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Low Thyroid Function and Hormone Imbalance
January 20, 2010 by Dee
Filed under Progesterone Deficiency
Did you know that estrogen dominance and low thyroid function share many similar symptoms? In fact, there are numerous women who take medication to boost their 
thyroid function that also suffer from estrogen dominance. Coincidence? Probably not. There are some logical reasons why the conditions are often related.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Like estrogen dominance, the signs of hypothyroidism can be many and varied. Oftentimes they sneak up on you and at first you pass them off as just fatigue or a sign that you are starting to feel older. Eventually, however, the symptoms become more obvious. Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, include:
- Fatigue
- Sluggishness
- Weight gain
- Pale, dry skin
- Cold hands and feet
- Constipation
- Hoarse voice
- Puffy face
- Heavy menstrual periods
- Dry, coarse hair
- Brittle fingernails
- Muscle aches and stiffness
- Joint pain, stiffness or swelling
- Elevated cholesterol level
- Depression
- Foggy thinking
- Low basal temperature (temperature measured under your arm first thing in the morning)
If you are familiar with the symptoms of estrogen dominance, you will recognize many symptoms that are the same.
The Connection Between Estrogen Dominance and Low Thyroid Function
This is not to say that there are not women out there who truly suffer from hypothyroidism, because there certainly are; but if your thyroid function has been tested and the tests come out “normal,” it may be that an excess of estrogen and a lack of progesterone could be the culprit.
Estrogen and the hormone produced by the thyroid gland work in opposite ways. The thyroid hormone is meant to help regulate the metabolism of the cells in the body but estrogen encourages the body to store fat in preparation for pregnancy. Unopposed estrogen can get in the way of the thyroid hormone and block it from doing its job. Your body may be producing a normal or near normal amount of the thyroid hormone but because of the excess estrogen taking up its receptors it can’t function properly. The result? You suffer from the symptoms of hypothyroidism but the the thyroid hormone levels appear to be within the normal range when they are tested.
Hypothyroidism and Natural Progesterone Cream
If you are suffering from the symptoms of low thyroid function, you may discover that using a natural progesterone cream may make a big difference in your life. Many doctors are learning that women who have been taking thyroid medication show marked improvement when they begin using a natural progesterone cream. The cream helps restore estrogen levels to normal and symptoms improve or are eliminated in a surprisingly short time. In fact, some patients need to reduce the amount of thyroid medication they are taking after using progesterone cream for just a few weeks. Other women have been able to eliminate the thyroid medicine completely. If you take prescription medicine for hypothyroidism and decide to try a progesterone cream, discuss the situation with your personal health care provider so your medication can be monitored.
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