Exercise as it relates to Disease/The effect of hypothyroidism on exercise

What is the thyroid gland
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland located low on the inside the neck, lying just below your Adam’s apple as seen in [[Media:Thyroide.jpg|figure 1]]. It produces the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which regulate the body’s metabolism. The release of these hormones rely on and are controlled by the anterior pituitary through thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

What is hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism also known as an ‘underactive thyroid’ is when there is an insufficient secretion of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. This causes the slowing of the body’s metabolism. Hypothyroidism generally originates from sub-clinical hypothyroidism meaning a raised serum thyrotropin (TSH) but a normal triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentration.

Prevelance
The usual cause of thyroid disorders worldwide is iodine deficiency. Population samples in the USA and Europe display that in populations with high iodine, the prevalence of spontaneous hypothyroidism is between 1 and 2%, and it is more common in older women and 10 times more common in women than in men. Research in Northern Europe, Japan and the USA have found the prevalence to be between 0.6 and 12 per 1000 women and between 1.3 and 4.0 per 1000 in men examined. The prevalence is much greater in elderly in the community with hypothyroidism found in 7% of 558 subjects aged between 85 and 89 years in the Netherlands.

Risk Factors
The risk factors include; age (risk greatest after the age of 50), family history (genetics playing a big part in developing hypothyroidism), lifestyle (smoking affects thyroid function and hence greatly increases the risks of hypothyroidism. Smoking also increases hypothyroidism’s negative effects on the arteries and heart) and other conditions such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritisceliac disease, addison’s disease, down syndrome, turner syndrome, bulimia and anorexia.

Signs and symptoms


The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism can be very subtle at first but will become more noticeable as the sufferers metabolism continues to slow. The symptoms also vary from person to person and depend on the severity of the condition. Signs and symptoms may include all seen in [[Media:Hypothyroidism.svg|figure 2]] and the following:


 * Fatigue, loss of energy, lethargy
 * Weight gain
 * Decreased appetite
 * Cold intolerance
 * Dry skin
 * Hair loss
 * Sleepiness
 * Muscle pain, joint pain, weakness in the extremities
 * Depression
 * Emotional lability, mental impairment
 * Forgetfulness, impaired memory, inability to concentrate
 * Constipation
 * Menstrual disturbances, impaired fertility
 * Decreased perspiration
 * Paresthesia and nerve entrapment syndromes
 * Fullness in the throat, hoarseness
 * Decreased hearing
 * Blurred vision

Detrimental effects on exercise
The many symptoms of hypothyroidism coincide with one another, increasing the extent of one another and the effect they have on exercise.

Recommendations
One of the biggest problems with hypothyroidism is it's difficulty to diagnose. Symptoms creep in slowly and sufferers are unable to feel any sudden changes. Paying attention to the signs and symptoms and diagnosing the disease is the first and foremost important part on the road to recovery. Once diagnosed, T4 medication needs to be taken daily and regular blood tests need to be done until T3 and T4 levels become stable.

Although almost all of the symptoms affect exercise, working out is still highly recommended in combating a large majority of the symptoms. The best types of exercise include a combination of both aerobic exercise and weight training. Aerobic training is recommended for around 30 minutes per day, 4 to 5 days a week. Weight training is highly recommended as it builds up muscle mass and keeps the basal metabolism active. Starting slow is crucial and as the symptoms begin to subside more vigorous activities can be undertaken. If fatigue is viewed as a major symptom it is recommended patients use progressive relaxation training as treatment instead of exercise, at least until fatigue improves.

A specific study (Ciloglu et al., 2005) displayed that 70% intensity exercise (moderate activity) causes the most prominent changes in thyroid hormone values and is the recommended intensity to keep the thyroid at its most active.

To conclude it appears the most beneficial way to alleviate and eradicate symptoms of hypothyroidism is through a combination of thyroid medicine and healthy lifestyle choices. Exercise plays a major role in preventing hypothyroidism, prolonging the development of overt hypothyroidism in sub-clinical patients and in controlling the symptoms of overt hypothyroidism.