A dysfunctional thyroid can affect almost any part of the body, leaving you confused as to what’s going on. Have you been feeling off lately, but not able to pinpoint exactly why? Ruling out thyroid issues is a great place to start if you’ve got symptoms you aren’t really sure about and catching thyroid dysfunction early can be crucial to effective healthy management. These top 5 signs of thyroid dysfunction can help you and your doctor determine what’s going on. 

Thyroid Disorders – What To Look For

While having any of the symptoms we are going to talk about today does not mean you have a thyroid disorder, they could be things to pay attention to or talk to your doctor about. Low thyroid function is usually called hypothyroidism – a condition where your thyroid is not producing enough thyroid stimulating hormone. Because low thyroid essentially continually slows your metabolism, which can affect almost anything in the body, there are many symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. The most common ones you’ll see fall into these 5 categories. 

1. Fatigue / Tiredness: a slower metabolism causes lower energy levels and lower quality sleep to fuel you through your day. 
2. Skin & Hair Changes: this could look like a puffy face, skin and hair texture changes, or brittle nails. 
3. Weight Gain: a slower metabolism also can cause weight gain due to the fact that your body burns less calories on average daily. 
4. Muscle Issues: weakness, soreness, and aches can be caused by a number of things concerning the thyroid, such as, lower quality sleep and a lack of muscle repair or hormonal changes.
5. Changes to regular bodily cycles: bowel movement changes like constipation or menstrual cycle changes such as heavier flow and worse symptoms can occur due to the changes to the endocrine system caused by low thyroid. 

Detecting Early Warning Signs of Thyroid Dysfunction

Oftentimes, people don’t start to notice symptoms of thyroid dysfunction until something is more overtly wrong. For example, someone might just think they are feeling more tired than usual, gained a little weight for more innocent reasons, or are randomly having worse menstrual cycles. The key is to always know your body and get regular medical check ups. If you know you’re not feeling your normal self, for whatever reason, for an extended period of time – it’s probably worth looking into. It may just be that you’re extra stressed and tired, or it could be a thyroid issue – but you never know if you don’t check! Some unusual symptoms that tend to be considered later signs of hypothyroidism and are more easily identifiable are slow heart rate, slow thoughts and movements, depression, and memory loss. 

In any case, ordering a thyroid blood test through your doctor should be relatively easy, and regular check-ins will help with early detection of any thyroid dysfunction. 

Supporting Your Thyroid

If you’ve found out that you have thyroid issues, don’t panic! It can be overwhelming, but there are many ways to help support or treat a dysregulated thyroid, depending on the type of disorder you may be experiencing. Of course, listen to the treatment recommendations of your healthcare provider, but supplements, certain vitamins and minerals, and therapies can help to regulate your thyroid outside of using prescribed medication. Dietary changes can also help (or hurt) your condition, so looking into your nutrition could be a great way to start making sure you are naturally supporting your thyroid daily (i.e. getting healthy amounts of zinc can be helpful). Our thyroid supporting products like the Thyroid Multivitamin by Fixxr are a great option, as well as our Metabolism and Hormone Fixxrs to keep your body running the way it naturally should. 

It’s safe to say that paying attention to your body through any discomfort or oddity is a good idea, but particularly when thinking about your thyroid health. Staying as healthy as possible becomes easier when you engage in regular checkups, thyroid support, and education on the topic. Dr. Amie Inc. can help you do that with supplements, programs, and one on one coaching that is tailored to your unique situation. We’d love to help get you on the right track and keep you there. Book a call today to start feeling your absolute best.