Hypothyroid Treatment and Successful Weight Loss
The thyroid is a small bowtie shaped endocrine gland located below and behind the Adam's apple at the back of the neck. This small unimpressive gland produces the hormones that influence every cell in your body and control body weight and temperature, heart rate, growth, repair, and metabolism. In order to maintain optimal health and fitness your thyroid has to be functioning properly.
When the thyroid isn't functioning properly the result is a thyroid imbalance and a need for hypothyroid treatment. The exact cause of hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) and hyperthyroidism (high or overactive thyroid) is unknown. It is also easy for a thyroid imbalance to go unrecognized. Physicians often disagree as to whether or not a small imbalance can even have an effect on physical and mental health and successful weight loss. It does.
While both men and women suffer from hypothyroidism, it is much more common in women. In the United States it is estimated that more than 500,000 new cases that should be addressed with hypothyroid treatment appear each year.
Doctors use a blood test called a thyroid panel that determines your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level. For many years a serum TSH level of 0.5 to 5 (microunits per milliliter) was considered normal. In 2003 the range was narrowed to 0.3 to 3. Today, many labs have narrowed the range even further. A TSH level of 2.5 is now considered the high end of "normal". Ask your doctor what he considers to be a normal TSH level. To confuse things even further, it is possible to have a TSH level in the normal range, but still have hypothyroid symptoms because your levels of other thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) are low or even low normal.
Hypothyroid Treatment
The most commonly prescribed hypothyroid treatment is a synthetic levothyroxine hormone that supplements or fully replaces your natural supply. Synthroid, Levoxyl, and Levothyroid are three well known brands and are all equally effective. Because there are subtle differences in formulation, which can influence how well they are absorbed, one of them may be better suited for you than the others. Switching back and forth between them is not recommended.
The dosage you receive should start out at a low level and be gradually increased until your TSH level falls within the normal range. Sometimes finding the correct dosage is tricky and can take a while. A second thyroid panel taken after six weeks of hypothyroid treatment will tell if the treatment is working as it should. Once the correct dosage is established side effects are pretty rare. If the dosage is too high there is an increased risk of osteoporosis, heart palpitations and rapid heartbeat.
Some people continue to have symptoms even after the proper dosage of levothyroxine (T4) is established. If you are one of these people your doctor may consider adding some T3 (Cytomel) to your therapeutic regimen. Even though a healthy thyroid produces both T3 and T4 hormones, the thyroid produces only a very small amount of the T3 that your body actually uses. This is because other tissues in your body naturally convert T4 to T3 as needed. This is also why most physicians usually only prescribe T4.
If you prefer a "natural" approach to hypothyroid treatment, Armour Desiccated Thyroid is the best option. It is derived from pork thyroid and is definitely not vegetarian. Armour Thyroid contains both T3 and T4 hormones and is sometimes used in conjunction with the synthetic levothyroxine.
Foods That May Interfere with Hypothyroid Treatment
Some foods, especially when eaten in large quantities, can actually raise your TSH levels or even cause goiters (an enlargement of the thyroid gland). Several of these foods have become very popular as they are thought to have value in fighting off cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and other serious health problems. If you are undergoing hypothyroid treatment, these foods should only be consumed in moderate amounts and preferably cooked:
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