Why Your Weight May be Determined by Your Thyroid

You may find that weight falls off you no matter how much you eat. You may find yourself wishing to add a few pounds so that you can fill out a pair of jeans or compete on a sports team. But for some people, gaining weight is more than a chore, it’s an impossible dream.

While others may find that no matter what they do they can’t stop the weight gain. Although they may get doubtful stares from others, some people frustratingly work out like crazy and practically starve themselves, but still find that they gain weight.

You may find that both of these situations can be caused by the same thing; an irregular thyroid gland. Your thyroid gland controls your body’s metabolism, determining just how fast or how slow you burn calories. Depending on which way your thyroid goes, you may find that your body either can’t stop losing weight or can’t stop gaining it!

A hyper-thyroid condition is a condition which causes your thyroid to work too hard, resulting in an over active metabolism. This condition can have adverse affects on your overworked heart. Symptoms of a hyperthyroid condition include unexplained excessive weight loss as well as bulging and weakening eyes, and a lot of nervous energy.

If you are concerned that you may have an overactive thyroid you need to see your doctor right away. A quick and simple blood test can determine just how hard your thyroid is working. And if it is discovered that your unexplained weight loss is not due to hyperthyroidism then you will need to undergo testing to determine that you don’t have any other serious disease.

The opposite of a hyperthyroid condition is a hypothyroid condition. An individual with a hypothyroid condition has a thyroid that does not work hard enough. This causes the individual to have an extremely slow metabolism.

The result of hypothyroidism is often weight gain and an inability to lose weight. A person who has an under active thyroid also is likely to have some hair loss and also feel extremely tired. One of the major health concerns with individuals with hypothyroidism is an elevation of the individual’s cholesterol.

If you are concerned that you may have hypothyroidism then you should see your doctor right away. Like hyperthyroidism, the disease can be diagnosed with a blood test.

Treatment for thyroid disease involves prescription medication known as Synthroid. Although it often takes a while for doctors to determine the correct dosage an individual needs, once the correct dosage of Synthroid is given to the individual, they can expect their thyroid to begin working at the right level within a few weeks.