What You Need to Know About Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s disease affects the thyroid gland leading to a decrease in thyroid hormone. Find out the symptoms and who this disease affects most.
What is Hashimoto’s Disease?
Hashimoto’s disease, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is a thyroid autoimmune disorder often triggered by genetic or environmental factors. Immune cells in the body mistakenly produce antibodies to attack and destroy healthy, hormone-producing thyroid cells. As a result, patients with Hashimoto’s often experience hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid does not create and release enough thyroid hormone into the bloodstream.
Since thyroid hormone regulates metabolism, hypothyroidism decreases the rate at which the body uses energy. Many of the body’s essential functions slow down, causing symptoms such as fatigue or decreased heart rate.
Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (Hypothyroidism)
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Increased sleepiness
- Muscle weakness or aches
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Dry skin
- Intolerance to cold
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering
- Depression
- Irregular menstrual cycles
Who is Affected by Hashimoto’s Disease?
Like many other diseases, genetics and environmental factors influence the risk of developing Hashimoto’s disease.
Risk Factors for Hashimoto’s Disease
- Autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type I diabetes).
- Relatives with Hashimoto’s.
- Middle aged women (around 40 to 60 years old).
- Excessive iodine intake.
- Radiation exposure.
Hashimoto’s disease has the unique propensity to primarily present in middle-aged women. Scientists have not yet determined why Hashimoto’s is most common for this group, but hypothesize it has to do with fluctuating amounts of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones can stimulate immune cell maturation and activate autoimmune responses, such as those involved in Hashimoto’s.
Specifically, women can develop postpartum thyroiditis, a thyroid autoimmune disorder similar to Hashimoto’s, after giving birth. While estrogen and progesterone levels stay high during pregnancy and suppress the autoimmune response, the sudden drop in hormone levels after giving birth disinhibits the response and can trigger conditions such as postpartum thyroiditis.
Living with Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto’s disease is one of the most common thyroid disorders in the United States. Luckily, it is rarely life-threatening unless left untreated for a significant amount of time.
Treatments for Hashimoto’s Disease
People living with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis often undergo hormone replacement therapy, where they ingest synthetic forms of thyroid hormone, such as levothyroxine pills. However, modifying diet and lifestyle can also help prevent inflammation and alleviate Hashimoto’s symptoms.
Since Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder, it can trigger excessive inflammation in the body. Inflammation refers to the body’s general response towards infection or injury, and is a necessary component of the immune response. However, chronic or excessive inflammation causes immune cells to start attacking healthy tissue, which can cause symptoms such as fatigue or weight gain.
Therefore, those with Hashimoto’s disease should aim to cut down on carbohydrate, gluten, and dairy rich foods while maximizing the amount of nutrient dense foods in their diet. It is also important for Hashimoto’s patients to get enough sleep and minimize stress, which can reduce thyroid antibodies and promote mental health.
Conclusion
While every individual responds differently to medication and lifestyle changes, those living with Hashimoto’s disease can still lead a happy, relatively normal life by working with their healthcare providers and addressing their specific needs.
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