The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. While you might not think about it ever, the gland is quite important, producing hormones that regulate metabolism. However, when this gland starts to malfunction and produce lower levels of the thyroid hormone, it can prompt a range of symptoms. From mental changes to weight fluctuations, low thyroid levels, also known as hypothyroidism, can affect your daily life. Check out some of the more prominent symptoms below, and see if you need to schedule a doctor’s visit.
6. Hair Loss
Starting our list of signs your thyroid is slowing down is hair loss. With hypothyroidism, the lack of hormones disrupts the hair growth cycle, which is regulated by the thyroid. This causes the hair follicles to prematurely enter the resting phase and shed more than usual. It can also affect the structure of the hair follicles, making them smaller, less efficient, and more prone to damage.
5. Appetite Loss/Weight Gain
Fifth on our list of signs your thyroid is slowing down is appetite loss and weight gain. When your metabolism slows down, it needs fewer calories, making your appetite decrease. However, in hypothyroidism, you are using fewer of the calories put in your body, which are then stored as fat. For most people, the weight gain will be slight and can go unnoticed. For those who have severe hypothyroidism, though, it can be more dramatic with a weight gain of five to ten pounds.
4. Cardiovascular Effects
Next on our list of signs of hypothyroidism are cardiovascular effects. Low levels of the thyroid hormone can lead to high blood pressure and higher levels of total and LDL cholesterol. These symptoms, after a while, can affect the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. Other symptoms associated with the cardiovascular system include a slower heart rate and decreased arterial elasticity.
3. Mental Effects
Rounding out the top three signs of a slower thyroid is the mental effects. Interestingly, hypothyroidism and depression have a similar set of symptoms, including trouble concentrating, memory problems, and loss of interest in things that used to be important. Foggy thinking can also affect the mind. By slowing down the metabolism, the thyroid gland is also slowing down the brain, which could even result in a person speaking slowly.
2. Cold Intolerance
Second on our list of thyroid symptoms is cold intolerance, or sensitivity to the cold. People who deal with hypothyroidism often experience cold hands and feet. This can even happen when everyone else in the room or around you feels hot. Since your body is not producing enough of the thyroid hormone and the metabolism is slowed down, it impedes your body’s ability to create energy to stay warm. Hence, the sensitivity to cold.
1. Fatigue
Last but not least on our list of signs your thyroid is slowing down is feeling unusually tired or having less energy. While fatigue can happen to anyone after a long day, those who deal with hypothyroidism experience tiredness differently. A good night’s sleep, for instance, is not enough to cure the fatigue. It often stays with you even after a healthy night’s rest, and for women, it could feel similar to menopausal symptoms.