{"id":488,"date":"2026-03-13T08:33:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T08:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/about-hypothyroidism\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T12:20:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T12:20:44","slug":"about-hypothyroidism","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/about-hypothyroidism\/","title":{"rendered":"About hypothyroidism"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lazyblock-health-block-eK8re wp-block-lazyblock-health-block\"><div class=\"heading-detail\">\n      <p>The thyroid.<\/p>\n<h1>About hypothyroidism<\/h1>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"detail\">\n  <div class=\"detail-heading\">\n          <p>Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, is a common condition.\u00b9 It is caused when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. This under-production of hormones slows down the body\u2019s metabolism, often leaving patients feeling cold, tired and depressed.\u00b2 If you suffer from hypothyroidism then you are also likely to notice you have gained weight, without eating more or you have increased difficulties to losing weight.\u00b9<\/p>      <\/div>\n  \n<div class=\"parent\">\n\t<div class=\"share-wrapper mb\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"social-container\" id=\"socialBox\">\n\n\t\t\t<a id=\"facebookShare\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/facebook-share.svg\" alt=\"Facebook\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<a id=\"linkedinShare\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/linkedin-share.svg\" alt=\"LinkedIn\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<a id=\"whatsappShare\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/whatsapp-share.svg\" alt=\"WhatsApp\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<a id=\"emailShare\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/email-share.svg\" alt=\"Email\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" id=\"copyLink\" data-copied=\"Link copied!\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/link-share.svg\" alt=\"Copy Link\">\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"share-btn\" id=\"shareBtn\">\n\t\t\t<span>Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"share-btn-detail-page\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/share-icon.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n      <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-398\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Hypothyroidism-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Hypothyroidism-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Hypothyroidism-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Hypothyroidism.webp 966w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Key symptoms of hypothyroidism<\/h3>\n<p>The symptoms of hypothyroidism are nonspecific.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms include e.g.:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fatigue\/drowsiness<\/li>\n<li>Cold intolerance<\/li>\n<li>Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight (despite a sensible diet and exercise)<\/li>\n<li>Depression<\/li>\n<li>Constipation<\/li>\n<li>Abnormal menstrual periods or fertility problems<\/li>\n<li>Joint or muscle problems<\/li>\n<li>Thin and brittle hair and fingernails, and\/or dry flaky skin<\/li>\n<li>Decreased libido<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If left untreated, hypothyroidism can cause more serious complications and even become life-threatening. Severe complications of hypothyroidism include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Slip into a coma\u00b9<\/li>\n<li>Heart failure\u00b9<\/li>\n<li>Severe life-threatening depression\u00b9<\/li>\n<li>An increased risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease in women\u2075<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Who is at risk?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Women are generally more prone to developing hypothyroidism, especially during pregnancy, after giving birth and around the menopause\u2076<\/li>\n<li>The elderly generation\u2076<\/li>\n<li>People who have relatives with autoimmune disorders\u2076<\/li>\n<li>People with autoimmune diseases e.g., type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis\u2076<\/li>\n<li>People with manic depression\u2076<\/li>\n<li>White and Asian populations\u2076<\/li>\n<li>Patients who have undergone radioactive iodine treatment, radiation therapy to the neck and upper chest\u2076<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Diagnosing thyroid dysfunction<\/h3>\n<p>Many people remain undiagnosed with thyroid problems and suffer for a long time as their symptoms are confused with those of other conditions, such as depression or weight gain.\u2076 Thyroid dysfunction can be confirmed by your doctor through a simple blood test.\u2076<\/p>\n<p>If you are concerned that you could be suffering from problems with your thyroid gland, please discuss this with your doctor. To aid your consultation,\u00a0try our short thyroid disorders\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thyroidaware.com\/en\/symptom-checker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">symptom checker<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>How hypothyroidism is treated<\/h3>\n<p>Treatment for thyroid dysfunction is straightforward, well-established, and highly effective.\u2076 As there is no cure for hypothyroidism, the aim of treatment is to replace the missing thyroid hormones in the body.\u2076 Appropriate medication, taken daily, should enable patients to live a symptom-free life.\u2076<\/p>\n<p>If you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, it is important to remember that treatment is a lifelong commitment and medication has to be taken every day, even when your symptoms are under control.\u2076 This may seem a bit daunting, but by taking control of your condition and complying with your medication you should be able to remain symptom-free.\u2076 It is advisable to see your doctor more frequently if any changes in your condition occur.<\/p>\n<h3>How thyroid hormones impact your heart<\/h3>\n<p>The heart is a major target of thyroid hormones.<\/p>\n<p>Too little thyroid hormone as a consequence of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) may cause:\u2077<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (\u201cbad\u201d) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides<\/li>\n<li>Higher blood pressure<\/li>\n<li>Low heart rate (less than 60 beats per minute)<\/li>\n<li>Increased stiffness of the walls of the blood vessels<\/li>\n<li>Increased strain on the heart<\/li>\n<li>Enlargement of the heart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Even mild hypothyroidism worsens heart disease<\/h3>\n<p>Mild hypothyroidism affects 4\u201320% of the population and is more common in women than in men.\u2078 Older people are more likely to suffer from a slightly underactive thyroid gland.\u2076 If you have both heart disease and a slightly underactive thyroid then it is vital that your thyroid is returned to normal function.\u2077<\/p>  \n\n      <div class=\"reference-toggle\">\n      <div class=\"ref-header1\" id=\"refToggle\">\n        <span>References<\/span>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"refimg\" id=\"refIcon\" src=\"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/thyroidaware\/images\/ref-close.webp\" alt=\"\">\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"ref-content\" id=\"refContent\">\n        <ul>\n<li>Hypothyroidism: too little thyroid hormone. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.endocrineweb.com\/conditions\/thyroid\/hypothyroidism-too-little-thyroid-hormone\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.endocrineweb.com\/conditions\/thyroid\/hypothyroidism-too-little-thyroid-hormone<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>American Thyroid Association. Hypothyroidism.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/Hypo_brochure.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/Hypo_brochure.pdf<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>British Thyroid Foundation. Psychological symptoms and thyroid disorders. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.btf-thyroid.org\/information\/leaflets\/37-psychological-symptoms-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.btf-thyroid.org\/information\/leaflets\/37-psychological-symptoms-guide<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Poppe K, Velkeniers B, Glinoer D. The role of thyroid autoimmunity in fertility and pregnancy. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab 2008; 4: 394\u2013405<\/li>\n<li>Tan ZS, Beiser A, Vasan RS et al. Thyroid function and the risk of Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Study. Arch Intern Med 2008; 168: 1514\u20131520<\/li>\n<li>American Thyroid Association. Hypothyroidism. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/Hypothyroidism_web_booklet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.thyroid.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/patients\/brochures\/Hypothyroidism_web_booklet.pdf<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Hormone Health Network. Hypothyroidism and heart disease. Available at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hormone.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/hypothyroidism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.hormone.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/hypothyroidism<\/a>. Last accessed February 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Razvi S, Weaver JU, Pearce SH. Subclinical thyroid disorders: significance and clinical impact. J Clin Pathol 2010; 63: 379\u2013386<\/li>\n<li>Iervasi G, Molinaro S, Landi P et al. Association between increased mortality and mild thyroid dysfunction in cardiac patients. Arch Intern Med 2007; 167: 1526\u20131532<\/li>\n<\/ul>      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n      <h4>GL-NONE-00212<\/h4>\n<h4>Date of Prep: February 2025<\/h4>  \n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/page-health.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-488","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=488"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4704,"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/488\/revisions\/4704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thyroidaware.azinova.uk\/en-ae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}