8 DEADLY Thyroid Signs (NEVER IGNORE)

[00:00:00]This sign means your thyroid is calling for help. What are the eight warning signs that you might have hormonal disorders?

[00:00:09]Changes in the thyroid can cause hormonal disorders leading to signs and symptoms in your body. So, let's start with the signs and symptoms. Then I'll tell you about lab values, when you should be concerned, and when something might be normal or just a temporary change, for example, which is a very common question. All right, what are the eight warning signs and symptoms?

[00:00:33]The first sign I want to highlight here is changes in your heartbeat. And when I'm talking about thyroid disorders, I'll always mention both the excess production of hormones, too much hormone, which is called hyperthyroidism, but also the more common disorder when the thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, which is called hypothyroidism. So, changes in heartbeat when the thyroid starts producing fewer hormones, our heart also has sensors for these hormones and is influenced by the thyroid as well. Did you know that?

[00:01:07]So, when we have less hormone, what can happen is that the heart beats more slowly. This is called bradycardia.

[00:01:17]Heart beats slower than 60 per minute.

[00:01:20]This is a major warning sign because it can have serious consequences. It's a danger sign. Remember that in many cases, people can have heart beats lower than 60 per minute and still be perfectly normal.

[00:01:34]For example, athletes. I have a patient who's a soccer player, so he runs a lot, several kilometers a day. And often when he comes to the office, his heart rate is 52 beats per minute, 55 at rest. So, it's not always going to be a disease, but if you're not a high-level athlete, you know, if you don't need to do a lot of physical effort, then yes, that's a big warning sign, okay? Heart rates lower than 60, make a note of that. And on the other hand, we also have the heart beating very fast. This happens in hyperthyroidism, when there are too many hormones.

[00:02:11]The heart is also affected and starts beating faster.

[00:02:16]That's what we call tachycardia. Heart rates higher than 100 beats per minute.

[00:02:22]This is also a big warning sign.

[00:02:25]Just like I said that bradycardia could be normal in that case of the soccer player I just mentioned, tachycardia, when the heart is beating too fast, you always need to investigate why it's happening, okay?

[00:02:38]Even for someone who is sedentary, for example, you need to investigate why the heart is beating faster. And one of the main causes is an excess of thyroid hormone, in this case, hyperthyroidism.

[00:02:51]So, it's a warning sign. It can have serious consequences, which I'll explain more about in this video. The second sign I want you to pay attention to, and this one many times is what makes people seek help. Look, a major warning sign, especially for men, is changes in libido. Other hormonal changes, like with testosterone, for example, hypothyroidism can lead to low testosterone in men. So, many times the person comes in saying they're feeling unmotivated, have low libido, and reduced muscle mass, when in reality it's a thyroid problem causing all of this.

[00:03:29]So, when someone complains about changes in libido, you have to check how their thyroid is doing.

[00:03:36]And in women, it can also cause this decrease in libido and changes in other hormones, like estrogen, progesterone, and even menstrual cycle changes.

[00:03:48]Many times women will stop menstruating or have irregular periods because of thyroid issues. Did you know that?

[00:03:56]Probably not. And why does this happen?

[00:03:58]When we have a change in thyroid hormones, often our hypothalamus will try to produce a hormone to stimulate this, to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more TSH. I know this is pretty complicated, but there are a lot of people who like to have this deeper understanding. And in this effort to get the thyroid to produce more TSH, it also ends up stimulating the production of another hormone called prolactin. So, changes in thyroid hormones can lead to an increase in prolactin, and prolactin can also inhibit two other hormones, FSH, which is the follicle-stimulating hormone, and LH, which is the luteinizing hormone, which also stimulates the production of hormones like testosterone.

[00:04:41]So, in women, this imbalance can occur.

[00:04:44]It can disrupt a menstrual cycle and cause a drop in these hormones. And in men, it shows up as a decrease in hormones like testosterone. So, changes in libido.

[00:04:56]Well, I know this part got a bit complicated, but I'm going to tell you about a sign that's really easy to notice. A lot of times, that's what makes people seek help, the change in these hormones.

[00:05:07]Why? I have patients who come to me already using testosterone as part of hormone replacement therapy, but they don't even need it because the problem is somewhere else. It's in the thyroid.

[00:05:19]So, you have to evaluate the thyroid issue as well. In this case, taking hormones won't help because the problem is somewhere else. So, that's a big warning sign.

[00:05:29]The third warning sign, and this one is also often overlooked, is when the thyroid increases in size. What is this called?

[00:05:38]It's called a goiter. Have you ever heard that word?

[00:05:41]So, it's called an enlargement of the thyroid. It starts to grow. It starts to get big. But why is this a warning sign?

[00:05:48]Because sometimes this growth of the thyroid doesn't go outward. It doesn't become that big enlarged thyroid that everyone notices, but it can grow inward. We call this a substernal goiter where it expands and grows inward.

[00:06:03]And this sign often shows up as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, because it can compress the trachea which carries air to the lungs.

[00:06:13]This goiter or enlarged thyroid can also show up as difficulty swallowing. And often this difficulty swallowing, this dysphagia, will start with more solid foods, larger pieces of food. For example, eating barbecue, eating meat.

[00:06:29]And as the thyroid keeps growing, this problem gets worse. So, yes, this is a major warning sign.

[00:06:36]And many people are curious, why does the thyroid get bigger in some disorders? Why does our body try to compensate for this? Since it can't produce hormones at that size, often the body stimulates its growth to see if by getting bigger and increasing TSH, the hormone that stimulates the thyroid, it will be able to produce more. And in the case of hyperthyroidism, most of the time we have an autoantibody called TR Ab. Have you ever heard of it? Let me explain to you what it means.

[00:07:07]This autoantibody, your own body starts producing antibodies against the thyroid.

[00:07:12]It goes there, binds to it, and starts stimulating the thyroid in an unregulated, uncontrolled way. It starts overstimulating the thyroid. And since it's overproducing, this can also cause it to increase in size. So, there are several causes. Now you're starting to understand more.

[00:07:29]In this video, I'm taking the opportunity to go deeper into these topics. So, thyroid increase in size, that's a warning sign. You have to investigate thyroid function.

[00:07:40]Remember that in some cases, there are people who have a genetic alteration which causes the thyroid to increase in size, okay? So, there's that side of it, too. I always mention a few exceptions because a lot of people are watching and say, "But I don't have any hormone problems and my thyroid still grew." So, there's this genetic alteration. But many times, the diagnosis is made by evaluating the hormones, and we can understand why it's increasing in size.

[00:08:08]Sign number four is changes in the intestines, a major warning sign and danger signal. And I'm going to mention diarrhea here. Why?

[00:08:16]Our gastrointestinal tract, our intestines, also have receptors for thyroid hormones.

[00:08:23]And when we have too many hormones, the intestines will work faster. So, diarrhea can cause changes in the absorption of various nutrients. It can have serious consequences for the person, and it can lead to dehydration.

[00:08:39]You should also compare this to your usual pattern.

[00:08:42]You used to go to the bathroom to have a bowel movement once a day, and now you're going three, four times? Whoa, you need to check your thyroid. Often, the problem isn't directly in the intestines, but rather with the thyroid hormones. And on the other end, we can have constipation.

[00:09:00]Just like it can stimulate more, when we don't have this hormone at adequate levels, it can cause constipation. So, always compare with your usual pattern and check your thyroid. So, while we also think about intestinal problems, evaluating the thyroid is simple to do and doesn't pose any risk to patients.

[00:09:20]So, you also need to check the thyroid when it comes to changes in bowel movements, whether it's diarrhea or constipation. Warning sign number five, and this is a very controversial topic and can also be very dangerous, is weight change. Wait, but haven't you heard that the thyroid doesn't affect weight? That it was a big lie?

[00:09:43]Hmm, yeah, that's a myth, okay? Because the thyroid can affect it, and I'm going to explain it to you now. How can the thyroid affect weight? When we have too many hormones, our metabolism speeds up.

[00:09:56]That's not a myth, that's true. So, the person will lose weight, and sometimes quite a lot, actually. Many times when I diagnose hyperthyroidism, the patient has lost 15 or 20 kilos.

[00:10:10]Sometimes 10% of their weight, 15%, 20% of their weight. And this happens quickly, sometimes in less than 6 months. So, this weight loss in hyperthyroidism is very significant. I don't know why there's this myth on the internet saying that the thyroid doesn't affect weight, but it can, in fact, cause a very sharp and dangerous weight loss. So, if you've lost weight, before even thinking about more serious diseases, people usually worry about cancer, right?

[00:10:40]Oh, I'm losing weight, it must be cancer.

[00:10:43]But a thyroid disorder can cause this, and it needs to be diagnosed as quickly as possible.

[00:10:49]And on the other hand, can the thyroid make you gain weight?

[00:10:54]Can you gain weight?

[00:10:55]And the answer is also yes.

[00:10:57]And there's also a myth on the internet that it can't.

[00:11:00]But the issue here is a bit more delicate. Why is that? Usually, this weight gain is, on average, between 2 and 4 kilos.

[00:11:09]Also, because the thyroid can cause fluid retention, so the person may become more swollen.

[00:11:15]This will also cause weight gain.

[00:11:17]Not to mention, you might feel more lethargic and do less physical activity.

[00:11:23]And your metabolism can also slow down.

[00:11:26]Why do so many people say that the thyroid doesn't affect weight? It's because after treatment, when your levels are normalized, then you really can't say that the thyroid is causing weight loss or gain, since the levels will be normal. But here, I'm talking about the diagnosis, when the person isn't undergoing treatment, when they don't know they have the disease. Then, yes, on average, there was a weight gain of about 2 to 4 kilos. Also, because of the swelling I mentioned, but for other reasons as well. Remember that this can vary. Did you notice that I said on average? So, there are people who won't have any changes at all, and there are people who might even gain a bit more than the values I mentioned here.

[00:12:10]What will vary is the timing of the diagnosis, the stage of the disease when the diagnosis is made. So, in milder, earlier stages, often there hasn't been enough time for changes yet. But in more advanced stages, this average can be pushed a bit higher. And sign number six, and this one can also be extremely serious, is memory changes. And there's a really easy test you can do to find out if you're having memory issues or not. Take a look at the like and subscribe buttons. If you haven't liked the video yet, and you're not subscribed to the channel, that could mean you're having trouble remembering things.

[00:12:47]>> Well, jokes aside, folks, I invite you to like the video, subscribe, keep following, and turn on the notification bell, because that way, every time I post, YouTube will let you know.

[00:12:59]>> But yes, sign number six is a change in memory. Why is that? Our central nervous system also needs thyroid hormones.

[00:13:07]And here, this is especially true in hypothyroidism. If this change isn't identified and treated, it can even lead to dementia. Look how important what I'm saying in this video is. A thyroid disorder, a reversible cause, can be treated and even prevent dementia, a disease with many consequences.

[00:13:27]So, when it comes to forgetfulness, if you [clears throat] or others are noticing changes in your memory, you need to check how your thyroid is doing.

[00:13:37]You might even be able to prevent a more serious problem. And sign number seven, taking advantage of this topic about memory and changes in our brain and central nervous system, I want to highlight behavioral changes. And this applies to both. With hyperthyroidism, it can cause anxiety or make existing anxiety worse. The person becomes very anxious. There's a change in their usual pattern. Many times when I see patients and diagnose them with hyperthyroidism, a lot of them have already seen other doctors and are taking tranquilizers, medications, even sleeping pills and sedatives. When the problem is with the thyroid, right? The thyroid produces a lot of hormones and it becomes very hard for the person to control it. There are other symptoms along with anxiety, like tremors, sometimes cold sweats, and increased sensitivity to heat.

[00:14:32]The person will feel less cold than usual.

[00:14:34]But here I want to highlight anxiety. In hypothyroidism, when we have too little thyroid hormone, it can cause or worsen existing depression.

[00:14:45]Whenever the topic is a change in behavior or a worsening depression, or if you've never had this issue and now you're starting to feel more anxious, you need to check your thyroid. A lot of times the problem is right there. Not that every problem, like behavior, you know, just like weight. Remember what I said?

[00:15:04]They're not all related to the thyroid, but it really is a major cause and a big warning sign. It can lead to many serious consequences. Pay close attention to your thyroid.

[00:15:15]And the eighth sign, which is also very common and a lot of people don't pay attention to this one, is a change in blood pressure.

[00:15:23]Did you know that that thyroid hormone can change your blood pressure? And it can even cause high blood pressure.

[00:15:31]When it comes to hyperthyroidism, when there's too much hormone, your heart can beat faster, there can be changes in how your blood vessels relax, and the first number, called systolic pressure, can go up more. So, readings like 170s or 170/70s are common in patients with hyperthyroidism, and that's a big warning sign. The numbers are far apart.

[00:15:56]But, with hypothyroidism, it ends up being more hidden, and it's the second number that can go up, which is called diastolic hypertension. For example, 13 over 10. The 10 is definitely a big warning sign. It can have consequences, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, also known as the cerebrovascular accident.

[00:16:17]So, you really need to pay attention when it comes to high blood pressure, especially if the numbers are getting close together, if the second number is going up, because with hypothyroidism, this can happen, called diastolic hypertension, okay? A major warning sign. I always do a more detailed investigation in patients who have blood pressure changes to find out if that's not the cause, because taking medication for high blood pressure in this case can be an initial treatment, at least until the thyroid hormones are regulated. But, the main thing is to treat the cause, right? To understand why this is happening. Now that you know the eight signs and symptoms, I'm also going to explain about thyroid tests. When should we suspect that there might be a problem? For this initial evaluation, I'm going to highlight two tests here that are fundamental.

[00:17:10]The first is TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone, which is produced by by pituitary gland to try to coordinate the thyroid so that the thyroid produces more or less hormones.

[00:17:20]So, this test is fundamental for the diagnosis. I'll also include the reference values and what this test can mean. In which condition will it be higher and in which will it be lower?

[00:17:32]You can see here in the table I provided how it can vary. Remember that the word primary means a direct problem with the thyroid, okay? There is a condition called secondary alteration or secondary hypothyroidism, which is when we have a problem higher up in the part that coordinates it. In this case, the pituitary gland. Here in the table, so we don't have too many numbers, I included only the direct problem in the thyroid, which is the most common issue, over 90% of cases, okay?

[00:18:04]The other test, which is also very important, is to assess how the hormone is doing. And the main hormone we check in the initial exam is free T4. It's always important to mention that it's the free form, which is better for this type of evaluation. It is less influenced, for example. So, TSH and free T4.

[00:18:25]And when are antibodies necessary?

[00:18:28]When we have an alteration in these hormones and want to investigate why that's happening.

[00:18:34]Could it be that an autoimmune cause is the main reason? If hypothyroidism is suspected, we can request the anti-TPO or anti-peroxidase test, which is an autoantibody that can, let's say, interfere with thyroid function. And it is often elevated in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is an inflammation of the thyroid that can lead to hypothyroidism. And in the other case, hyperthyroidism, the main cause, the main autoantibody responsible is TRab. So, if it's suspected, it should also be evaluated.

[00:19:10]What is autoimmune hyperthyroidism?

[00:19:13]Graves' disease. So, here are the values for you to be aware of.

[00:19:17]From 0 to 10, what score would you give this video? If it's a 10, I'll make more videos like this one. Now, I'm going to leave a suggestion for you to watch.

[00:19:26]It's a video where I talked about 14 signs that could indicate your blood sugar is too high, that you might have a problem related to diabetes. Or if you already have diabetes, if these signs and symptoms are happening, it could mean things are out of control, that your blood sugar is very high.

[00:19:45]It's also important for you to watch so you can learn and have more knowledge.

[00:19:50]Take care. See you next time.