The thyroid gland lies just below the Adam’s apple (and yes, women DO have an Adam’s apple) and is shaped somewhat like a butterfly.  It regulates your metabolism which means that all organs in the body depend on its ability to work correctly.

There are two major types of thyroid distress:  Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism.  In the first, the thyroid is not producing enough hormones to keep the metabolism up to speed.  In the second case, there is too much thyroid being produced and the body reacts by increasing the metabolism which creates a whole different set of problems.  It is the first scenario, hypothyroidism, which will be discussed here.

Weight gain is a major problem as the metabolism is so slow that it does not burn calories at a normal rate.  It also causes one to feel sluggish and fatigued. Often, hypothyroidism will cause the skin to become dry and cracked and the hair to be coarse and dull.  Occasionally, hair loss is noted.  Muscle aches and pains, swelling from water retention and an aversion to cold temperatures are also possible.

The first thing one must do when suspecting a thyroid problem is to visit a physician who will perform a head to toe physical to rule out any other medical causes for the weight gain or other problems.  Then a blood test will be ordered to check the TSH levels and other thyroid levels in your body. TSH, or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, is a key factor when determining how the gland is working in your body.  A high TSH level indicates that the thyroid is not working properly and the body is trying to compensate for lack of the proper hormones. Specialists in thyroid and other gland disorders are endocrinologists.

Often a physician will prescribe a synthetic thyroid hormone to regulate the TSH levels in the blood.  If this does not seem to be working, an additional thyroid medication may be required.  As the physician watches your condition on a regular basis, he or she might require that you have an ultrasound, with or without a biopsy.  If a nodule or a goiter is found, the biopsy will be absolutely necessary to rule out cancer or other diseases. The biopsy usually consists of a pathologist inserting three very fine needles into the thyroid to extract cells for review.  This is often done in conjunction with an ultrasound.

One disease that is actually quite common for people with a low functioning thyroid is Hashimotos Thyroiditis.  The symptoms are much the same as those for a low functioning thyroid, but may show signs of spreading cells which could lead to cancer if not monitored regularly.  Hashimoto’s disease comes on gradually and symptoms may be scarce at first.  But some of the more prevalent symptoms are: dry skin, depression,

Sensitivity to cold, muscle aches and pains, fatigue, high cholesterol counts and weight gain.  The weight gain could be as much as twenty pounds and is hard to lose even with the most rigid of dieting plans.

The only way a person can be sure that weight gain is associated with a malfunctioning thyroid gland is to see a physician who specializes in diseases of the glands or an endocrinologist.  He or she can tell you for sure if your thyroid is out of whack and help you to understand what choices you have for treatment.  Treatments range from medication to surgery and should be considered very carefully.

You should only take a weight loss product if it has been approved of by the FDA.  Fat blocking drugs like Alli or Xenical have been approved by the FDA.  Alli is the brand name for the medication Orlistat.  Xenical is a prescription medication that is a higher dosage of orlistat and is sold under the brand name Xenical.  Even though both of these medications have been approved by the FDA, there is now a warning that drug interactions with your thyroid medication can exasperate hypothyroidism.  As a result, the FDA has added the warning that “XENICAL and levothyroxine should be taken at least 4 hours apart.”

Weight loss drugs approved by the FDA are for those who are obese or morbidly obese. They are taken by many who suffer from hypothyroidism in an effort to lose weight.  The problem is, the claims made about these drugs can be overly hyped and the proper warnings are not heeded by those who are desperate to loose weight.  If you have a low functioning or slow thyroid, it is very difficult for you to lose weight.  Any product that claims that you will be able to lose weight without effort on your part is misleading.

Ephedra was approved of by the FDA but had so many dangerous side affects that it had to be taken off the market.  How much more dangerous was it for those who were on thyroid medication?  The FDA now warns consumers to beware of weight loss products that have the following words added in their advertisements: effortless, easy, magical, secret ingredient, new discovery or exotic, etc.

Xenical and the over the counter drug Alli, work to prevent the absorption of fats.  If you decide to take Alli or Exenical, be prepared to suffer the side effects of diarrhea, cramping, leakage of oily stool, flatulence and abdominal discomfort.  Many people who take these medications find they need to wear depends.  These side effects are not pleasant and since the medication may interfere with your thyroid medication, it is safe to say that thyroid patients and over the counter weight loss medications may not mix.  It is better to try to lose weight naturally by making the necessary but healthy dietary changes you need by adding in more thyroid friendly foods.

1. Doing nothing. Some people think they can stabilize or get over having an under active thyroid by doing nothing. They do not take medication or seek out natural cures, hoping it will just go away. The truth is, only treating your thyroid condition will bring about weight loss and bring back your energy levels so that you are not so fatigued.

2. Taking Synthetic medication may not be working for you and this can slow down or delay weight loss. Thyroxine is not going to help everyone who has a thyroid disease. Sometimes the dosage is wrong or the patient can be helped with an alternative medication or natural supplementation. Make sure you talk with your doctor if you are already on synthetic medication and you are still not losing weight. Especially speak with your doctor if you are experiencing listlessness, slow movement, memory problems, and depression.

3. You may not have found the right medication dosage. After about 3 or 4 months, if you are still not feeling better and starting to lose weight, you should have your T3 levels checked again. Also talk to your doctor about trying Armour Thyroid or Nature-Thyroid, to see if that will relieve your symptoms and allow you to begin losing weight.

4. You or your doctor may not know the current TSH level recommendations so you are not being treated for hypothyroidism. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists now recommends that TSH levels should not be above 3.0. If they are above this level, it is considered to be hypothyroid instead of being capped at 4.0 as it was in the recent past.

5. You may be mistakenly eating soy products thinking that will help. Too much soy in your diet can slow down your thyroid and make your condition worse. As result your weight loss will be stalled or even stopped. Talk to your medical doctor about the consumption of soy products and how they may affect your condition.

6. Too much stress during your lifetime has led to adrenal gland burn out and impair weight loss. If your have had a lot of stress or under stress now, you should have your doctor test you for adrenal gland function. Getting the proper treatment for your adrenals can help you get back on track for weight loss.

As you can see from the above 6 reasons how a thyroid problem can prevent your weight loss, it can also affect your overall health. It is important that you educate yourself on this condition for a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Your thyroid gland is located at the front of the bottom of your neck. It has the responsibility to release the proper amounts of thyroid into the body. When the thyroid levels are too low, the pituitary glad will release the Thyroid Stimulating Hormones, also known as TSH. This in turn begins the production of more thyroid hormones that will be released into the body, the metabolism is normalized and weight gain is controlled.

Gaining weight can be the most common symptom of an under active thyroid. It does not matter why your thyroid isn’t producing enough of the hormone. If it isn’t, weight gain will be the expected result. Thyroid is the hormone that regulates the body’s metabolism and when it is out of balance and a thyroid disorder exists, the body will need less energy to tap into and will store the excess energy as sugar and fat in the body. You may eat fewer calories and still not be able to lose weight when your thyroid is not functioning properly. If you have an under active thyroid, you will be tired all the time, have muscle cramps, suffer depression and irritability as well as the inability to lose weight.

On the other hand, if you have an overactive thyroid, you may lose weight and not be able to gain. You will suffer such symptoms as trembling, insomnia, unable to catch your breath and be really fatigued.

Weigh gain has been identified as a major symptom of an under active thyroid. Weight gain leads to fatigue which leaves the sufferer to be too tired to exercise to burn more calories. If you can not increase your activity, you are too tired to exercise. It all becomes a vicious cycle.

If you are experiencing an unexplained weight gain, go to your doctor and ask to have your thyroid levels checked. If the results come back showing hypothyroidism, you will be given a thyroid hormone regime and your doctor will monitor your progress. Once you heal your thyroid disorder and begin to lose weight, you will have more energy. Your hormone level will be brought back into balance and your metabolism will speed up and weight loss will come naturally.