the thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck. it helps set the rate of metabolism which is the rate at which the body uses energy. a slow or underactive thyroid known as hypothyroidism can result in extreme fatigue sluggishness feeling run down and depression. approximately 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder by age 60. and most won't know it. the most common cause is an autoimmune disorder known as hashimoto's thyroiditis. hashimoto's stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. the result is hypothyroidism or a slow metabolism. blood tests known as t3 and t4 will detect thyroid hormones. if these hormones are low synthetic hormones (medication) can bring you up to speed and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.
what is hypothyroidism?