Hyperthyroidism is a medical condition where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This can sometimes be referred to as an "overactive thyroid" gland. There are several disease conditions that can cause this situation, including getting too much iodine in the diet, inflammation of the thyroid gland, Graves disease, noncancerous growths on the thyroid and taking too much thyroid hormone supplementation. Treatment of the symptoms and resulting weight loss will depend upon the underlying causative agent.
Metabolic Symptoms
The thyroid gland secretes thyroxine, which has a role in regulating metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure. If you suffer from hyperthyroidism, you can experience an increase in appetite and weight loss as your metabolic rate increases, according to the American Thyroid Association. Metabolic rate will affect the number of calories you burn each day at rest. By increasing this rate through an excess of thyroid hormone, the body burns more calories, increasing your hunger while you experience weight loss.
Endocrine Symptoms
An excess of thyroid hormone will adversely affect the endocrine system. Women can suffer from menstrual irregularities and both men and women can experience infertility. The changes in menstrual patterns are usually lighter periods that occur less frequently, according to Hormones and You. A secondary effect of less menstrual periods is an increase in bone loss that leads to osteoporosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much thyroid hormone can also interfere with your body's ability to incorporate calcium into the bones, leading to osteoporosis.
Cardiovascular Symptoms
An increased amount of thyroxine hormone can lead to increases in blood pressure, a pounding, rapid, irregular pulse or a forceful pulse called palpitations, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. With treatment, these conditions can resolve. However, there are significant cardiovascular complications when hyperthyroidism goes untreated, according to the Mayo Clinic. These complications include atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure when the heart cannot pump enough blood to provide oxygen to the body. These complications are also generally reversible when you receive treatment for the hyperthyroidism.
Graves' Ophthalmology
Graves' ophthalmology is a condition that affects the eye muscles when you suffer from hyperthyroidism. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, inflammation and a buildup of tissue and fat behind the eye socket results from immune system attacks with an increased amount of thyroxine in your blood. The inflammation causes the eyes to bulge from their sockets which can give you double vision, dry eyes, pressure or pain in the eyes and trouble moving the eyes.
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