Why Should You Optimize Your Thyroid for Metabolism and Weight Loss?

The thyroid gland plays a critical role in keeping your metabolism running smoothly. An overactive thyroid (known as hyperthyroidism) or an underactive one (known as hypothyroidism) can throw off your metabolic processes and lead to unwelcome weight gain. Read on to learn more about why the thyroid matters so much for your body and how you can optimize it for enhanced metabolism and weight loss.

The Role of the Thyroid

The thyroid gland is a miniscule, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. This gland has a significant impact on your metabolism. It is responsible for manufacturing hormones that control metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, and even mood.

Metabolism is the process by which our bodies break down food and turn it into energy. That means the thyroid is the engine that drives your metabolism. While you can’t control how many calories your body burns in a day, you can influence your metabolism by consuming the right foods.

You Burn More Calories When You Have an Optimized Thyroid

When your thyroid is working optimally, it’s constantly firing hormones into your bloodstream to regulate your metabolism. That means your metabolism is running at top speed, and you’re burning more calories than usual. By increasing the number of calories your body burns, you can quicken your weight loss.

A slow metabolism is one of the biggest challenges to losing weight, because it burns fewer calories than a higher metabolism would. That’s why people with hypothyroidism have a harder time losing weight, even if they’re eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Unlike other hormones, thyroid hormones don’t increase significantly when you eat certain foods. That means you can’t trick your body into burning more calories by eating more.

Bottom Line

If your thyroid is underactive, it’s constantly fighting against your body fat. Your metabolism is reduced, and you burn fewer calories than you would with an optimized thyroid. That means you have a tough time losing weight if you have hypothyroidism. A diet full of B vitamins, selenium, iron, iodine, and vitamin C can help you get the most out of your thyroid, which can help you lose weight and speed up your metabolism.