People either blame their inability to lose weight on a “slow metabolism,” or their weight gain is due to “no metabolism,” and others rejoice in the fact they can eat whatever they want because of a “fast metabolism.”
But what does that word METABOLISM mean, exactly?
Metabolism is everything your body does – chemically and physically – to keep growing and working. This has to do with the breaking down and building up of complex substances in the body. Breaking them down releases energy so that other complex substances, such as tissue and muscles, can be created.
And it is the thyroid that regulates your metabolism. If it is working too slowly, you won’t lose weight as quickly as you would like but you 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 lose weight. If it is abnormally hard for you to lose weight, or if you have high cholesterol, or no energy, or consistently retain fluid, your doctor might suspect an underactive thyroid and may suggest some lab tests (via drawn blood) to evaluate how well that gland is working and interacting with various other hormones and body chemicals.