BOSTON —Midlife can bring subtle changes in women’s skin, hair, energy, weight, and even mental outlook. Many women write off these changes as products of aging. But it’s a good idea to make sure they’re not the result of an underactive thyroid, says the November issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland influences virtually every organ system in the body. The hormones it secretes into the bloodstream play a vital role in regulating metabolism. Low thyroid hormone production, or hypothyroidism, is especially common in women. Because the link between symptoms and thyroid disease isn’t always obvious, especially in older people, many women don’t know they have it, warns Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

According to the article, the symptoms of hypothyroidism can differ from woman to woman. In some, the onset is gradual; in others, symptoms come on abruptly.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

fatigue cold intolerance appetite loss weight gain cardiovascular effects, including high blood pressure, elevated levels of total and LDL cholesterol, and increased homocysteine (a risk factor for heart disease) mental effects, including difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and loss of interest in things normally important to you reduced sweating, which may lead to dry and flaky skin and brittle nails thin or coarse hair constipation slower speech and movement heavier and more frequent periods, or a halt in periods; infertility is sometimes a problem muscle aches and pain around the joints balance problems in older women.

Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed with a blood test and treated with medication.

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