13 Thyroid Symptoms to Watch Out For by Alyssa Jung
Updated: Jan. 29, 2021
Medically reviewed by Michael Spertus, MD
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, produces hormones essential for metabolism and brain activity. Symptoms of a thyroid problem are often vague, but if you notice any of the following signs persisting, or have more than one, endocrinologists recommend seeing a doctor to request a simple blood test to gauge your hormone levels.
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Sleep changes
If you’ve always been a good sleeper but recently find you can’t snooze through the night, it could signal a thyroid problem. An overactive thyroid pumps out certain hormones (triiodothyronine, known as T3, and thyroxine, known as T4) in excess, which can overstimulate the central nervous system and lead to insomnia, says Hossein Gharib, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist.
On the flip side, if you still feel tired after a full night’s sleep (or need to sleep more than usual), you might have an underactive thyroid, in which your body doesn’t produce enough hormones. Everyone should know these important thyroid facts.
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Sudden anxiety
If you’ve never struggled with anxiety but start to feel consistently anxious or unsettled, your thyroid might be hyperactive. Too many thyroid hormones often cause patients to feel jittery or anxious unrelated to anything specific, says Ashita Gupta, MD, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. “There’s more brain stimulation so it excites you to the point where you don’t feel good about it,” she says. Adopt these habits for a healthy thyroid.
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Changes in bowel habits
Frequent constipation could be an underactive thyroid symptom. “Thyroid hormones also play a role in keeping your digestive tract running,” says Dr. Gupta. “If you produce too little, things get backed up.”
An overactive thyroid can create the opposite effect: diarrhea.
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Thinning hair
Thinning hair, particularly on your eyebrows, is one of the many thyroid symptoms to watch out for. An underactive or overactive thyroid throws off your hair growth cycle, says Dr. Gupta. Usually, most of your hair grows while a small portion rests, however, when your thyroid hormones are imbalanced, too much hair rests at one time. This causes you hair to look thinner. Make sure you know these silent signs of thyroid cancer.
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Sweating at random times
Excessive sweating when you’re not exerting yourself is a common sign of a hyperactive thyroid. “The thyroid regulates the body’s energy production. Higher than normal hormone levels mean your metabolism is revved up, which causes people to feel overly warm,” says Dr. Gupta.
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If your jeans feel snug but you swear you haven’t changed your eating or exercise habits, an under active thyroid might be to blame. “Lack of hormones decreases metabolism and calorie burning, so you may see gradual but unexplained weight gain,” says Dr. Gharib.
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Feeling ravenous but not gaining weight
On the other hand, if you’re suddenly able to squeeze into smaller-size clothes that haven’t fit in years—without a major change to your diet or workout regimen—you may have an overactive thyroid, which causes an increase in metabolism. “People often report that their appetite is up and they’re eating a lot, but they are losing weight instead of gaining,” says Gupta. These are the foods thyroid experts avoid.
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Brain fog
When your thyroid isn’t working right, neither is your brain. With an underactive thyroid, some people report feeling a “brain fog,” says Dr. Gupta. Others report experiencing subtle memory loss (such as that “it’s on the tip of my tongue!” feeling), or overall mental fatigue. An overactive thyroid can make it difficult to concentrate.
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Too much energy (like you’ve guzzled five cups of coffee) An overload of thyroid hormones speeds up your body processes. “People say they feel like they’ve had too much caffeine or have heart palpitations even when they’re relaxed,” says Dr. Gupta.
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