Low Body Temperature

A Sign of Thyroid Disease?

We all know that a high temperature is a sign of illness. The body gets feverish when fighting off infection. For this reason, a fever is considered a natural, healthy aid to healing, only needing to be controlled when it gets so high as to make us uncomfortable. 

A low body temperature on the other hand is rarely seen as a positive response. In fact, it can be indicative of other serious medical conditions, including anemia, circulatory issues, and an under active thyroid. That’s because body temperature is an important indicator of the energy the body has to optimally perform all of its necessary functions. 

When a person’s body temperature regularly runs low, especially during the afternoon hours, and is accompanied by symptoms such as chronic fatigue, weight gain, dry skin and hair, constipation, heavy menstrual periods, and depression, among others, thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism) is often to blame.

The Thyroid Controls Body Temp

The thyroid gland regulates many body processes, among them your metabolism (energy/weight management), heartbeat, and your core body temperature. When it’s not working properly and body temperature is regularly low, not only might hands and feet feel cold even in a warm environment, brain processes slow down resulting in memory and concentration issues. Blood and other fluids thicken and move more slowly throughout the body decreasing energy and creating a fatigued, sluggish feeling. Enzymes are less effective at detoxification, and pathogens like bacteria and viruses grow more freely. 

It’s the same process that happens to the body during hypothermia, except the onset of symptoms occurs more gradually over time.

And that fever so helpful in fighting off infections? Thyroid-deficient people may not spike one, so illness, infection, and even cancer can grow undetected for longer. 

Low body temperature alone does not mean a patient has a thyroid condition, but it does provide a good reason to have your thyroid levels checked.  In fact, core temperature monitoring is something you can easily do at home and is a valuable complement to blood tests in pinpointing a low-thyroid diagnosis.

An under active thyroid is often treated by beginning a regimen of iodine supplementation, addressing nutritional deficits or food sensitivities, and/or implementing other functional low thyroid protocols.  These can effectively reverse low body temperature and eliminate symptoms of hypothyroidism, without synthetic hormones. 

Hypothyroidism is a serious medical condition that greatly impacts quality of life.  Talk to us about addressing your low body temperature and other symptoms of thyroid dysfunction to restore you to optimal wellness.