^

Thyroid function and overweight

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021
Fact-checked
х

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Sometimes women get better and do not even suspect the true reasons for this. And the culprits can be hormones that the thyroid gland produces. The slowing or too much activity of her work can lead to excess weight, which is very difficult to normalize

What prevents the thyroid gland?

In some products, which are positioned as useful, contain substances that inhibit the work of the thyroid gland. These substances are called isoflavones.

They are contained in soy (which is often recommended for weight loss, but its properties are often reversed), in clover that can be used as herbal teas, and other products.

Hormonal experiment

As an experiment, cow breeders proved that animals that often use red clover can not conceive and breed later. And a person who often uses products containing isoflavones, too, in many cases, diagnose infertility.

The reason is the influence of isoflavones on the work of the ovaries, which produce sex hormones, necessary for conception and gestation. And the work of the thyroid gland, which has the property of using hormones to control weight and other processes in the body.

Soybeans on your table

Now there are a lot of shops selling soy products. Even soy milk. If people knew that soya additives in your menu, consumed constantly, can provoke excess weight, obesity, inability to conceive! And these destructive processes will be difficult to stop.

The fact is that soya additives with isoflavones in the composition can significantly reduce the level of thyroid hormone T3, which affects weight control and the possibility of conception.

How do thyroid hormones interact with sex hormones?

They are in close cooperation. Thyroid hormones interact with sex hormones, improving the performance of not only the immune, but also the reproductive system.

If the genital organs work is broken, the thyroid hormones try to interact with sex hormones so that it normalizes.

In the structure of the ovaries there are receptors of thyroid hormones. And in the thyroid gland, in turn, there are receptors of those hormones that immediately respond to changes in the work of the ovaries. There's a chain for you.

If the work of organs is broken

If the thyroid gland is broken, it immediately affects the ability of a woman to conceive and bear a child, as well as the risk of developing ovarian diseases, menstrual irregularities.

When the ovaries produce less sex hormones, the thyroid gland is significantly weakened, and this threatens the risk of developing obesity - first of all, and the waist area.

If you have any suspicions that the ovaries are working poorly, check for the level of sex hormones and thyroid hormones. If the level of hormones of testosterone and estradiol, which are produced by the ovaries, is disturbed, metabolism slows down considerably.

What does it look like?

As a result, adipose tissue accumulates more and more, and muscle tissue is lost - the body becomes unattractive, flabby, with cellulite patches.

And even a decrease in the production of sex hormones means that the level of thyroid hormone production is automatically reduced and as a result - brain centers are disrupted.

Risk groups are women in the menopause and before its onset. With them, the production of sex hormones slows down with age. Men do not have such problems - their hormone production fading is very slow and gradual.

So do not be surprised when on the beach you see a man and a woman about the same age, but with varying degrees of flabbiness of the body. So laid biologically - men with age will remain better.

Stress hormone and overweight

If the body has a high level of stress hormone - cortisol, this directly affects the increase in body fat. Cortisol becomes larger with a decrease in the level of estradiol, the female hormone.

The longer a woman lives, the less her body produces estrogen. Accordingly, the level of cortisol is automatically increased, and the thyroid gland becomes weaker.

And this means that it is much harder to control your weight than in the young years, because the thyroid gland affects the amount of fat in our body.

How does cortisol work?

He has the ability to influence the behavior of a person, causing it to swing - from tearfulness to aggression (well, it's not for nothing that the stress hormone). Because of cortisol, the level of thyroid hormones is much reduced, because these hormones - T3 and T4 - are automatically converted into bound, that is, passive, that do not participate in the body.

And this causes a slowdown in metabolism and an increase in body fat.

That's why it is necessary to pass tests for hormones, as soon as you feel that you are not depressed, and this is due to a constant set of extra kilos.

Thyroid hormones and sensation of pain

In our body, there are many receptors responsible for the reaction to pain. A person can feel pain less or more, depending on the work of these receptors. For example, in some diseases (with flu, inflammation), even touching the body can cause irritability, not to mention the injections.

So: hormones of the thyroid gland are in close cooperation with the pain receptors. They can slow down or activate their work, causing the person's pain to increase or decrease.

That is why with the work of thyroid hormones bind myalgia - a strong and permanent pain in the muscles.

Thyroid hormones affect the work of the brain and the mood of a person. The brain is a machine that needs more energy than any other part of the body. He takes this energy from the cells. And thyroid hormones have the ability to affect cell membranes.

If this effect is too active, a person may experience sleep, memory, poor concentration, depressive conditions that do not go away even after taking tranquilizers.

If you find yourself showing signs of mood swings, pain, increased fat - pass tests for thyroid hormones. Their level will show what measures to take.

How does the thyroid hormone affect the work of the muscles?

Hormones of the thyroid gland take the most active part in the metabolic processes occurring in the muscle tissues. That is, directly affect the work of muscles. If hormones do not work actively, they are not enough, then muscle tissue can collapse, look unattractive. Any methods of building it - gym, steroids - will not give results.

At the same time, there is more fat in the body, they are all more difficult to burn, even under active physical exertion. To this may be added muscle pains, a bad mood (the thyroid gland affects the activity of the brain), poor sleep, decreased sexual desire.

Shchitovidki and bone tissue

If the production of thyroid hormones is slowed down or, conversely, increased, it can pour on the formation and condition of the bones. If in more detail - thyroid hormones affect how the cells of bone muscles are supplied with oxygen. If these supplies are not enough, a person may have muscle pain.

Muscles begin to work worse, get sick, quickly get tired. A person can not do anything for a long time, it irritates and gets nervous. That's what hormones of the thyroid gland are capable of.

How does thyroid hormone affect the heart? This small but important organ - the heart - suffers most from the improper functioning of the thyroid gland. It would seem, what kind of relationship can there be between them? It is, and very serious.

If thyroid hormones are produced excessively or little, the muscle fibers of the heart can be destroyed. The influx of oxygen to the muscles of the heart because of the malfunction of hormones can be weak, and then a person risks failures of the heart rhythm and other disorders of the heart. In particular, to a heart attack.

Be careful with the drugs that you are prescribed. If you take large doses of drugs aimed at improving the functioning of the thyroid gland, it can adversely affect the work of the heart.

Scientists have not yet fully studied the principle of this harmful effect, but the fact remains. Be careful when taking medicine, and do it only on the advice of a doctor.

Hormonal tests: how to properly do them?

When you pass tests, even hormonal, many of them can not give an accurate picture of the state of health. In particular, the work of the thyroid gland. But it has long been proven its important role in the accumulation of fat deposits and loss of control over weight.

When you pass tests for hormones, you can tell only about the total number of hormones - those or other. And you need to know specifically how much in the body of hormones T3 and T4 in free form.

These are the thyroid hormones that control the processes of straightening weight or losing weight, and also affect the work of the heart muscle and the strength of bone tissue.

Knowing the level of these hormones, you will be able to control your weight and other processes in the body.

Analyzes for hormones for fat women

What hormonal tests are needed for these women?

  • Thyroid hormones in free form - T3 and T4
  • Ultrasensitive MDF
  • Antimycrosomal antibodies
  • Antithyroglobulin antibodies
  • Hormone, which causes immunity to the thyroid gland

These tests do not need special time. They can be carried out on any day and time of the menstrual cycle (if you have not yet reached a period of menopause).

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]

Immunity to the effects of thyroid hormones

This exists. And for this type of non-perception of the body hormones need special tests. Namely - the analysis on tissue immunity to the work of hormones T3 and T4.

At the same time - pay attention - the level of these hormones can be within normal limits. And the temperature of the body - too. So the doctor will be able to determine the malfunction in the thyroid gland only from this analysis.

Translation Disclaimer: For the convenience of users of the iLive portal this article has been translated into the current language, but has not yet been verified by a native speaker who has the necessary qualifications for this. In this regard, we warn you that the translation of this article may be incorrect, may contain lexical, syntactic and grammatical errors.

You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.