3 signs your thyroid could be causing you to gain weight and what you can do

Your thyroid could be causing you to gain weight. 20 million US citizens right now are overweight and don’t need to be. It’s because their thyroid isn’t working properly and they don’t even know it.

The problem is that low thyroid function, also known as hypothyroidism, is difficult to diagnose, and many people in the United States have been misdiagnosed. So their thyroid disorder is not treated and they continue to gain weight and they don’t know why.

One of the easiest ways to find out if you have low thyroid function is to see if you suffer from one or more of the common symptoms associated with the condition, and to go from there.

So in today’s article we are going to look at three of the most common symptoms that people can experience when they have hyperthyroidism. The most common symptom of low thyroid function is weight gain, so this seems like a good place to start.

Low thyroid function and weight gain

The number one symptom of hypothyroidism is unexplained weight gain. This is when you gain weight without having made any changes to your diet and lifestyle. When you have low thyroid function, one of the first problems you will have is that your metabolism slows down.

When your metabolism slows down, it means that you can’t process the calories coming into your body as fast as it used to. This means that some of these calories are not burned and are instead stored as fat in your body and you slowly begin to gain weight.

This is without you eating more and it’s not your fault. It’s your thyroid that’s to blame and you most likely have no idea what’s going on. Which puts them in the majority because 50% of people with low thyroid function don’t know they have a problem.

So what other symptoms can you experience with hypothyroidism?

Depression, anxiety, and low thyroid function

Many people with hypothyroidism suffer from depression and/or anxiety. One of the reasons people often get depressed is because of the unnecessary weight gain we explained above. When people start to gain weight, don’t know why, and then can’t lose that weight, this can lead to a loss of confidence which, in turn, can lead to depression.

Thyroid disorders and depression are innately linked, and if you have depression that doesn’t respond to medication, then it could be due to a thyroid disorder. When your thyroid is not working properly, it makes less thyroid hormone.

Thyroid hormones are necessary for you to have optimal brain function. When there are fewer thyroid hormones in your body, there is a loss of cognitive function, poor concentration, and big changes in your emotional state.

When your thyroid gland is malfunctioning, it can really wreak havoc on your body, including tiredness and fatigue.

Low thyroid function, tiredness and fatigue

If you go to bed at night and wake up the next morning feeling really drained and unable to function properly, then it could be a sign that your thyroid is not working well. If you have hypothyroidism, it can lead to a racing pulse, high blood pressure, and constipation that leave you extremely tired.

So the problem is, if you think you have a thyroid problem, what do you do?