Thyroid hormones are produced by the thyroid gland. These hormones thyroxine – T4 and triiodothyronine -T3 are required for normal development, growth, metabolism, cardiovascular system function, sleep, lipid metabolism and for maintaining a healthy central nervous and skeletal system.

Anything that interferes with the level of thyroid hormones can cause all sorts of problems in the body.

Hypothyroidism – Also known as an underactive thyroid gland occurs when the thyroid gland is unable to supply the body with enough thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroidism can occur in varying degrees from mild to life threatening. It can be caused because of a goiter (which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis which is classed as an autoimmune disorder, partial or complete removal of the thyroid, treatment of hyperthyroidism, or due to side effects of certain medication like amiodarone.

Some symptoms of hypothyroidism

• Fatigue
• Sluggishness
• Weight gain
• Sensitivity to cold
• Memory problems
• Depression

Treatment of hypothyroidism

• Levothyroxine: This is synthetic thyroxine – T4. It should be administered in the morning on an empty stomach, before breakfast.
• Liothyronine: This is a different structure of T3. It is usually used in addition to levothyroxine if a patient still has symptoms while on levothyroxine alone.
• Desiccated thyroid preparations: These are made from animal thyroid glands, mostly the thyroid gland of pigs.

Hyperthyroidism – This occurs due to an overactive thyroid gland causing over production of thyroid hormone.

Hyperthyroidism can be caused by:

1. Graves disease which is an autoimmune disorder which ultimately causes an over production of thyroid hormone.

Some symptoms of Graves disease are:

• Weight loss
• Anxiety
• Low tolerance to heat
• Insomnia
• Protrusion of the eyeballs
• Involuntary movement
• Increased heart rate

2. Plummer disease causes hyperthyroidism due to nodules secreting excess thyroid hormone.

3. Jod-Basedow effect is hyperthyroidism caused by sudden ingestion of a high amount of iodine or induced by drugs like amiodarone due to the drug effect and its high iodine content.

There are other causes of hyperthyroidism which are not discussed in this article.

Treatment of hyperthyroidism

• Propylthiouracil
• Methimazole
• Radioactive Iodine (RAI)
• Thyroid surgery

Overall effect of the treatments above is to reduce the production of thyroid hormone.

It is very important to keep the thyroid hormones at optimal levels in order for the body to function properly.

Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive list and is for information only. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist if you need personal treatment options or have any questions that affect you directly.