Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce a sufficient amount of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located near the windpipe. that wraps around the windpipe. The thyroid takes in iodine, such as iodine found in iodized table salt, and converts it into thyroid hormones with the help of an amino acid.
When the thyroid gland releases T3 and T4 into the bloodstream, these hormones assist your bodies cells to convert calories into energy. The thyroid gland helps regulate many important body functions including the heart rate, metabolism, and blood pressure. If the thyroid is not producing and distributing enough of these hormones, hypothyroidism symptoms appear.
These symptoms are related to the body functions the thyroid helps support. A person may feel fatigue, be constipated, feel cold more often, have dry skin, have brittle hair, or lose their sexual desire. The symptoms appear gradually, and many people do not notice them at first.
Many people with mild hypothyroidism go undiagnosed for years. Tests for this condition are not routinely done except on pregnant women and elderly women, who have a greater than average risk of developing this condition. In pregnant women, hypothyroidism is typically temporary. All ages of men and women may develop this condition, although it is far more prevalent in women.
Vitamin C, also involved in the formation of red blood cells, promotes iron absorption, increases resistance to infection and is an antioxidant or anti-aging.
