Your thyroid is a small gland that plays a big part in keeping your body healthy. When functioning normally, your thyroid produces hormones that help keep you energized and alert. At its worst, an overactive or underactive thyroid can result in serious repercussions. That’s why it’s essential to know the signs of an unbalanced or dysfunctional thyroid so you can get checked out accordingly.
1. You’re Always Tired.
If your thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones, you may always feel tired regardless of how much sleep you get. If you’re exhausted when your alarm clock goes off, if your energy is flagging at work, and if you need more and more cups of coffee to make it through your day, your thyroid is possibly malfunctioning. If you’re always tired, it’s a good idea to get your thyroid checked. It may indicate that your thyroid produces too few hormones or that your body isn’t converting those hormones into energy.
2. Your Fingernails are Discolored.
A discolored or brittle nail is an indication of an underactive thyroid. If you notice that your nails are becoming increasingly yellow or brittle, it’s worth checking with your doctor. Your thyroid affects how your body metabolizes iodine, an essential nutrient in certain foods responsible for healthy nail growth. If your thyroid is underactive, it can’t convert iodine as well as it should, resulting in nail growth that’s slower and more brittle than usual.
3. You Have Difficulty Losing Weight.
If your thyroid is underactive, your metabolism will be slower than usual, resulting in difficulty losing weight. Your thyroid produces the hormones that help your body metabolize and process foods, including any calories you consume. If your thyroid has slowed down, you will have a more challenging time metabolizing and processing calories, resulting in slower weight loss. If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, it’s a good idea to get your thyroid checked out.
4. You Feel Weak all the Time.
It could be due to an underactive thyroid if you always feel weak. If your thyroid has slowed down, you’re probably not converting those calories into energy as efficiently as you usually would. This results in feeling weak all the time and can increase your risk of developing other health complications.
5. You Feel Irritable and Anxious A lot of the Time.
An underactive thyroid can cause your mood to fluctuate. It could be due to your thyroid if you’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling more irritable and anxious than usual. Your thyroid affects the production of neurotransmitters, which are the chemicals that help regulate your mood, energy levels, and sleep.
6. Your Hair is Falling Out.
A sign that your thyroid is underactive is hair loss. If you’ve seen more hair in your brush than usual or noticed a bald spot, it could be because your thyroid is slowing down the hair growth process. Your thyroid produces hormones that help regulate your body temperature, which also affects the speed at which your hair grows. If your thyroid is underactive, the hormones it produces are likely not correctly converted, resulting in slower hair growth.
7. Your Skin is Dry and Scaly.
A symptom of an underactive thyroid is dry, scaly skin. If you’ve noticed that your skin has become more dehydrated than usual, it might be due to your thyroid. Your thyroid affects the production of specific proteins responsible for keeping your skin hydrated. If your thyroid has slowed down, it may not produce enough proteins, resulting in dry and scaly skin. It’s also worth noting that an underactive thyroid can cause an increase in your cholesterol, which can contribute to dry skin.
8. Slow Digestion
If you’ve been experiencing digestive issues for a while now, the reason could be hypothyroidism. An overactive thyroid can affect the digestive tract, causing food to move through your system much slower. If you’ve noticed a sudden change in your digestive health, it could signify that you have an overactive thyroid. If you have any of the above symptoms, you should try hypothyroidism natural treatment or get your thyroid checked out to rule out hypothyroidism.
Conclusion
Checking your thyroid is a good idea if you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms. It may be due to an underactive thyroid, or it could be another issue altogether. Even if you don’t experience any of these symptoms, it’s still a good idea to check your thyroid every few years. And you can do so with a simple blood test, which your doctor can conduct during your next checkup.
