Anyone who talks about the fact that a number of kilos have fallen on their hips again and blames the thyroid gland usually gets a weary smile. A lame excuse? no way. An underactive thyroid can actually contribute to rapid weight gain even though eating habits have remained unchanged. It is mostly women over the age of 40 who struggle with an underactive thyroid . However, this can also occur in men and young women. This small gland sits just below the larynx and looks like a small butterfly. The thyroid controls the metabolism, heat and energy balance by releasing hormones T3 and T4. The thyroid needs iodine and protein to function properly. The body cannot produce iodine itself, so it must be ingested through food so that the metabolism transports the iodine into the blood. The metabolism is more active, the more hormones are in the blood. If the thyroid gland is underactive , too few thyroid hormones are sent to body cells and metabolic activity decreases. With an underactive thyroid, no one is inevitably doomed to be overweight. Many of those affected are of the opinion that the fight against obesity remains hopeless. The mechanism for losing weight is literally blocked and the conviction of losing kilos after a diet and gaining them again is retained.
Of course, any rules in nutrition are not switched off in people with hypothyroidism, these also apply to those affected. The only difference is that people with an underactive thyroid gland have a greatly reduced basal metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy that the body needs to keep all functions going. People who are hypoactive need far fewer calories than healthy people. Losing weight is not impossible for the patient, but much more difficult. An underactive thyroid is not dangerous, but treatment can be useful. Most often, the treatment is done with hormones for the thyroid gland in the form of tablets. It can even make losing weight a lot easier. If other medications are necessary, for example antidepressants, losing weight can be made more difficult again. A visit to the doctor can only be an advantage in order to get the disease and the weight under control.
Hypothyroidism and Calories
