What is hypothyroidism?
Can lead to a diffuse loss of scalp hair,eyebrows and other body hair, brittle hair and nails,dry skin, lethargy, slowness of speech, and a gain of weight. Sometimes hypothyroidism is associated with toxemia and excessive weight gain during pregnancy (40-50 pounds),heart problems, sensitivity to the cold and a high cholesterol level in the blood.
Hypothyroidism is a serious condition caused by an under-active thyroid gland. The thyroid gland, working with the pituitary gland, regulates “basal metabolism” in the body. Metabolism is the breakdown of calories into heat energy. If the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, the entire body suffers.
Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland, located in your neck, wrapped around the windpipe, and is located behind and below the Adam’s Apple area. The thyroid produces several hormones, of which two are key: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones help oxygen get into cells, and make your thyroid the master gland of metabolism. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid is not producing enough T3 and T4. This condition is often linked to auto-immune disease. Not necessarily in a cause-effect manner though, they could both have the same origin. With thyroid being the master gland of metabolism, it’s important to make sure it works properly. TSH is short for thyroid stimulating hormone. It is a hormone produced by your master gland, the pituitary. It’s purpose is to stimluate the production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid. The higher it is the more stimulation it provides. It serves a negative feedback loop to the thyroid. So when TSH levels are low it means the thyroid
