Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism means your thyroid gland doesn't make enough hormones to keep your body working properly. Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck that controls how your body uses energy, affecting things like your heart rate, weight, digestion, and mood.

Your thyroid can stop working right for several reasons, including Hashimoto's disease (where your immune system attacks your thyroid), inflammation, surgery, radiation, certain medicines, or rarely, not enough iodine in your diet.

Without enough thyroid hormones, your body's functions slow down, including the processes that give you energy. This slowdown makes you feel tired and sluggish because your body isn't burning fuel as fast as it should.

Yes, women are at higher risk for hypothyroidism, and the risk increases even more after age 60. So older women have the highest chance of developing this condition.

While diet alone can't cure hypothyroidism, getting enough iodine helps your thyroid work better. However, the main treatment is thyroid hormone medicine, which your doctor will prescribe based on your needs.