Could It Be Your Thyroid?

I’ve had several friends develop thyroid issues in the last few years. Specifically hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. Today we will delve into why we should all be aware of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid, how to support our thyroid, and how to advocate for ourselves with our healthcare providers.

First, a brief overview: our thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland on the front of the neck. It’s a major player in our endocrine system (which rules all of our hormones).

Specifically, the Thyroid is responsible for:

• Metabolism
  • The process of converting food into energy.
• Body Temperature
  • You’ll recall that the hypothalamus is your body’s thermostat, and we can think of the thyroid as the heating/air conditioning unit.
  • If you’re cold, the thyroid increases metabolism to heat up the body.
  • If you’re hot, the thyroid slows down metabolism to cool the body.
• Heart rate
• Growth and Development

The Missing Link Between Menopause and Thyroid Malfunction

Let’s break down some facts about Thyroid dysfunction in Women:

• Women are 5 to 8 times more likely to develop hypothyroidism than men.
• We all know that menopause causes our estrogen to plummet, AND our thyroid does contain estrogen receptors.
• An estimated 26% of perimenopausal women are diagnosed with hypothyroidism (Massoudi, et al., 1995)
• Between 12-20% of women in their 60’s develop hypothyroidism (Gilbert, 2023).

Despite these statistics, there is limited research to support a direct link between menopause and hypothyroidism. Now, let’s be very clear about the fact that the results from clinical research form the basis of medical protocols. Therefore, we should be asking this question:

Excuse me, Researchers, can you please get on this?

Symptoms of Hypothyroid Disorder

• Increased Sensitivity to Cold
• Increase in Body Fat
• Persistent Fatigue
• Poor Memory
• Weakness in Muscles and/or Joints
• Depression and Sadness
• Dry Skin
• Thinning Hair
• Hoarse Voice

We can see that many of the symptoms of Menopause overlap with symptoms of Hypothyroidism. We have a bit of a “chicken or the egg” scenario here:

• Are the symptoms you’re experiencing due to Menopause or Thyroid malfuction?
• Or BOTH?
• Could Menopause be causing your Thyroid function to diminish?
• Could diminishing Thyroid function cause your Menopause symptoms to increase?

Advocating For Yourself with Your Healthcare Provider

The overlapping symptoms of menopause and hypothyroidism combined with the high incidence of hypothyroidism in middle-aged women should lead us all to get our thyroid checked out:

• A simple TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) blood test is a great place to start.
• If your TSH is off, then you can follow up with a full Thyroid Screening Blood Panel, which will provide excellent insight into what’s going on.

Seems simple, right? Umm, not exactly. Thyroid screening is not always included in your regular blood work . . . which you’re getting yearly . . . Right?? (hint-hint). You may have to request it. Once requested, it can be easily included, and the cost is generally covered as part of your preventative care if you’re doing this at your annual exam. Therefore, the first step in advocating for yourself, is to ask if a thyroid screening or panel is included in the ordered blood work.

Be prepared for this all-too-familiar roadblock you may run into: Your doctor may ask if you’re having symptoms. You list those symptoms, and your doctor may say . . . “Oh, that’s just menopause”. (insert my exaggerated eye roll here). If you encounter this roadblock, PLEASE advocate for yourself and respond:

“Yes, Dr. So and So, I am aware that I am experiencing menopausal symptoms, however many menopausal and thyroid symptoms overlap AND 25% of women in my phase of life experience hypothyroidism, so I would like to check if a dysfunctioning thyroid is contributing to my myriad of symptoms.”

Friends, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – It’s not that these healthcare providers are bad people, it’s just that they may not have actively sought the continuing education that is essential in providing excellent care to women our age. And remember what I wrote above . . . there is a lack of clinical research to show a direct correlation or connection between menopause and thyroid dysfunction. And I’m gonna say it again for the people in the back:

The results from clinical research form the foundation for developing new medical protocols.

Friends, I want you to be well, feel well, and have all the information about what’s going on in your body. If you have ANY questions for me, please reach out to me in the comments or via email. I’m here to help!

Have a wonderful day, and I’ll see you back here on Friday!

Resources:

Gilbert, J. (2023, May). Thyroid and menopause article. British Thyroid Foundation. https://www.btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-and-menopause-article

Massoudi, M.S., et al. (1995). Prevalence of thyroid antibodies amonth healthy mniddle-aged women. Findings from the thyroid study in healthy women. Ann Epidemiol, 5 (3), 229-233.