Hypothyroidism (or an under active thyroid) is a condition in which the thyroid isn’t producing enough thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are extremely important to many of your body’s essential processes including blood circulation, metabolism, and proper bone growth. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency, but in more developed countries it is more commonly caused by an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s in which your immune system attacks your healthy thyroid tissue.
Unfortunately, many people suffering from both clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism go undiagnosed. In this article, we will explore many of the symptoms associated with an under active thyroid. You may experience these symptoms even if you only have subclinical hypothyroidism. If you or your child are experiencing any of the symptoms below, especially if you’re experiencing multiple symptoms, talk to your doctor about getting a thyroid test.
1. Delayed Puberty
The thyroid produces many of the important chemicals that contribute to sexual development and is very important during the process of puberty. Therefore, children with under active thyroids often experience a delay in the onset of puberty. Delayed puberty is difficult to diagnose because the age at which puberty starts varies from child to child, but it typically begins by the age of 13 for girls and by the age of 14 for boys. If you don’t see signs of puberty beginning and your child is already two or three years older than the expected age then this is a case of delayed puberty and it’s time to see a doctor. Another one of the warning signs for an under active thyroid is puberty that progresses in an irregular fashion.
For example, the first sign of puberty for girls is usually an increase in breast size, and the first sign for boys is usually an increase in testicle size. If you were to see advanced development of pubic hair before seeing breast enlargement or testicular enlargement this could also be cause for concern. Any irregularity in the onset or progress of puberty is reason to see a doctor. Even if it isn’t an under active thyroid it may be another serious endocrine disorder that needs immediate attention.
2. Slow Growth
In addition to being crucial for healthy sexual development, the thyroid is also extremely important for healthy growth. Thyroid hormones play a key role in producing the bone material necessary for a growing body, and thus an under active thyroid often leads to slow growth.
If a child is born with an under active thyroid, they will usually experience stunted bone growth resulting in a loss in height, while if a child acquires hypothyroidism after birth it will usually result in stunted height growth combined with weight gain. Thus, a child with acquired hypothyroidism will often be shorter than average for their age and heavier than average for their age.
3. Lethargy
Children and adults with under active thyroids often experience lethargy. If you are getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising but are still experiencing intense fatigue it may be a sign of hypothyroidism. If you are experiencing these symptoms and have an under active thyroid, you can try adding more iron to your diet and cutting out gluten. These changes help some thyroid patients but not others. In order to treat lethargy brought on by an under active thyroid, it is important to use the right hormonal therapy. Many patients claim that taking both T3 and T4 hormones is more effective in treating lethargy than taking T4 alone (which is often prescribed), but, as always, be sure to consult with your doctor before making any changes in your treatment.
4. Hair Loss
An under active thyroid can cause hair loss, but hair loss can be caused by a lot of factors and is often a normal part of getting older so don’t assume you have hypothyroidism just because you’re losing your hair. That being said, prolonged hypothyroidism does often lead to balding on the scalp. Hair loss from an under active thyroid isn’t confined to patches, it will cover your whole scalp just like normal baldness would. The good news is that in many cases the lost hair will grow back after successful treatment of the hypothyroidism although it may not come back completely. If you’re experiencing hair loss on top of other symptoms of an under active thyroid then it’s time to talk to your doctor.
5. Brittle Nails
Surprisingly, your fingernails can tell you a lot about the state of your thyroid. Brittle nails that break and crack easily are often a sign of an under active thyroid, but nail related symptoms of hypothyroidism go far beyond brittle nails. Other nail related symptoms include a condition known as alunula which is the lack of the white half-moons at the base of your fingernails; paronychia which is the swelling of the skin at the base of your fingernails; and white vertical ridges that appear running up and down your nails. Any of these symptoms could be a sign of an under active thyroid.
6. Constipation
Constipation is an extremely common and very uncomfortable symptom of an under active thyroid. Many people who suffer from it are ashamed to talk about it, but it’s an incredibly common ailment and talking to your doctor about it is the first step to recovery. Your intestine is lined with muscles which help move fecal matter along in a healthy manner. These muscles are in turn partly governed by thyroid hormones making your thyroid extremely important for healthy bowel movements. Not all constipation is caused by hypothyroidism but most hypothyroidism causes constipation. If you are experiencing chronic constipation it is a good idea to get your thyroid checked. Proper thyroid treatment along with dietary changes should put you well on the way to regularity.
7. Dry Skin
The thyroid is also extremely important in regulating healthy blood circulation which has a large impact on skin health. An under active thyroid can decrease blood flow to the skin by as much as 80% and lead to a whole host of skin problems. Dry skin is the most common skin related symptom associated with an under active thyroid, but some sufferers also report pale colorless skin and increased sensitivity to the cold. While dry itchy skin is the most common and the easiest to spot, any of these skin related symptoms, especially in conjunction with other symptoms from this article, may be a sign of an under active thyroid.
8. Enlarged Thyroid
When your thyroid isn’t producing enough thyroid hormones, your body will know about it and will keep stimulating your thyroid to make it produce more. This can lead to an enlargement of the thyroid and it is due to this process that a swollen thyroid is one of the common symptoms of an under active thyroid. It can be difficult to tell if you have a swollen thyroid, but one technique is to tilt your head back and watch the space just below your Adam’s apple while you swallow. If you see an irregular lump it may be an enlarged thyroid, but you should talk to your doctor in order to confirm.
9. Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is extremely common in the United States with around 43% of women and 31% of men reporting sexual dysfunction according to a recent survey. Although there are a lot of causes of sexual dysfunction, a lot of people reporting sexual dysfunction could be suffering from an under active thyroid. Hypothyroidism sufferers often report experiencing problem having to do with their sex life. Most commonly, women with under active thyroids report a loss of sex drive while men report erectile dysfunction. Unfortunately, these conditions, especially in women, can be hard to treat, but testing for hypothyroidism is an important first step.
10. Weight Gain
Another one of the many important bodily functions governed by the thyroid is your metabolism. If you have an under active thyroid, then the decrease in thyroid hormones will usually result in a decrease in the strength of your metabolism. This slow-down in metabolism is often associated with weight gain. Luckily, the weight gain brought on by an under active thyroid is usually modest and depends greatly on the degree of the hypothyroidism, but usually isn’t more than five or ten pounds. This is in contrast to hyperthyroidism which is often associated with much more severe weight loss. But even if the weight gain from hypothyroidism is modest, no one wants to be stuck with five or ten extra pounds that just won’t go away.
