Looking after your thyroid health

What is the thyroid gland?

Just below your Adam’s Apple, sitting in front of your windpipe is a small, butterfly shaped gland that plays a crucial part in regulating your body’s metabolism. The thyroid gland secretes the hormone thyroxine, which keeps all bodily functions occurring at the correct rate. Your skin, bowel activity, muscle, heart rate and other organs are all regulated by thyroxine.

Too much thyroxine and the cells in your body will be forced to work faster, quickening your heart rate, increasing sweat production and raising your body temperature. Too little thyroxine and your body cells will slow down, resulting in a wide range of symptoms including tiredness, lack of concentration, memory problems, weight gain and low energy levels.

What causes age-related thyroid problems?

As we get older, the thyroid gland often functions less well, particularly producing less thyroxine than we need. Thyroid deficiency – or ‘hypothyroidism’ – most often affects women over the age of 40, but men and teenagers may suffer from it, especially if it runs in the family.

By age 50, ten per cent of women have signs of thyroid failure and would benefit from thyroid supplements. By age 60, the rate rises to 17 per cent in women and six per cent in men.

One of the most common causes of thyroid gland failure is an undetected ongoing inflammation of the thyroid, known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, named after the Japanese physician who described it.

This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune defenses turn on the thyroid gland, causing an inflammatory process that eventually destroys it. Autoimmune reactions are often associated with aging, which is a major reason why thyroid function commonly declines as we get older.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Thyroid deficiency can cause anything from hair loss to fibromyalgia, a common painful musculoskeletal condition. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• fatigue
• chilliness
• constipation
• forgetfulness
• muscle cramps
• hair loss
• depression
• sleep disorders
• cold hands and feet
• dry skin
• thinning hair
• weight gain

Obviously, most of these symptoms may have other causes. Only a blood test will tell you if you are suffering from hypothyroidism.

Should I be tested for thyroid deficiency?

If you are over 50, you should ask your doctor for a TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) test at least once very five years – or more often if you have symptoms.

When your thyroid gland fails, your body begins to produce increased amounts of TSH in an effort to stimulate your thyroid into working normally. If your thyroid is damaged it cannot increase its activity and your blood level of TSH remains high. By testing the level of TSH in your blood, your doctor will be able to make a diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism has been dubbed ‘the under-diagnosed epidemic’. Thyroid testing is often overlooked, resulting in many of us not getting the right thyroid treatment. According to some estimates, as many as 15 to 20 per cent of women over the age of 60 would benefit from thyroid supplements, yet they are not being diagnosed.

How is hypothyroidism treated?

Treatment of thyroid deficiency is relatively simple, but needs to be undertaken gradually to avoid placing strain on the heart and circulation. Attempting to correct the slow-down of bodily activity too rapidly can cause irregular heart beats or even chest pains.

If your body is producing too little thyroid hormone, you will be prescribed the missing thyroxine in tablet form, usually starting with 25-50mcg per day, increasing the dosage at two-to-three week intervals, depending on the results of repeat blood tests.

The full benefits of treatment may not be evident for several weeks, but once a stable dose of thyroxine has been reached, the symptoms of hypothyroidism will settle down. Even when hypothyroidism is severe, a few months of thyroid treatment should lead to complete recovery and a return to good health. You should then only require an occasional blood test every two years or so.

Should I stop taking thyroid when I’m feeling better?

If you are hypothyroid and taking thyroxine tablets to correct your thyroid deficiency, do not stop taking your medication unless your doctor advises you to. Thyroxine is used up very slowly by the body, so even if you stop taking supplements abruptly, you will not suddenly feel sick.

That does not, however mean your thyroid condition no longer exists and you should not be tempted to stop taking your medication altogether. The onset of hypothyroidism may be so gradual that you may not realize you are becoming ill again until your symptoms are severe.

You should only reduce or stop taking thyroid supplements if:

• you start to feel unwell;
• your temperature on rising from bed is over 98.2 degrees F;
• your resting pulse is more than 75 beats a minute; or
• your thyroid function blood tests are abnormal.

Should I take whole-natural or synthetic supplements?

Thyroid supplements come in two forms: whole-natural and synthetic. Synthetic versions usually only contain one of the thyroid hormones (T4 or T3) where-as whole-natural thyroid supplements contain a full range of thyroid hormones (including T1, T2, T3 and T4).

Because thyroid function changes with age, it is worth monitoring your TSH levels periodically to make sure the amount of thyroid supplement you are taking is sufficient.

Can thyroid extracts help as a dietary supplement?

There is strong scientific evidence to support the idea that a small daily serving of whole thyroid extract as a dietary supplement can have a wide range of benefits. A study by pioneering cardiovascular surgeon James Isaacs back in 1974, found that people who took 15mg of thyroid, combined with minerals and vitamins, over a ten-year period showed significant improvement in cardiovascular-protective function.

If you are over 40 years of age and want to slow the aging process, just a small regular whole thyroid supplement can raise energy levels, improve bowel function and improve clear thinking.