Page 47 - Prevention (February 2020)

1 The Command Center 2 Hyper- vs.
Hypothyroidism
Your thyroid is that butterfly-shaped gland that sits
toward the front of your neck. It’s like the Napoleon Identifying thyroid
Bonaparte of your body: small, yet powerful. The conditions can be
thyroid produces several hormones that regulate tricky. When the gland
your metabolism, heart rate, digestion, brain becomes “hyper”
EXPERT REVIEW BY ELIZABETH N. PEARCE, M.D., ENDOCRINOLOGIST AND PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
development, mood, and bone density, and when (i.e., when it speeds
OF MEDICINE AND IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN THYROID ASSOCIATION. FOR MORE INFO, VISIT THYROID.ORG.
your thyroid produces the right amounts of up and overproduces
hormones, you feel great. But when it’s sending hormones), you may
out too much or too little, there are a whole host of start to experience
physical and cognitive symptoms you may notice. rapid weight loss,
trembling, palpitations,
and insomnia. “Hypo”
Testing and means “under,” or
3
Treatment in this case “under-

If you’ve been feel- she thinks it’s hypo- active.” That’s when
ing tired all the time thyroidism, she’ll look your thyroid pro-
and your skin’s been for dry skin and ask duces too little of the
looking a little scaly, get about fatigue, joint hormones, leading
your thyroid checked. and muscle pain, and to fatigue, weight
Likewise, if you sud- constipation. Either way, gain, cold intolerance,
denly drop five to 10 expect a blood test to and brain fog. These
pounds and the weight check your thyroid- symptoms can be mis-
is still coming off—even stimulating hormone takenly attributed to
when you’re stuffing (TSH) level. If something stress or menopause—
your face—get checked. is off, she’ll prescribe making it especially
During the exam, your medication to get things confusing for women,
doc will first feel around where they should be, who are five to eight
your neck and examine which may take some times more likely than
the gland for abnormal trial and error. Your GP men to develop hyper-
enlargement (goiter), should do a routine or hypothyroidism.
bumps, or tenderness. manual check of your In fact, about 60% of
If she suspects hyper- thyroid at your annual people who have a
thyroidism, she’ll also physical, in part to detect thyroid problem are
look for tremors in your thyroid nodules, which, unaware of it.
fingers, a rapid heart along with benign swell-
rate, and changes in ing, might make it hard
your eyes or skin. If to breathe or swallow.

F E B RUARY 2020 • PREVENTION.COM 43