Who is at Risk for Underactive Thyroid?
To perform its function properly, the thyroid needs sufficient quantities of trace minerals like zinc, copper, selenium, iron, and particularly iodine: as well as adequate amounts of vitamins such as A, C, E and particularly the B vitamins. If the thyroid does not get the nutrition it needs an underactive thyroid can be the result. The habit of eating nutrient-poor fast and processed foods is the ultimate cause for some individuals. Many children have poor eating habits which can eventually lead to problems with the thyroid gland later in life. The condition called goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland, was common in areas where there is little iodine in the soil until iodine was added to salt in order to increase dietary intake of this important trace mineral. Dieting, especially starvation diets which severly restrict caloric intake, is another common cause of underactive thyroid. Starvation slows the body’s metabolism as it learns to expend energy more efficiently to conserve
