Thyroid disease and menopause

According to the American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) an estimated 50 million women will have reached menopause by the end of the year.  And, because thyroid disease and menopause often create the same symptoms the disease can often go undetected or may worsen when the woman approaches menopause because of the hormonal shifts that happen in the body.  (1)Using Boniva in Your Osteoporosis Regimen

According to the AACE millions of women suffer from a variety of unresolved symptoms that are thought to be menopause related but may have undiagnosed thyroid disease.  Both conditions often develop in the same general age range and share symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, depression and sleep disturbances.  Other symptoms that are similar are hair loss, change in hair texture, increased anxiety, heart palpitations, and skin changes. (2)

Estimations are that by age 50 one out of every 10 to 12 women will have some degree of hypothyroidism and by age 60 that number jumps to one out of five or six.   Many women also confuse the symptoms of thyroid disease with menopause and don\’t think of seeking the care and advice of their physician.

The thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck and normally weighs less than an ounce.  It secretes thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) which it manufacturers from iodine extracts from the food that we eat.  The hormones are then released into the bloodstream where they help to control and regulate metabolism.  The thyroid gland is under the control of the pituitary gland which is located at the base of the brain.  When thyroid hormone drops too low the pituitary glands stimulates thyroid gland to produce more hormone by secreting a hormone of its own, thyroid stimulating hormone.

A thyroid disorder can exist separately or in conjunction with the start of menopause.  Throughout life thyroid abnormalities can create menstrual cycle problems and even cause infertility in younger women.  In women who are in perimenopause or menopause thyroid disorders only exacerbate metabolic disturbances and create more problems for the woman.

Because of the increased incidence of women who suffer from thyroid disorder as they age, it is prudent that women over the age of 50 be tested for hypothyroidism every several years.

Testing at the doctor’s office is usually a simple blood draw that is sent to a laboratory and can record a level of thyroid hormone in the blood.  However, thyroid antibody testing is a better indicator of the condition than normal testing done to evaluate the levels of specific hormones, T3 and T4.

In either case it is important for both women and their physicians to consider a thyroid function test if you have menopausal symptoms which are unresolved with treatment or who if you are not interested in treatment so that you may be screened for any underlying medical condition which may be present and masked by the menopausal symptoms.

(1) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists medical guidelines for clinical practice for the diagnosis and treatment of menopause

(2) WomensHealth.gov: Thyroid Disease Fact Sheet