Symptoms of Thyroid Disorders
Because the hormones secreted by the thyroid affect entire body metabolism, the symptoms of imbalance are diverse. Above-normal levels of thyroid hormones manifest much differently than low levels. Hyperthyroidism can lead to:
- sensitivity to heat/feeling hot
- excessive perspiration
- disrupted sleep
- cognitive issues: difficulty focusing and forgetfulness
- loose or more frequent bowel movements
- elevated heart rate and/or palpitations
- anxiety, nervousness, irritability
- unexplained weight loss
- increased appetite
- tremors in the hands and fingers
- thinning of skin
As hypo- is the opposite of hyper-thyroidism, many of the symptoms are, too:
- unexplained weight gain
- cold intolerance
- slowed heart rate, movements, and speech
- constipation
- decreased perspiration
- pins and needles in the hands and/or feet
- high cholesterol
- puffy face, feet, and/or hands
- balance and co-ordination issues
- loss of libido
- recurrent urinary and respiratory tract infections
- hoarseness
- thinned or missing eyebrows
- hearing loss
- anemia
Symptoms that can appear for either condition:
- insomnia
- dry skin
- thin, brittle hair and/or fingernails
- fatigue
- joint and muscle pain, cramps, and weakness
- menstrual irregularity
Children with an under-active thyroid can experience poor growth and delayed development. (8)
Getting to the Root Cause
So if autoimmunity is the primary reason for hypothyroidism, why does that happen? The incidence of the collection of autoimmune diseases has steadily increased worldwide over the last thirty years by over nineteen percent. A meta-analysis of the phenomenon found a distinct correlation with socio-economic status and disclosed three major contributing factors: infections, ecology, and nutrition.
1. Infections
As a society, North American culture has become obsessed with germs. Antibacterial chemicals are added wholesale to cleaning and personal care products. Antibiotic resistance due to mis- and over-use has become a global health crisis. This has made us MORE susceptible to chronic illness because our natural immunity doesn’t develop or perform properly.
Exposure to low-level pathogens (including allergens) beginning in childhood is critical for developing the necessary antibodies for long-term immunity. We’ve evolved over time to live symbiotically with a host of micro-organisms. Without them, we get sick. The hygiene hypothesis is the idea that because we eradicate the “good” germs with the “bad”, our immune systems are unable to generate the appropriate response. (9) This has implications for the genesis of autoimmune disease and allergies. So while the spread of infectious diseases has declined over the last three decades, the flip side is the rise of autoimmunity and allergic diseases. (10)