Brain Fog Due to Thyroid Imbalance

People with thyroid issues often experience “brain fog.” That is not a clinical term, but it is equivalent to short-term memory loss. Everyone forgets why they went upstairs or entered a room once in a while, but a person with brain fog frequently experiences this condition. It is a common symptom of thyroid imbalance, specifically hypothyroidism, or low thyroid levels.

This imbalance affects the brain and causes brain cell degeneration. Fortunately, bioidentical thyroid hormone replacement therapy can banish brain fog and restore your mental clarity and general well-being.

Brain Fog Examples

Brain fog means different things to different people, but examples of this disorder include:

  • Confusion
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Mixing up words
  • Asking a question again after receiving an answer
  • Routine tasks taking more time
  • Trouble following conversations

People dealing with brain fog may become embarrassed, anxious or depressed over their situation. Some fear they are “losing their minds,” but the culprit is often their thyroid glands.

Thyroid Glands

The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland, located in the neck beneath the voice box and in front of the windpipe, is responsible for regulating most of the body’s metabolism.

The thyroid produces the hormones triiodothyronine, or T3, and thyroxine, or T4. When the thyroid is out of whack, all kinds of physical problems ensue.

Hypothyroidism

Although anyone can develop hypothyroidism, it appears most often in women age 60 and up. Brain fog is one of the earliest symptoms of underactive thyroid, so it is important to have thyroid levels checked as soon as the issue becomes a problem. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

  • Aching muscles
  • Cold sensitivity
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Dry skin
  • Fatigue
  • Hair loss
  • High cholesterol
  • Puffiness, especially in the face
  • Weight gain

Many people may chalk their symptoms up to age, but many of these symptoms have nothing to do with the natural aging process. Without treatment, symptoms continue to worsen, and memory loss becomes more apparent. Diagnosis consists primarily of a simple blood test.

Bioidentical Thyroid Hormone Therapy vs. Synthetic Hormones

Synthetic thyroid hormone therapy consists primarily of T4, even though T3 is the more important of the two hormones for metabolic purposes.  Synthetic hormones are usually taken once a day on an empty stomach.

Bioidentical thyroid is taken similarly to synthetic thyroid-first thing in the morning on an empty stomach- but with afternoon fatigue it can often be split into two equal doses. On occasion, since T3 has a rapid onset and short duration it can be given as an additional supplement to the morning dose.

When evaluating the need for thyroid replacement it is important to measure trace elements that have a significant impact upon function such as selenium and iodine, both of which can be taken naturally.

When optimizing thyroid hormone function it is critical to watch for early onset of side effects such as jitteriness, resting tremor and increase in resting heart rate. Cessation of therapy will quickly correct these adverse symptoms.

Contrary to commonly held belief, too much natural thyroid replacement will NOT cause osteoporosis or atrial fibrillation. This misnomer comes from the side effects of Graves’ disease, or hyperthyroidism, which is an autoimmune disease. Many well-designed studies have not demonstrated these effects with even high doses of thyroid replacement therapy.

Contact Dr. Jacobson Today

If you have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of thyroid imbalance and would like to know more about bioidentical hormone therapy, call Dr. Edward Jacobson’s office today to arrange a consultation.