Is loving bread a thyroid problem? Find out the 7 characteristics! Doctors: High stress and decreased metabolism may lead to hypothyroidism

Fatigue, weight gain, and cravings for sweets and bread may actually be caused by hypothyroidism! As the epidemic situation eases, people's lives are slowly returning to normal, but some people have become swollen after the epidemic, and have symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue and weakness. They are worried that they have sequelae of the new crown. After checking in the clinic, they found that they have hypothyroidism.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Dr. Zhou Jianan, who specializes in metabolism, said that when the thyroid function is low, the human body's metabolism will become very slow, and the body will not be able to burn fat normally, resulting in fat accumulation and obesity. The brain will also send out energy deficiency signals, making the individual crave sweets and bread more than usual. The calories consumed are accumulated as fat, forming a vicious cycle. Clinical manifestations such as lower limb edema, loose skin, easy hair breakage, inexplicable fatigue, and frustration and disappointment may also appear.

Everyone knows that the thyroid gland is closely related to metabolism, but how do the thyroid gland and metabolic mechanisms work? Dr. Zhou Jianan explained that metabolism is controlled by the brain. The brain detects the body's needs and instructs the thyroid gland to start working, secreting two types of thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4), and then sends T3 and T4 to all parts of the body through the blood to participate in metabolism.

When the thyroid gland is functioning poorly, the body's metabolism becomes very slow and the body cannot burn fat normally, leading to fat accumulation and obesity. At the same time, the brain sends out energy-deficient signals, causing the individual to crave sweets and bread more than usual. The calories consumed accumulate as fat, creating a vicious cycle. Clinical manifestations may also include lower limb edema, sagging skin, easy hair breakage, inexplicable fatigue, and feelings of frustration and disappointment.

Why does hypothyroidism occur?

Why do symptoms of hypothyroidism occur? Dr. Zhou Jianan explained that, generally speaking, when stress rises or when one is sick, the brain will prompt the thyroid gland to secrete more T4 and T3, allowing the body's metabolism to increase rapidly in a short period of time. However, if one is under high pressure for a long time, or if medications are used improperly, the body will produce a protective mechanism to reduce metabolism to prevent the body from overexerting. Other common causes include autoimmune diseases, insufficient iodine intake, thyroid surgery, radiation therapy, etc.

A preference for sweet bread is also a characteristic of low thyroid.

7 signs of hypothyroidism

How to confirm whether you have hypothyroidism? You can start with the clinical evaluation. The following 7 common characteristics of patients include:

1. Loose and sagging flesh all over the body.

2. Butterfly sleeves and double chin.

3. Lower limb edema.

4. The skin is loose and dull.

5. Hair breaks and falls easily.

6. Prefer sweet bread.

7. Depression and melancholy.

Dr. Zhou Jianan specifically calls for people to go to the clinic for active examinations if they find themselves experiencing related symptoms after comparing the above symptoms. Thyroid problems not only affect body weight and cause obesity, but are also a disease, and diseases require treatment. If you ignore the correction of the thyroid gland and blindly carry out diet control such as fasting, it will only increase the pressure on the body and fail to achieve the weight loss effect. Similarly, if long-term weight loss is ineffective or you gain weight repeatedly, or even if you are prone to fatigue and tiredness, it is also likely to be caused by endocrine problems. Before rushing to lose weight, you might as well confirm your physical condition and make good assessments and adjustments.

5 Tips to Improve Thyroid Imbalance

As for how to improve thyroid imbalance? Dr. Zhou Jianan provides the following 5 tips:

1. Increase insulin utilization (you can supplement with fish oil).

2. Promote metabolism and increase vitality.

3. Use iodized salt.

4. Take nutrients that support thyroid function, such as iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, tyrosine, vitamins A, C, D, E, vitamins B, and B6.

5. Avoid excessive dieting to avoid causing stress.