8 Myths About Hypothyroidism That Should Be Debunked For Good

Thyroid is a serious condition which could affect many people. People having thyroid could possibly have increased or decreased weight depending on the type of thyroid they have. Hypothyroidism could be one of the leading factors which could affect many other functions in the body. Thyroid condition occurs when thyroid glands stop producing hormones which regulate calories and stores energy in the body. People still have many misconceptions about thyroid which are important to be busted in order to maintain positive health.

Misconceptions about Hypothyroidism

1. If you develop hypothyroidism, symptoms will be evident

This statement is not true, people having hypothyroid may not be able to determine the symptoms for underactive thyroid.  There may be misconceptions in people mind that in every thyroid condition, the person notices the problem and difficulty a person faces. Symptoms of hypothyroidism are so common that it may be mistaken for some other issues. Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, joint pain, constipation, fatigue, dry skin and muscle pain, etc.

2. Surgery is the only option for treatment

Surgery is always considered the last option for treating any particular problem. This may be associated with the tendency and risk of operations. Medications are quite effective for thyroid and in most of the cases people reduce their thyroid problem. Taking regular medication including synthetic hormone can be beneficial to replace thyroid hormone that your body goes through. After a few weeks, you may notice control over your thyroid and if you continue your medication, then the dose might also decrease.

3. Hypothyroidism won’t affect your heart

Hypothyroidism may not be directly affecting your heart, but thyroid does cause low blood pressure and high cholesterol levels that leads to heart attack and cardiovascular problems. Thyroid hormones can actually affect your cardiovascular health and it could create many complications. Therefore being in the notion that hypothyroidism won’t affect your heart is very wrong. 

4. Hypothyroidism affected people should not eat soya

Many people believe that eating soya could be very harmful for the health of people suffering from thyroid. It is true to the level that excessive eating of soya could be harmful but that should not be avoided. Soya has the ability to absorb hormones replacement medication and thus having it in more than necessary amount could lead you to several problems. This does not mean you should not have it, eat it in moderation such that it does not affect your health and the iodine levels are maintained. 

5. Having thyroid means having many prominent side effects

Thyroid does have its problems but there aren’t problems that could lead you to complications majorly. Suffering from hypothyroidism could be controlled and maintained in such a way that it reduces its effect and medications are quite effective against it. You may have increased appetite, heart palpitations or insomnia. With the help of regular medication that are prescribed by the doctor, you may not have any significant problems.

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6. Only women develop Hypothyroidism

There is a misconception about hypothyroidism that only women are affected by this disease. The truth is that both males and females can be affected by hypothyroidism but women are more vulnerable to this condition. However this is mostly true to women over 60 years of age. Those people that are more likely to have underactive thyroid could possibly result to complication which may be evident in women more often.

7. Broccoli is highly dangerous for underactive thyroid

People having thyroid should not stay away from broccoli just because many people believe it to be so. This myth is just like not having soya, excessive of broccoli could be dangerous but having it in limited amount won’t affect your health. Likewise there are many other vegetables that are said to be restricted during thyroid but are actually not that harmful. It should be avoided because it contains a substance called glucosinolate that interferes with thyroid function. Try cooking them instead of eating them raw.

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8. Thyroid hormone medication should not be taken in case of pregnancy

This is a very false belief that pregnant women cannot take medications involving thyroid hormones. It could be very problematic because thyroxine replaces T4 that does not affect the baby. This has been verified by many studies and experiments. However you must get your thyroid checked every 6-8 months in order to regulate and prevent complications. Another preventive measure you need to take is to take medications within time.

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