test or measure TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). Many people who test within the “normal” range of traditional medical standards still need thyroid support because the thyroid is not working optimally. Their TSH may be only slightly elevated, but enough so that it influences their metabolism and causes weight gain.

Supplemental nutrients such as selenium and iodine, combined with a meal plan that balances a proper ratio of protein to carbohydrates increases their metabolic functioning will begin the weight loss process. Nutraceutical-grade multivitamin/mineral to give your body ample nutritional support and a low-dose thyroid replacement hormone is also needed.

Weight gain is not sufficient evidence to conclude that someone has a thyroid abnormality, but it is one part of the picture. Efforts to lose weight without addressing related thyroid issues are doomed to fail. Likewise, thyroid treatments are usually not as effective without addressing the underlying hormonal imbalance. The greatest success is found through a holistic approach that considers thyroid function as an integral part of your overall hormonal balance.