Side effects of hypothyroidism - Severe hypothyroidism

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Nutrition, Health & Wellness

Side effects of hypothyroidism

Home > MRI scans uses, benefits and risks > Severe hypothyroidism and side effects.

Severe hypothyroidism can give rise to serious side effects like life threatening myxedema coma. When properly diagnosed severe hypothyroidism can be completely treated and the symptoms and the side effects can be totally alleviated. The basic cause of hypothyroidism is low levels of thyroxine hormone. Hormone replacement therapy with synthetic or natural hormone sources can completely control the condition. However the treatment may have to be continued life long.

Early symptoms
The common early symptoms are listed below:

• Cold intolerance
• Heavier menstrual periods
• Severe constipation
• Depression
• Dry hair
• Dry skin
• Fatigue and weakness
• Sleepiness
• Weight gain
• Body-ache
• Depression
• Brittle finger nails

Hypothyroidism as a side effect of certain health conditions and medications.
Following health conditions and medications have been found to cause the deficiency in the hormone production:

• Adrenal insufficiency
• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Environmental stress
• Excess estrogen
• Auto-immunity
• Destruction of the pituitary gland
• Homeostatic stress
• Iodine deficiency
• Radiation treatments
• Cancer and cancer treatments
• Treatment of hyperthyroidism
• Surgical removal the gland
• Cold
• Respiratory infection
• Viral infections of the glands
• Lithium-based mood stabilizers
• Amiodarone
• Interferon alpha
• Interleukin-2
• Thalidomide.

Symptoms of severe hypothyroidism are:

• Hoarse voice
• Puffiness of face, hands and feet
• Slow speech
• Thick skin
• Thinning outer eyebrows.

Severe hypothyroidism and myxedema
In this situation of severe hypothyroidism, symptoms like low body temperature, decreased rate of breathing, low blood pressure and low blood glucose are seen.
Myxedema coma is the serious side effect of very low levels of the hormone. This is a medical emergency requiring hospitalization and intensive care treatment.

Side effects of hypothyroidism medication.
Thyroxine, triiodothyronine or desiccated gland extract are prescribed for treatment and control the hormone deficiency. One of the side effects is over-treatment resulting in hyperthyroidism. Side effects like palpitations, tremor, restlessness and severe profuse sweating are encountered when the dosage of the medication is high.

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Severe hypothyroidism and its side effects.

Daily health news - Diesel engine exhaust causes cancer - IARC

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Nutrition, Health & Wellness

Diesel engine exhaust causes cancer WHO > Diesel engine exhaust fumes and health effects like cancer

IARC, considering the health effects of diesel engine exhaust fumes on humans, has classified it as carcinogenic to humans (cancer causing). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is the cancer research and monitoring arm of the World Health Organization (WHO). On June 12 2012, IARC, after a week-long meeting of international experts on carcinogenic health effects of diesel engine exhaust fumes, has made a press release announcing the classification of diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans. The classification was announced from Lyon, France, after considering the scientific findings on the health effects and cancer-causing potential of diesel exhaust fumes.

Now diesel fumes find a place among other known listed items with carcinogenic effects like tobacco smoke, solar radiation, UV radiation, mustard gas, chronic infection with Hepatitis B/C virus, postmenopausal estrogen therapy, formaldehyde, ethanol in alcoholic beverages, asbestos, benzene, arsenic and arsenic compounds.

An illustration of typical
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Earlier in 1988, IARC had classified diesel exhaust fumes as "probably carcinogenic to humans". The review of the classification was recommended in 1998. The requirement of the review was further re-emphasized by findings of US National Cancer Institute, published on March 6, 2012 on 'Heavy Diesel Exhaust Linked to Lung Cancer Deaths in Miners (https://www.cancer.gov/).
The research findings are from the 'Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study' (DEMS) taken up in 1992 by jointly by National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The study was done on non-metal miners and it revealed that the increasing exposure to diesel engine fumes had serious health effects and risk of death from lung carcinoma increased with increased exposure.
In everyday life most of us get exposed to these diesel engine fumes either through occupation or through the ambient air.
Diesel engine fumes contain obnoxious gases and fine particles of carbon surrounded by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that enter the body through mouth and nose and leave a coating of deposits in the lungs.
Though the human body removes these particles by coughing, The effects of continuous exposure to these deposits causes cancer.

The results of this study are important not only to miners but also to millions of workers working in environments heavy with diesel engine fumes, people living in very congested cities, people working in underground transit systems and people exposed to traffic snarls for considerable time.

Now that the adverse health effects are known, it is time for enforcing environment guidelines for engine exhaust fumes.
Introduction of more efficient engines and machinery with low diesel exhaust emissions, improved ventilation of closed work places and use of appropriate respiratory protective equipment will go long way in reversing negative health effects caused so far by diesel engine exhaust fumes and protect ourselves from lung cancer.

Soft drinks and health effects

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Nutrition, Health & Wellness

Soft drinks and health effects Soft drinks consumption is being associated to many health problems like heart diseases, obesity, type 11 diabetes, tooth decay, nutritional depletion and low nutritional levels. Soft drinks can be equated to liquid candies, and the first victim of their frequent consumption is tooth.
The high levels of carbohydrates and simple sugars present in them tend to ferment in oral cavity and affect the dental health by the formation of dental plaque and tooth decay. Further, most of the soft drinks are acidic in nature due to the ingredients used and also due to carbonating them.

When soft drinks are carbonated with carbon dioxide they turn acidic due formation of carbonic acid. The quantity of carbonic acid is directly proportionate to the amount of pressure of carbon dioxide over the liquid. Tooth decay
Slow sipping of these beverages (acidic in nature) over a period of time can affect dental health by eroding the tooth enamel and causing cavities. Drinking soft drinks through a straw must be preferred as the beverage gets swallowed from the rear end of the mouth giving less exposure to teeth.

Chronic consumption of these beverages has been found to give rise to health problems like low potassium levels (hypokalemia). There is a possibility of more excretion of calcium and lowered intake of calcium when these drinks are consumed frequently leading to loss of bone density.

Unless fortified with nutrients, these drinks are very low in vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids required for general health. Soft drinks deliver high food energy and calories and frequent consumption can give rise to obesity, diabetes and related cardiac health problems.