Common Causes of Thyroid Weight Gain
Thyroid problems and weight gain seem to go hand in hand and thyroid weight gain can be hugely frustrating to those sufferers experiencing it.
Some who were overweight before being diagnosed with an under active thyroid may have been told by their doctor that, once on the hormone replacement treatment, the excess weight would start to disappear.
All too often, however, this doesn't happen.
An inactive thyroid (hypo thyroid) can be treated with medications and normal thyroid hormone levels restored with various methods of thyroid replacement therapy.
This doesn't guarantee, however, that even reestablishing normal thyroid levels will allow the patient to shed excess weight or not gain even more.
Here are some reasons why.
METABOLIC RESISTENCE It has been postulated that every person has what's called a weight 'set point'.
Just as one's body works to maintain a set temperature (approximately 98.
6 F), it also tries to maintain a set weight.
If you take in more calories than you're able to normally burn off your metabolism speeds up, your appetite lessens and weight loss occurs.
This is called metabolic resistance.
The theory states that people who have a chronic weight problem develop weakened metabolic resistance from continually providing more caloric intake than can be handled.
This, in turn, causes the body to develop a new, higher 'weight set point', allowing for additional weight gain.
A key factor in strengthening metabolic resistance and speeding up the metabolism is to embark on a regular exercise program.
BRAIN CHEMISTRY The hypothalamus, located in the brain, sends out neurotransmitters to the body telling it when you need to eat.
When it sends out the neuropeptide Y (NPY), for example, it's telling the body it needs carbohydrates, which you experience as feelings of hunger.
Once it senses you've eaten enough, it sends out seratonin which tells the body it's consumed enough for now.
But for those with thyroid disease, the metabolism has slowed to such an extent that it can't process as much food as the brain thinks it needs.
This leads to weight gain.
Any disease causes the body to come under stress and stress can hinder neurotransmitter function and reduce the amount of seratonin released.
This means, even though you've eaten enough food you may not feel full, causing you to overeat.
This, obviously, can cause thyroid weight gain.
Thyroid weight gain is common in menopausal women as changes in hormone levels alter body chemistry.
Natural thyroid replacement, including natural thyroid supplements and natural cures for thyroid problems are readily available and easily found.
This is a problem that can be fixed.
Some who were overweight before being diagnosed with an under active thyroid may have been told by their doctor that, once on the hormone replacement treatment, the excess weight would start to disappear.
All too often, however, this doesn't happen.
An inactive thyroid (hypo thyroid) can be treated with medications and normal thyroid hormone levels restored with various methods of thyroid replacement therapy.
This doesn't guarantee, however, that even reestablishing normal thyroid levels will allow the patient to shed excess weight or not gain even more.
Here are some reasons why.
METABOLIC RESISTENCE It has been postulated that every person has what's called a weight 'set point'.
Just as one's body works to maintain a set temperature (approximately 98.
6 F), it also tries to maintain a set weight.
If you take in more calories than you're able to normally burn off your metabolism speeds up, your appetite lessens and weight loss occurs.
This is called metabolic resistance.
The theory states that people who have a chronic weight problem develop weakened metabolic resistance from continually providing more caloric intake than can be handled.
This, in turn, causes the body to develop a new, higher 'weight set point', allowing for additional weight gain.
A key factor in strengthening metabolic resistance and speeding up the metabolism is to embark on a regular exercise program.
BRAIN CHEMISTRY The hypothalamus, located in the brain, sends out neurotransmitters to the body telling it when you need to eat.
When it sends out the neuropeptide Y (NPY), for example, it's telling the body it needs carbohydrates, which you experience as feelings of hunger.
Once it senses you've eaten enough, it sends out seratonin which tells the body it's consumed enough for now.
But for those with thyroid disease, the metabolism has slowed to such an extent that it can't process as much food as the brain thinks it needs.
This leads to weight gain.
Any disease causes the body to come under stress and stress can hinder neurotransmitter function and reduce the amount of seratonin released.
This means, even though you've eaten enough food you may not feel full, causing you to overeat.
This, obviously, can cause thyroid weight gain.
Thyroid weight gain is common in menopausal women as changes in hormone levels alter body chemistry.
Natural thyroid replacement, including natural thyroid supplements and natural cures for thyroid problems are readily available and easily found.
This is a problem that can be fixed.
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