Thyroid disorders—conditions when the gland produces excessive or insufficient amounts of hormones—develop more often in women of a certain age, and some can manifest at any moment. And menopause is an imminent occurrence in the life of an AFAB person. There is a connection between menopause and the thyroid gland, and this review is to cover the topic entirely.
What Is Menopause
Menopause marks the end of the person’s reproductive age. On average, it occurs at the age of 51. It is considered that the person has hit the menopausal threshold if they have not had period bleeding for a year.
Changes in hormonal levels
The estrogen and progesterone production in the body drops when the person is aging. Eggs are not released anymore, the menstruation cycle stops, the menopause starts. It can also be caused by reasons, unrelated to age but having an impact on the ovaries’ functions, such as surgeries.
Symptoms
The period before menopause when the person experiences a variety of unpleasant symptoms, is called perimenopause. It can last a couple of months or even a year.
Here is a list of the most common signs of perimenopause referred to as menopause symptoms:
- vaginal dryness;
- hot flashes;
- insomnia and mood swings;
- sore and tender breasts;
- PMS becomes more harsh;
- irregular periods with the amount of bloody discharge changing.
Also, the person can experience:
- libido changes;
- headaches;
- brain fog;
- dry skin, hair thinning;
- heart palpitations;
- weight changes.
How menopause affects overall health
- Urinary issues. Body tissues lose elasticity in menopause. This affects not just the state of skin or breasts but also, for example, the urinary tract, leading to more frequent infections and urges to urinate.
- Cardiovascular issues. Estrogen makes blood vessels relaxed and regulates cholesterol levels. With low estrogen, the person is at a higher risk of developing heart disease or a stroke.
- Bone strength issues (osteoporosis). Less estrogen leads to lower calcium levels and less bone mass: bones become fragile and easy to break.
- Metabolism issues. Estrogen deficiency creates a predisposition to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
What are Thyroid Disorders
The thyroid gland is a small organ shaped like a butterfly. It is located in front of your neck. Through hormone production thyroid gland affects the majority of vital body functions. It controls the metabolic rate, pulse, digestion, breathing, body heat, brain development, the state of bones and skin, mental capacity, and fertility.
Thyroid disorders are conditions when the gland produces either too much or not enough hormones.
Hypothyroidism: causes and symptoms
Hypothyroidism is a disorder when the thyroid function is insufficient. It occurs when the gland cannot operate properly (due to surgery, an autoimmune condition, birth defects, etc.) or is not stimulated by the pituitary gland because of the malignant formation or damage in it.
The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- fatigue and weakness;
- anemia;
- bradycardia (slow heart rate);
- poor cold tolerance;
- slow speech and movement;
- depressed mood;
- dry skin; thin hair;
- constipation;
- frequent UTIs and respiratory infections;
- low sex drive;
- the patient sweats less;
- high cholesterol, etc.
Hyperthyroidism: causes and symptoms
Hyperthyroidism is the opposite thing: thyroid hormone production is excessive. It can be caused by increased iodine consumption (as it is used by the organ to produce hormones). Another possibility is thyroid nodules: non-cancerous formations of thyroid tissue. It is unclear why they develop. However, the most common cause is an autoimmune condition known as Graves’ disease. It is responsible for about 70% of all hyperthyroidism cases.
The patient with the disorder can experience the following:
- fatigue and poor sleep;
- excessive sweat;
- poor heat tolerance;
- increase appetite, bowel activity, diuresis;
- loose nails and patchy hair loss;
- skin becomes damp but itchy;
- tachicardia and heart palpitations;
- hyperactivity and shaky hands;
- infertility, no interest to sexual interactions;
- light or absent menstruations;
- appearance of goiter, a swelling in front of the neck because of the gland enlargement.
Menopause and Thyroid Disorders
For a medical specialist, menopause and thyroid issues are connected not just because both are related to the endocrine system and hormonal changes. The link is more deep and two-sided. For instance, a 2011 study stated that estrogen levels have an impact on thyroid function. Additionally, menopausal women develop thyroid issues more often, the statistics say. On the other hand, hypothyroidism has shown an ability to worsen menopause symptoms.
How Menopause Can Mask or Mimic Thyroid Disorders
Because of their comparable clinical pictures, it can be difficult to understand if the patient has menopause or a thyroid disorder. Moreover, both can develop consequently or simultaneously which further complicated diagnosis and treatment. \
Similarities in symptoms
If looking closely at the lists of menopause and thyroid issues symptoms, it is easy to notice that many of them match. Weight changes, skin issues, mood swings, poor mental activity, heart rhythm disorders, low libido, and irregular periods—all these points can mean the start of perimenopause or disbalance in thyroid hormones.
Misdiagnosis issues
Because menopause is natural and its manifestation is well-known, women often write troubling symptoms off, thinking they are part of their aging, and continue to struggle with the ailment that in reality a thyroid disorder. On the other hand, women that are used to the experience of living with a thyroid disorder can simply miss the start of perimenopause.
This is why it is always necessary to consult a healthcare practitioner to understand the nature of symptoms and address them properly. Unfortunately, the risk of a medical error or negligence persists. Thus, the next section of our review is dedicated to specific methods to diagnose thyroid issues after menopause started—or vice versa.
Diagnosis
A simple blood test to check certain hormone levels can bring much-needed clarity to the screening.
Follicle-stimulating hormone
Follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, stimulates the maturation of an egg in the ovary and its release. The older the woman, the more FSH is necessary for the process. Therefore, elevated levels of the hormone (30 mIU/mL and higher), can suggest menopause.
Luteinizing hormone
Luteinizing hormone, LH for short, is the hormone that triggers ovulation. Its levels peak in the middle of the menstrual cycle. In menopausal women, LH levels are constantly raised, so it is necessary to check them several times for comparison.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Thyroid-stimulating hormone is also called TSH. As you can guess from the name, it is the chemical our body uses to make the thyroid gland work more efficiently. Thus, high TSH levels may suggest insufficient thyroid function.
T4 Thyroxine and T3 Triiodothyronine Tests
T4 Thyroxine and T3 Triiodothyronine are hormones produced by the thyroid. If the TSH test shows abnormal levels, the doctors order T3 and T4 blood tests to estimate their levels and determine the presence and nature of the thyroid disorder.
Thyroid Autoantibodies Test
The presence of thyroid autoantibodies indicates an autoimmune condition that affects one’s thyroid function.
Treatment
Hormone replacement therapy
HRT might be beneficial to relieve the symptoms of menopausal transition. It provides the hormones that are now at their lowest: estrogen and progesterone. HRT can come in skin patches, gels and creams for intravaginal application, oral tablets, vaginal rings, etc.
Medications for thyroid disorders
The treatment for the thyroid depends on what is wrong. With hypothyroidism, the patient usually takes synthetic hormones, such as levothyroxine, to compensate for the deficit. In the event of hyperthyroidism, the patient needs medications that will inhibit thyroid functions: anti-thyroid drugs (thiamazole and such), radioactive iodine; or they sometimes take beta blockers for symptom management.
Supplements
If the pharmaceutical approach is undesirable for certain reasons, and the supplementation seems to be beneficial for the patient, thyroid and menopause supplements can be a solution. For example, insufficient thyroid function was caused by iodine deficiency, iodine supplements will help to mitigate it. And soy isoflavones somewhat replace estrogen and help to relieve the symptoms of perimenopause.
Summary
Menopause and thyroid hormone production are closely connected. Women often begin to develop thyroid health issues when they become menopausal; there is some similarity in the clinical picture. To properly identify and address the two, doctors order specific blood testing to evaluate the levels of specific hormones.
FAQ
What are the symptoms of a thyroid disorder that are similar to menopause?
Some of the symptoms common to both include mood swings, mental fog, weight changes, and irregular period bleeding.
What is the connection between hypothyroidism and menopause?
Low levels of estrogen are associated with lacking thyroid function: therefore, menopausal women often suffer from hypothyroidism.
What are early warning signs of thyroid problems in females?
Mood changes, fatigue, skin changes, and sensitivity to temperature (heat or cold) are the first possible indications of thyroid issues.
How to lose weight when you are in menopause and have hypothyroidism?
Management of the hormone imbalance (e.g. addressing the source of the issue), healthy diet, and physical activity are key aspects of weight control in living with these conditions.
