During physical examinations, many people show abnormal thyroid hormone secretion and thyroid function indicators, and they are becoming more and more frequent and common. What exactly is the cause of this? And what kind of effect does it have on the human body?
What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in the human endocrine system. It is regulated by the “hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis” and synthesizes and secretes thyroid hormones, which exert physiological effects on the corresponding organs of the body. Thyroid hormones have a wide range of action and are present in almost all tissues and organs of the body. The main functions of thyroid hormones are to promote growth and development, regulate the body’s metabolism and the functional activities of various organs and systems, etc. They mainly affect metabolism, development and growth, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the digestive system and other aspects.
What causes the increase of patients with thyroid disease
1, iodine-derived factors: iodine is an important substance for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, iodine deficiency may cause goiter, hypothyroidism, etc.; and excessive intake of iodine can cause iodine-derived hyperthyroidism.
2. Autoimmune factors: Toxic diffuse goiter, commonly known as hyperthyroidism in clinical practice, is the most common, and it is mainly caused by autoimmune processes and mental stimulation. Among the causes of hypothyroidism, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease that can present with hypothyroidism.
3, family genetic factors: family inherited enzyme defects can cause impaired synthesis of thyroid hormones, leading to goiter and hypothyroidism.
4. Medical factors: Surgery, radioactive iodine, and drugs for hyperthyroidism can cause hypothyroidism if not treated properly; and overdose of thyroxine can cause pharmacogenic hyperthyroidism.
5. Other factors: infection can cause acute thyroiditis, pituitary tumor can cause pituitary hyperthyroidism, and dysplasia can cause congenital abnormalities of the thyroid gland.
What are the foods with high iodine content?
70%-80% of iodine in the body is stored in the thyroid gland, which is the raw material for thyroxine synthesis. Patients with hyperthyroidism should strictly limit the intake of iodine, such as excessive intake of salt (more than 8g per day) and seafood (such as kelp, nori, sea fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, etc.), which will increase the iodine content in the body. The increase in iodine content will increase the amount of thyroxine and make it easy to aggregate, which will aggravate the existing condition and cause various complications and bring more harm to the patient. In hypothyroidism, however, the thyroid gland function is low and the ability to take in iodine is reduced, so patients do not need to restrict iodine intake as strictly as in hyperthyroidism. Of course, excessive iodine intake in a short period of time may lead to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is volatile and not easily controlled. Therefore, patients with hypothyroidism can eat a small amount of sea fish and shrimp, as long as they do not consume a large amount of seafood in a short period of time.
The iodine content of seafood is the highest, especially kelp, jellyfish, seaweed, moss and light greens, while the iodine content of most land plants is low.
What should hyperthyroidism patients pay attention to in their diet?
Hyperthyroidism is mainly characterized by agitation, irritability and insomnia, palpitations, fatigue, fear of heat, excessive sweating, emaciation, hyperphagia, increased frequency of stools or diarrhea, scanty menstruation in women, and in some cases, periodic paralysis and progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. In case of hyperthyroidism, food containing iodine, such as kelp, nori, sea fish, etc., should be prohibited; drugs containing iodine, such as amiodarone, should be prohibited. At the same time, hyperthyroidism patients are in a state of high metabolism and excessive body consumption, so they should be given enough carbohydrates in their daily diet, high protein diet, fresh fruits and foods rich in calcium and phosphorus, such as beef, milk, nuts, fish, etc., to correct the excessive body consumption and prevent osteoporosis caused by long-term hyperthyroidism.
These rumors should be viewed with evidence
Rumor 1] All thyroid nodules need surgery
Not all thyroid nodules require surgery. Thyroid nodules are generally classified as benign nodules, malignant nodules and nodules with an unclear diagnosis. The vast majority of malignant thyroid tumors require surgery, while the majority of patients with benign thyroid nodules <3cm do not require treatment and need to be followed up every 6 months.
The second rumor is that Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a disease that cannot be cured
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease that occurs in women between the ages of 30 and 50. The main manifestations of the disease are goiter, occasional mild neck discomfort and breath-holding, mostly asymptomatic, and in advanced stages, hypothyroidism may be present. Clinical treatment is mainly directed at patients with hypothyroidism and pressure symptoms of goiter, while those with goiter only and no hypothyroidism generally do not require treatment. Limiting iodine intake in a safe range can help stop the progress of autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland, so there is no need to panic.
Rumor 3] Fear of cold, sleepiness, and lack of energy must be caused by hypothyroidism
The typical hypothyroid patient is afraid of cold, weak, drowsy, memory loss, less sweating, weight gain, and constipation. However, the onset of hypothyroidism is insidious and its course is long, and many patients often have no obvious clinical manifestations and are detected only during physical examinations. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis of hypothyroidism, you need to go to the hospital to test your nail function and determine whether you have hypothyroidism based on the results of the nail function test.