Dr Lalitha Badul
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to “run the body’s metabolism,” it is understandable that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism.
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Hypothyroidism is more common than you would believe, and millions of people are currently hypothyroid and don’t know it. The common causes of hypothyroidism are as a result of previous (or currently on going) inflammation of the thyroid gland, which leaves a large percentage of the cells of the thyroid damaged (or dead) and incapable of producing sufficient hormone.
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The most common cause of thyroid gland failure is called autoimmune thyroiditis (also called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), a form of thyroid inflammation caused by the patient’s own immune system.
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Major symptoms include fatigue, cold sensitivity, constipation, dry skin and unexplained weight gain. Treatment consists of thyroid hormone replacement.
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