Hypothyroidism Research Paper

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The thyroid gland secretes three hormones, calcitonin, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4). These hormones are responsible for important functions that help maintain homeostasis but when hyposecretion of hormones T3 and T4 occur, the body’s metabolism is slowed, causing a condition known as hypothyroidism or myxedema (the thickening of skin and other organs associated with low serum thyroid hormone levels). According to James Norman MD, FACS, FACE, “approximately 10 million Americans have this common medical condition. In fact, as many as 10% of women may have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency and don’t know it.” Inflammation caused by the immune system causes thyroid failure, the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis, it leaves a large percentage of the cells of the thyroid damaged or dead and incapable of producing sufficient hormones.…show more content…
These signs often include: “fatigue, cold tolerance, appetite loss, weight gain, cardiovascular effects, including high blood pressure, elevated levels of total and LDL cholesterol, and increased homcysteine (a risk factor for heart disease), mental effects, including difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and loss of interest in things normally important to you, reduced sweating, which may lead to dry and flaky skin and brittle nails, thin or coarse hair, constipation, slower speech and movement, heavier and more frequent periods, or a halt in periods; infertility is sometimes a problem, muscle aches and pain around the joints, balance problems in older women.” (“Hypothyroidism”, Harvard publication,

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