Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. Iodine deficiency is often referred to as the most common cause of hypothyroidism, but this condition can be caused by many other factors. Severe hypothyroidism in children leads to cretinism, in adults to myxedema disease (swelling of organs and tissues is observed). This condition was first described as a disease in 1873. Today it is not accepted to consider a specific condition of the body called hypothyroidism as a disease. Signs of it usually disappear when compensating for the missing hormones.
Since the symptoms of hypothyroidism are nonspecific and erased, doctors do not always make the correct diagnosis, believing that the problems are associated with other diseases and overwork. They do not send for a blood test to determine the level of thyroid hormones, since they do not diagnose hypothyroidism. Signs in this case indicate a slowdown in all metabolic processes.
There are three forms of hypothyroidism. Primary hypothyroidism is the most common form, has an autoimmune nature, occurs as a result of hyperthyroidism with iodine therapy. Secondary - the pituitary gland (due to damage, swelling, radiation, or surgery) does not create a sufficient level of thyroid-stimulating hormone, which initiates the thyroid gland to produce the necessary amount of thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Tertiary - the hypothalamus cannot produce a sufficient amount of thyrotropin-releasing hormone, hypothalamic-pituitary hypothyroidism occurs.
In the early stages, symptoms or their complete absence characterize hypothyroidism little. Symptoms for this condition can be divided into 4 groups: early, late, unusual and characterizing subclinical hypothyroidism. The early stage is accompanied by increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, weight gain, fluid retention, bradycardia, fatigue, decreased sweating, muscle cramps and joint pain, dry skin itching, thin brittle nails, a quick thinking model, depression, muscle hypotension, female infertility, problems with the menstrual cycle, hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea, high cholesterol in the blood.
Hypothyroidism is already characterized in edema of tissues and organs in a late stage. The signs accompanying this stage are an enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter), slow speech and a hoarse, torn voice (the timbre of the voice also changes due to Raine's edema - swelling of the vocal cords due to fluid accumulation). Dry edematous skin (especially on the face), the Hertoghe sign (thinning or loss of the external third of the eyebrow), an abnormal menstrual cycle, low basal body temperature, and depression are also characteristic.
Hypothyroidism also has unusual symptoms. This is a violation of memory, cognitive functions of the brain and inattention. Slow heart rate, ECG changes, decreased cardiac output and decreased contractility of the heart muscle. Reactive hypoglycemia, flaccid reflexes, hair loss. Anemia caused by impaired hemoglobin synthesis, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, increased drowsiness, irritability and mood swings, impaired renal function with decreased glomerular filtration rate, yellowing of the skin due to impaired beta-carotene conversion, acute psychosis, decreased libido in men due to impaired testosterone synthesis, anosmia, gynecomastia, deafness, extended tongue. With an increased concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone and a normal concentration of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, subclinical hypothyroidism occurs. Diagnosis of this condition is carried out using highly sensitive methods.
People with insufficient thyroid function should not include goitrogens (goiter substances) in their diet. These are natural substances that are found in some foods and interfere with the production of thyroid hormones. These include commonly consumed foods: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, radishes, soybeans, peanuts, pine nuts, peaches and millet. Many medical professionals believe that cooking can inactivate goitrogens. Although these products provide many benefits for a healthy diet, the goiter potential should alert people at risk. These are people who have had cases of hypothyroidism in the family, or those who already have symptoms, as well as women approaching menopause. Nutrition for hypothyroidism should be selective: avoiding goitrogen can mitigate the symptoms of hypothyroidism.