Losing Weight Permanently – Getting Help From Your Thyroid in Losing Weight

You exercise, you diet, you eat all the right foods and still, you can’t seem to lose weight. Is something wrong? Yes, perhaps something is up. Chances are, you neglected an area of your body that controls most of your metabolism — your thyroid gland.

What is the Thyroid Gland and What Does It Do?

The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine or hormone-secreting glands in the body. It is located in front of your trachea and directly below your larynx. The thyroid gland is responsible for secreting thyroxine (T4) and triidothyronine (T3), two hormones that significantly increase the metabolism of the body even in small amounts. Of these two, triidothyronine is the more potent.

In relation to losing weight, these two thyroid hormones significantly enhance the body’s fat metabolism. Lipids, especially, are mobilized to a great degree by the thyroid hormones, such that fat stores in the body are rapidly depleted. In men, these fat stores include the nape of the neck and the buttocks. In women, they are found more in the breasts, the buttocks, and the hips.

In addition, increased thyroid hormone decreases the amount of circulating cholesterol and triglycerides in the plasma. One way the thyroid hormone gets rid of the excess cholesterol is by increasing the secretion of cholesterol to the bile, which is then lost through the feces. If you’re worried that constipation will hinder the excretion of cholesterol, normally functioning thyroid glands also prevent constipation by increasing the rate of secretion of digestive juices and bowel movements.

Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition wherein there is less than the normal amount of thyroid hormones circulating in the bloodstream. It may be caused by a deficiency of iodine in the diet, destruction of the thyroid gland by either surgical removal or irradiation, or autoimmunity, which means that the body itself produces agents that damage or even destroy the thyroid gland.

As a result, a person with hypothyroidism does not get the fat metabolizing benefits people with normally functioning thyroid glands do. Patients with hypothyroidism are generally fatigued and lethargic, even sleeping as much as 14 hours a day! Other signs include sluggishness, slow heart rate, decreased blood volume, increased body weight, constipation, and mental sluggishness, as well as scaly skin.

However, excess of thyroid hormones is just as bad for the body as the lack of it. Hyperthyroidism, the opposite of hypothyroidism, results from an increase in the amount of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. People with hyperthyroidism have a high state of excitability and suffer from increased sweating, mild to extreme weight loss, varying degrees of diarrhea, muscle weakness, nervousness or other psychic disorders, and hand tremors. Hyperthyroid patients also experience extreme fatigue but are unable to sleep due to the excitable effect of thyroid hormones.

Looking Right and Feeling Good

Nowadays, losing weight is no longer just an issue of looking right but also of feeling good. It is not as much as to look good as it is to staying fit and healthy. If you lead a healthy enough lifestyle — i.e. you do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and get adequate sleep — then perhaps you should see your doctor and seek his professional opinion. You may have a thyroid problem you have not been aware of.

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