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All of us know someone who has suddenly…

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• Put on 10-20 pounds without changing their diet or lifestyle drastically within a span of weeks or a few months.

• Lost a lot of weight suddenly and unexpectedly without trying, and is worried about it.

• Experienced a huge change in their appetite, and have either started eating a lot or eating very little, all of a sudden.

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The reason this is so common is that it affects at least 10% of all Canadians, as per thyroid dysfunction statistics. Women are at higher risk, with one in eight women experiencing some kind of thyroid dysfunction during their lifetime.

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Thyroid diseases become more common with age, so preventive care is a much preferable option. As these issues cannot be cured (but are easy to manage with medical intervention), preventive measures should be adopted early. Some basic principles of naturopathy and ensuring timely intervention may help prepare your body as you grow older.

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These symptoms are sometimes accompanied by increased stress levels, although not everyone experiences that. Thyroid issues like hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are caused by the lack or excess of the hormone thyroid in the body. The hormone is released by a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland at the base of your neck, also called the thyroid.

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Responsible for regulating your metabolism and heart rate and influencing the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis that determines stress resilience, the thyroid gland needs to secrete its hormones (thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and calcitonin) at a certain pace.

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An underactive thyroid or an overactive thyroid leads to thyroid conditions that might require a visit to a naturopath or another primary healthcare practitioner. You can check out the checklists below to understand the symptoms to see if naturopathic treatment and medicines might be a good fit for you.

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One thing worth mentioning here is that although there are options like thyroid replacement therapy, they often involve the usage of pharmaceutical products that can also have their own side effects. Whether you want to be treated with herbal medicine and other naturopathic supplements (herbs can reverse thyroid dysfunction) or with thyroid replacement therapy (more on that later!), the good thing is that there are options available for everyone.

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What is Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)?

One way of remembering what hyperthyroidism refers to is to focus on the first portion of the word, i.e., hyper. Hyper individuals are overactive. They do too much. So hyperthyroidism is when your thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine. It’s called having an overactive thyroid.

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Easy enough? Now, remember the three hormones we mentioned before? Thyroxine and triiodothyronine affect every cell in your body because they maintain body temperature and the pace at which the body processes fats and carbohydrates and produces proteins. Calcitonin regulates calcium levels in the blood.

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A misbalance in these processes because of an overactive thyroid can affect the overall functioning of your body.

Supporting thyroid function is crucial, especially because thyroid disorders can impact your mental health as well.

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Causes

The causes of hyperthyroidism are a bit complex, so let’s break it down:

The overproduction of thyroid hormones by the entire gland is called Graves’ disease and is the primary cause of hyperthyroidism. This cause of hyperthyroidism is responsible for 70% of cases and is frequently passed down the family tree. Antibodies residing in the blood overstimulate the thyroid gland, leading to excessive secretions. Graves’ disease requires autoimmune disorder treatment.

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Lumps or nodules can also cause hyperthyroidism in the thyroid gland. If these grow, the thyroid secretions in the blood increase. This is called a nodular or multinodular goitre.

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A third cause is a temporary condition called thyroiditis. When the immune system is compromised, or a viral infection attacks your body — the thyroid gland gets inflamed and leaks stored hormone. The thyroid gland, in this case, is not overactive or compromised, but when a viral infection attacks your body (the thyroid per se), then there is excessive thyroid in the blood at that time.

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Imagine a garden hose. Either the hose is working with excess force, or it’s working with the force it usually works at, but it’s leaking from somewhere. In both cases, you may be diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Another cause is insufficient or excess amounts of iodine consumption. Salt helps produce thyroid hormones, and not regulating iodine intake can cause overactivity of the gland.

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Lifestyle choices such as smoking, environmental factors such as exposure to heavy metals, and misuse of thyroid medication can also be possible causes.

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Naturopathic treatment can help alleviate some of the imbalances stemming from an overactive thyroid. With a massive list of symptoms, there might be some anxiety about how you should treat your hyperthyroidism condition, but don’t get overwhelmed — a consultation with your GP or naturopathic doctor can provide you with more insight into the cause and the treatment plan.

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Symptoms

• Weight loss despite an increase or no change in appetite and food consumption

• Rapid heartbeat, i.e., tachycardia (more than 100 beats per minute) or irregular heartbeat, i.e., arrhythmia

• Pounding of the heart

• Nervousness, anxiety, and irritability

• Irregularity in menstrual patterns

• Increased sensitivity to heat

• Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements

• Swelling at the base of the neck in the case of goitre

• Fatigue and muscle weakness

• Thinning of hair and skin

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