There are many samples of high metabolism that it has proven to have serious complications such as heart attack. See if you have symptoms of the disease here.
For many, especially those who struggle a bit with the weight, high metabolism sounds like a luxury problem, but there is actually a hidden risk that can be quite serious.
What is high metabolism and fast metabolic rate?
High Metabolism, in medical terms, is called hyperthyroidism and affects about 5,000 people annually. The disease occurs because of the production of the hormone triiodothyronine, also called T3, and the production of the hormone thyroxine, also called T4, are elevated.
Both hormones are produced in the thyroid gland.
What are signs of high metabolism?
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Restlessness
- Palpitations
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Excessive sweating
- Hypertension
- Fast heart rate
- Goiter
- Trembling
- Eye problems, such as light sensitivity or protruding eyes
- Problems dealing with heat
What are the causes of high metabolism?
There may be several causes behind an excessive metabolism. Which is the triggering factor depends, inter alia, on of age and gender.
Graves’ disease
Among the younger population, Graves’ autoimmune disease is the most frequent cause of high metabolism. Here, the body produces antibodies that are similar to TSH, the hormone that stimulates the production of both T4 and T3 hormones. Producing too much T4 and T3 hormones results in high metabolism.
About half of those suffering from the disease also get eye problems.
Like other autoimmune diseases, it can be hereditary.
The disease is treated with medications that stabilize metabolism.
Knud Struma
It typically affects older people who had been exposed to iodine deficiency during childhood.
The disease occurs when parts of the thyroid are no longer sensitive to the hormone TSH.
The body then begins to produce thyroxine in the form of hormone-active nodes itself, which means that metabolism becomes faster.
Iodine and medicine
However, too much iodine may also result in high rates of metabolism, emerging after over-treatment with thyroxine.
Thyroidit
This is an inflammation-like condition that produces a mild version of high metabolism.
The inflammation sits in the thyroid gland and there are several kinds of thyroiditis.
Subacute thyroiditis is usually rooted in a virus and can cause thyroid pain.
Fever and lethargy are among the symptoms, and the condition usually subsides within a few months.
Postpartum thyroiditis occurs in about 5% of women who give birth within approx. 6 months.
The condition can go from too high metabolism to a low metabolism state before normalizing again. The majority of women affected by this condition have family members with similar illnesses.
Treatment of high metabolism
High metabolism is usually treated with medication, with radioactive iodine or, if necessary, surgery. Doctors reach the diagnosis by looking at the symptoms and measuring the hormones TSH, T3 and T4.
The treatment you receive depends on what kind of metabolism the you have, your age, your general health condition and the size of the thyroid gland.
Patient gets medical treatment with the drug Thyreostatika, which inhibits the formation of thyroid hormones.
In milder cases, beta blockers are used to attenuate the genes.
Radioactive iodine is given by nodule trauma as it is the most effective treatment here. It can also be used in Graves’ disease.
It may sound a bit drab with radioactive iodine, but the treatment is actually gentle as other parts of the body are not affected.
Most people regain normal metabolism within 1-3 months after just one treatment. Then they may have a few more doses.
However, in some cases, with prolonged treatment, low metabolism may occur, but otherwise there are no side effects and there is no increased risk of cancer.
However, children, adolescents, pregnant women and nursing women must not be treated with iodine.
Operation may be a solution if the patient is unable to tolerate the medication or if the trauma is large and it is difficult to obtain satisfactory control over the disease. Here, the the doctors remove thyroid gland, which causes permanent low metabolism. The patient must take the metabolic hormone for the rest of his life.
Nervous damage to the vocal cords may occur, resulting in hoarseness, but this is rare.
If the patient doesnt get well-treatment, it may result in heart failure, arterial fibrosis that increases the risk of blood clots and osteoporosis.
