Hypothyroidism is a disease wherein the thyroid glands makes inadequate amount of thyroid hormones, namely thyroxin and triiodiothyrorine. Thyroid hormones are very important as they perform on nearly every cell in the body, specifically for metabolism purposes. Therefore individuals who have an under active thyroid are apt to have a decreased process in the several systems of the body. The various symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, goiter, low heart rate (bradycardia), depression, muscle cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, decreased sweating, osteoporosis, and many more.

An under active thyroid can be brought on by iodine deficiency or exposure to Iodine-131, a radioactive isotope of iodine that damages the thyroid. It can also be due to the genetic autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Yet another cause is lymphocytic thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland that causes an overproduction of thyroid hormones, accompanied by a phase of hypothyroidism. Furthermore, remedies for hyperthyroidism can also cause hypothyroidism.

There are also many types of hypothyroidism. At times the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus is not capable of inducing the thyroid gland to make adequate thyroid hormones even though the thyroid gland itself is normal. This disorder is called secondary hypothyroidism and tertiary hypothyroidism, respectively. Meanwhile, subclinical hypothyroidism refers to the condition where there is a reduced serum TSH levels, indicating hypothyroidism, but have standard levels of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone deficiency can also happen during birth which is called congenital hypothyroidism. When left unattended, this may result in growth failure and mental retardation. Hypothyroidism is also a typical condition among domestic dogs.

The treatment method for this disease is a long term treatment of synthetic levothyroxine (T4). It is ingested in once a day dosage, though it calls for greater doses for children. People who have a history of heart disease and even those who are diagnosed of being at high risk are not recommended for this medication as it can worsen their heart condition. The medication needs to be regularly checked if the correct quantity of thyroid is taken. Too much thyroid medication can be be extremely dangerous as it could result in heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, and can contribute to osteoporosis.