19 Feb Thyroid and Menopause: What’s the Connection?
The thyroid is the master hormone regulator in the human body. If your thyroid is not working properly- too much or too little, your other hormones are almost impossible to get under control. It is kind of like the main conductor in the body, and if it is not in balance the whole orchestra plays off key and makes a mess of everything.
During menopause when estrogen and testosterone levels fall, these affect your thyroid gland as well. Your thyroid gland has receptors on it as well for these sex hormones.
Many of the symptoms associated with going through menopause can be the same as being low in thyroid. Some of the symptoms of low thyroid include: agitation, depression, fluid retention, insomnia, swelling in the legs and hands and the inability to concentrate. These are the same symptoms as a person might experience going through menopause.
On the same note, the symptoms of having too much thyroid include: hair loss, insomnia, heart racing, excessive sweating. Having too much thyroid or taking too much thyroid medications can also lower other levels of your other hormones. Also, taking any estrogen by mouth can lower your thyroid levels. Topical or hormone pellets have not shown this effect.
As you can see, having your thyroid balanced helps to balance all other hormones. And having your other hormones balanced helps to balance your thyroid.