"Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems. In fact, one woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime. Two important hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are produced by your thyroid gland in response to a hormone called TSH, which is produced in the brain. Too much T3 and T4 can result in a condition known as hyperthyroidism and too little T3 and T4 can result in hypothyroidism.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include fatigue, anxiety, sudden weight loss, rapid heartbeat, irritability, more frequent bowel movements, difficulty sleeping, sweating and tremors.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include tiredness, weight gain, constipation, depression, sleepiness, memory loss, decreased sex drive and more.
Pregnant women with undiagnosed or inadequately treated hypothyroidism have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and severe developmental problems in their children.
Additionally, 15% of the population has trouble converting Free T4 (the inactive form of thyroid) to Free T3 (the active form). Oftentimes the only way to pick this up is to measure both of these hormone levels in the bloodstream.
Autoimmune thyroid disease is characterized by the occurrence of antibodies directed against the thyroid gland, referred to as autoantibodies. Individuals who have thyroid autoantibodies and an elevated level of TSH progress to overt hypothyroidism at a rate of 3%-5% per year. If one or both of your thyroid antibodies are positive, you should monitor your thyroid function at least every 6-12 months as you are at higher risk of thyroid failure." - Dr. Alan Hopkins
