Help For Men With Low Thyroid in Greenville SC
Men and women may both develop low thyroid, although it’s more common for women. The need for proper care and support is essential for any thyroid patient, regardless of gender. This means comprehensive, customized care that addresses the root cause of the condition.
Low thyroid can cause a variety of symptoms in men, some of which may be similar to those experienced by women. Extreme fatigue and exhaustion, weight gain and difficulties shedding extra pounds, insomnia or sleep disturbances, brain fog and muscle aches and pains are common low thyroid struggles for men and women. Men may also experience different symptoms, too, such as problems with sexual function, including erectile dysfunction. Premature hair loss including balding and fertility issues due to a decline in sperm production aren’t uncommon.
Proper identification of a thyroid problem isn’t always a simple matter for men who seek medical care for symptoms. In women, symptoms of low thyroid may be mistaken as a sign of peri-menopause or menopause. Symptoms are often overlooked altogether in men, or may be considered a ‘normal’ part of aging. Yet low thyroid can cause a drop in testosterone that presents serious health challenges and risks for men that should not be ignored.
Low testosterone is associated with insulin resistance and therefore is linked to the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular disease. Research shows that declining testosterone levels are also associated with the loss of muscle mass, mood disturbances and cognitive decline. Clearly, proper evaluation and support for low thyroid conditions in men are important for ensuring optimum quality of life and longevity.
Unfortunately, even when low thyroid conditions are detected in men, they are rarely supported fully with comprehensive care. In the standard medical model, the goal for low thyroid therapy is typically symptom relief. Patients are given thyroid replacement medication in the hopes that this will ‘balance’ thyroid levels, so the individual feels better. But thyroid problems do not occur in isolation. They tend to be very complex conditions that involve multiple organs and systems throughout the body. This is one reason why medication often fails to help thyroid patients, both males and females. It is generally insufficient as therapeutic support, and in some cases may cause even more problems in the form of undesirable side effects.
There is another option for care for men who know or suspect they have low thyroid. A functional wellness care practitioner can provide comprehensive care that is customized. Functional wellness care focuses on finding the root cause of low thyroid. Extensive testing can reveal exactly why you feel the way you do and what is causing low thyroid function.
Once it is clear what problems are causing and occurring as a result of underactive thyroid, specific steps can help your body heal and begin to recover. A practitioner who is trained in functional wellness care will approach hormone imbalance and other health problems related to low thyroid in a comprehensive way.
