Why am I so cold and tired? Watch out for hypothyroidism...The risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease when it worsens
May 18, 2025
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Hypothyroidism is a disease in which thyroid hormones that control our body's metabolism are lower or deficient than normal standards. As of 2023, the number of hypothyroidism patients was 633,000, which is a common disease that is diagnosed as one in every 82 people. Symptoms of swelling and dullness of the body, fatigue, indigestion, and cold sensitivity are typical symptoms and are often mistaken for chronic fatigue.
The problem is that if it is left as it is, there is a risk of various complications such as heart and kidney disease.
"If you suffer from hypothyroidism, the risk of various complications increases, and the longer you leave it, the more likely you are to have problems," said Kim Kyu-hyung, director of the thyroid center at Gangnam Bedro Hospital. "It is necessary to be careful because it often progresses slowly over a long period of time rather than suddenly showing abnormal symptoms. "
◇ When thyroid hormone is deficient, you don't sweat easily due to cold and fatigue...cardio-cerebrovascular disease risk
Hyperthyroidism is mostly caused by primary hypothyroidism caused by chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
The main reason is that antibodies produced by an autoimmune reaction in the body attack the thyroid gland, gradually destroying thyroid cells. In addition, temporary hypothyroidism may be caused by subacute thyroiditis caused by viral infections such as colds and postpartum thyroiditis after childbirth, but in most cases, they often recover by themselves.
When thyroid hormone begins to become deficient due to this disease, the first thing that begins is a decrease in body metabolism.
As the basal metabolism decreases, it is easy to feel cold and tired, it is characterized by less sweating, and rough and pale skin. In some cases, women's menstruation increases. Particular attention should be paid to the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease. Patients with hypothyroidism may experience symptoms such as decreased motivation and memory loss, slowing heart pulse, and decreased cardiac output. In fact, the Korean Society of Thyroidism said that hypothyroidism increases the risk of ischemic heart disease, cognitive impairment, and dementia.
However, thyroid hormone levels are normal, but thyroid-stimulating hormones are sometimes higher than normal levels. At this time, it is called 'asymptomatic hypothyroidism' and generally has no symptoms, but some may have symptoms such as fatigue and memory loss such as hypothyroidism.
It is women who should be more careful about this hypothyroidism. According to statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the proportion of women among patients is usually about four to five times higher than that of men. Director Kim Kyu-hyung advised, `In particular, middle-aged women in their 50s or older are often confused with menopausal symptoms and move on without being tested separately.' `I recommend that you carefully examine your physical condition even in order to treat it in a timely manner, and if you feel abnormal, visit a specialist for consultation right away.'
◇Hormone levels can be normalized by taking thyroid hormone drugs...Don't stop taking it arbitrarily
Most thyroid hormone abnormalities are diagnosed through blood tests. Blood levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and Free T4 are measured and diagnosed in the body. After that, drug treatment using thyroid hormone drugs will be focused on. Thyroid hormone drugs are safe enough to be taken during pregnancy as they play a role in enhancing the metabolism of our body, and the risk of side effects is low even if used for a long time.
In the case of primary hypothyroidism, symptoms may improve temporarily, but steady management is essential as it is a disease caused by autoimmune problems in the body.
Director Kim Kyu-hyung said "If the dose is arbitrarily adjusted or stopped, there may be problems with the normal level management of thyroid hormones, so it is recommended to have a periodic examination through a specialist and manage the medication."
The way you take your medication is also important. Thyroid hormone drugs are taken once a day before breakfast, but are recommended to take them alone without taking them with other drugs, drinks, and food. This is because if there are other foods or medicines in the intestine, absorption becomes difficult, and the effectiveness of taking them decreases. It is also recommended to eat 30 minutes to an hour after taking the meal.
However, excessive intake of iodine-containing foods such as kelp, seaweed, and seaweed, which are known to be good for the thyroid gland, is not recommended. In Korea, as there are cases where iodine is consumed up to 20 times the recommended daily amount, thyroid disease due to lack of iodine is relatively rare, and excessive iodine intake can worsen the disease for people with thyroid autoimmune diseases, so caution is needed.
"The main purpose of treating hypothyroidism is to maintain normal hormone levels through constant management, normalize body metabolism and reduce the risk of complications through this," said Director Kim Kyu-hyung. "Since early detection and management of the disease is not unreasonable in daily life, if abnormal symptoms such as fatigue persist for a long time, it is recommended to visit a specialist for a diagnosis as soon as possible."
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
