Hypothyroidism is a condition affecting the thyroid gland. While it causes many complications on its own, hypothyroidism can lead to other health issues, one of them being diabetes. Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones to stimulate metabolism, making all of the body’s system slower.
There are early and late signs of hypothyroidism. The early signs include: constipation, sensitivity to coldness, cold hands and feet, thick tongue, decreased sweating, dry hair, muscle and joint pain, and pale or yellowish-skin. The later signs include: poor memory, slow thought process, drowsiness, decreased sense of smell, muscle spasms and many more.
Hypothyroidism, because it slows down the body’s processes, also affects insulin production. Simple carbohydrates, such as pasta, white flour, and rice, are converted into simple sugars by the body, known as blood sugar. The pancreas, which produces a hormone called insulin, uses the insulin to activate the cells to absorb blood sugar and store its energy. This returns blood sugar to a normal level. When a condition such as hypothyroidism is involved, the pancreas slows down its ability to turn this blood sugar into energy. This is a complication that leads to diabetes.
Although hypothyroidism itself is more common in women, especially those of the age of sixty and above, the presence of hypothyroidism in children is especially frightening as with children, it?s easy for this to develop into diabetes. This is because of the impact hypothyroidism has on insulin production. The reason it is more common to lead to diabetes in children, rather than adults, is because hypothyroidism is usually much more serious in children than it is in adults. Because of the seriousness of the condition, children are usually tested for any thyroid dysfunction at birth.
Hypothyroidism can be treated before it develops into diabetes. One of the biggest treatments is simply changing lifestyle and habits. Eating a low carbohydrate, low-fat diet that is also high in protein can greatly help with the treatment of hypothyroidism. External supplements may be necessary if the condition is serious and has caused tissue deconstruction. When treating hypothyroidism in children, an oral supplement will be given. This supplement will be a higher dosage than that of adult doses because children’s metabolism is much quicker. The dosage will be monitored and adjusted as the child grows.
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