Is it your thyroid?
If you’ve ever felt the warmth of a crackling campfire, you’ve observed the process of oxidation: oxygen combining with fuel (logs) to release stored energy (heat).
Don’t worry; oxidation takes place in the body at a slower, more controlled rate. The thyroid butterfly-shaped gland located at the
base of the throat regulates the rate at which the cells in the body take nutrients and combine them with oxygen, releasing their stored energy and heat. This is accomplished with the production of two hormones, commonly known as T4 (thyroxin) and T3 (tri-iodothyronine).
In our practice, I find insufficient thyroid to be extremely common, though most people will tell me they’ve had their thyroid “checked” and were told “everything is normal”. Sadly, a single hormone (TSH) is typically all that is measured.
And why is it the only measurement generally taken? TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that determines the amount of T4 that is produced by the thyroid. TSH is on a feedback loop with circulating levels of T4. This simply means that if the level of T4 is insufficient, the pituitary will increase output of TSH.
Think of TSH as how loudly the pituitary must talk to the thyroid to get it to perform its job of making T4. It is certainly very predictable that if TSH is above the expected reference range, then T4 production is low, indicating sluggish thyroid performance. An abnormally elevated TSH is, in essence, the pituitary yelling at the thyroid because T4 blood levels are insufficient and the thyroid is not responding.
What is most commonly overlooked is that T4 is not a very active hormone, and acts mostly as a precursor to T3, a hormone that is 5-7 times more active than T4. In people with a normal TSH/T4, symptoms of thyroid insufficiency almost always go untreated, when often the symptoms stem from a poor T4 to T3 conversion (a condition commonly known as Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome).
In people with low T4/high TSH, often the only treatment offered is synthetic T4 replacement (synthroid). Unfortunately for many, synthroid is not easily converted to T3, most likely because a T4 to T3 conversion problem was already present and undetected; therefore, symptoms of hypothyroidism persist.
While it’s certainly possible to obtain relief from hypothyroid symptoms with the inclusion of synthetic T3 (cytomel), this does nothing to address the reason the body is unable to make the conversion in the first place. Conversion of T4 to the more active T3 hormone takes place in the liver, kidneys and peripheral tissues and requires adequate levels of vitamin A, E, zinc, selenium and essential fats. Imbalances in the liver or kidneys or a lack of conversion factors should be addressed.
Even if normal levels of all 3 of these hormones are present, this is not sufficient evidence that all is well. Autoimmune diseases are on the rise and are very often overlooked since antibody levels are not part of the standard thyroid panel. If symptoms of hypothyroidism are present and TSH, T3 and T4 are within the reference range, it’s worthwhile to check thyroid antibody levels (TPO and TG antibodies).
In addition to checking TSH, T3, T4 and antibodies, it’s often helpful to check the levels of reverse T3 (RT3), a hormone produced during times of stress or while taking certain pharmaceuticals that acts as an antagonist to T3, meant to conserve the body’s energy and resources by lowering metabolism. This hormone is made at the expense of T3.
When interpreting lab results it’s important to consider that the reference ranges are very broad, and a person can be considered within reference range even though they are on the edge of the upper or lower limits of the reference range. Optimal levels for any lab value are somewhere in the middle, not at the extreme end of either side of the reference range.
If only this were where the story ended! To complicate matters even further, TSH, T4, T3, RT3 and thyroid antibodies can all be normal, but if thyroid hormone is unable to plug in at the tissue level, hypothyroid symptoms will still result. Cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is needed in the proper balance, (neither too much nor too little) for thyroid hormones to plug into their receptor sites. In addition, estrogen dominance (a coin termed by the late Dr. John Lee that describes an imbalanced ratio between estrogen and progesterone) also impacts metabolism because excess estrogen blocks thyroid hormone from plugging into its own receptors.
Before you get discouraged with the complexity of determining whether or not thyroid insufficiency is present, you should know that simply taking your temperature can determine if you have a metabolic imbalance. Many people tell me that their temperature is normally low, but I can assure you that low body temperature, while common, is not normal for anyone.
There are two ways to monitor your temperature.
• The most popular method is to keep a shakedown thermometer beside your bed, then, in the morning before you sit up or move around, put it under your arm for 10 minutes. If your temperature is lower than 97.8, you have a low metabolic rate. (Hint: I change my alarm setting to “beep” instead of music when I want to remember to take my temperature in the morning.)
• Some people find it easier to take their temperature orally during the day. Take your temperature 3 times during the day starting 3 hours after rising in the morning. Don’t take your temperature for 15 minutes after eating or drinking. If you use a digital thermometer, remember that the accuracy will vary by plus or minus .2 degrees. Anything below 98.6 degrees indicates a lowered metabolism.
When using either method to check your metabolic rate, it’s best not to take your temperature during your menstrual cycle or at ovulation. Take your temperature for 3-5 days and average your readings.
Diminished thyroid activity, or hypothyroidism, decreases metabolic rate, makes it impossible to assimilate food properly, depresses the activity of other glands in the body and ultimately adversely affects every cell and tissue in the body. Some problems associated with thyroid imbalance or malfunction include weight problems, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, frequent illness, feeling cold all the time, heart and arterial disease, and feeling down or depressed.
What can cause Hypothyroidism?
• Exposure to radioactive fallout (which is likely to contain radioactive iodine)
• Some drugs, such as lithium and the heart drug cordarone,
• A deficiency of iodine in the diet
• Vaccinations
• Radiation treatment to the head, neck or chest.
• Over consumption of uncooked "goitrogenic" foods, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, rutabaga, turnips, kohlrabi, radishes, cauliflower, African cassava, millet, babassu fruit, cabbage and kale
• Surgery
• Radioactive iodine treatment
• Chronic Stress
• Exposure to Water pollutants including Fluoride
• Smoking
Some alternative physicians place a lot of emphasis on the adverse affects of chlorine, bromine and fluorine in the water supply, toothpaste and other sources on the thyroid gland. The rationale is that chlorine, bromine and fluorine are very near iodine on the periodic chart and can therefore chemically interfere with iodine metabolism. As a preventive measure it makes sense to filter water to remove these chemicals and to avoid exposure from other sources.
In addition to chemical and environmental factors, thyroid function can be depressed by imbalances in other endocrine glands. Increased insulin levels from sugar handling stress can depress thyroid function and increase cortisol levels. Increased cortisol levels caused by all forms of stress can depress thyroid function as well. Hypoadrenia or adrenal exhaustion often proceeds or occurs with a hypothyroid state. To correct hypothyroidism by addressing the cause, one must engage in an effective stress reduction strategy, correct sugar handling stress and provide adrenal support.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
• Feeling cold Yellow bumps on the eyelids
• Difficulty losing weight Hair loss
• Slow heart rate Recurrent infections
• Hormone imbalances Depression
• Fertility problems Difficulty concentrating
• Muscle weakness and cramps Poor memory
• Dry skin
• Fluid retention
• Constipation
• Yellow-orange coloration of the skin
• Drooping, swollen eyelids
• Brittle nails
• Low libido
• Goiter
If suffering from hypothyroidism consider incorporating these small, but very helpful, things into your lifestyle:
Stone therapy: Green stones contain healing vibrational frequencies for many emotional and physical conditions including thyroid. Consider wearing one, or more, of these stones close to your throat:
• Amazonite
• Apatite
• Aventurine
• Bloodstone
• Quartz
• Chrysocolla
• Chrysoprase
• Emerald
• Epidote
• Fluorite
• Green Garnet
• Jade
• Kyanite
• Nephrite
• Ocean Jasper
• Peridot
• Prehnite
• Rhyolite
• Serpentine
• Tourmaline
• Turquoise
• Unakite
• Zoisite
Aromatherapy:
• Clove = (for dysfunctioning thyroid)
• Myrtle = (for normalizing hormonal imbalance)
• Endo Flex (apply on top of big toes) & peppermint = (for hypothyroidism)
• Endo Flex & Myrrh (rub on hands and feet) = (to support the thyroid)
Diet:
• Avoid refined foods
• Sugar
• dairy products
• wheat
• caffeine
• alcohol
**This newsletter is not meant to replace medical advice from your doctor and is intended for educational purposes only.
Don’t worry; oxidation takes place in the body at a slower, more controlled rate. The thyroid butterfly-shaped gland located at the
In our practice, I find insufficient thyroid to be extremely common, though most people will tell me they’ve had their thyroid “checked” and were told “everything is normal”. Sadly, a single hormone (TSH) is typically all that is measured.
And why is it the only measurement generally taken? TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that determines the amount of T4 that is produced by the thyroid. TSH is on a feedback loop with circulating levels of T4. This simply means that if the level of T4 is insufficient, the pituitary will increase output of TSH.
What is most commonly overlooked is that T4 is not a very active hormone, and acts mostly as a precursor to T3, a hormone that is 5-7 times more active than T4. In people with a normal TSH/T4, symptoms of thyroid insufficiency almost always go untreated, when often the symptoms stem from a poor T4 to T3 conversion (a condition commonly known as Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome).
In people with low T4/high TSH, often the only treatment offered is synthetic T4 replacement (synthroid). Unfortunately for many, synthroid is not easily converted to T3, most likely because a T4 to T3 conversion problem was already present and undetected; therefore, symptoms of hypothyroidism persist.
While it’s certainly possible to obtain relief from hypothyroid symptoms with the inclusion of synthetic T3 (cytomel), this does nothing to address the reason the body is unable to make the conversion in the first place. Conversion of T4 to the more active T3 hormone takes place in the liver, kidneys and peripheral tissues and requires adequate levels of vitamin A, E, zinc, selenium and essential fats. Imbalances in the liver or kidneys or a lack of conversion factors should be addressed.
Even if normal levels of all 3 of these hormones are present, this is not sufficient evidence that all is well. Autoimmune diseases are on the rise and are very often overlooked since antibody levels are not part of the standard thyroid panel. If symptoms of hypothyroidism are present and TSH, T3 and T4 are within the reference range, it’s worthwhile to check thyroid antibody levels (TPO and TG antibodies).
In addition to checking TSH, T3, T4 and antibodies, it’s often helpful to check the levels of reverse T3 (RT3), a hormone produced during times of stress or while taking certain pharmaceuticals that acts as an antagonist to T3, meant to conserve the body’s energy and resources by lowering metabolism. This hormone is made at the expense of T3.
When interpreting lab results it’s important to consider that the reference ranges are very broad, and a person can be considered within reference range even though they are on the edge of the upper or lower limits of the reference range. Optimal levels for any lab value are somewhere in the middle, not at the extreme end of either side of the reference range.
If only this were where the story ended! To complicate matters even further, TSH, T4, T3, RT3 and thyroid antibodies can all be normal, but if thyroid hormone is unable to plug in at the tissue level, hypothyroid symptoms will still result. Cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is needed in the proper balance, (neither too much nor too little) for thyroid hormones to plug into their receptor sites. In addition, estrogen dominance (a coin termed by the late Dr. John Lee that describes an imbalanced ratio between estrogen and progesterone) also impacts metabolism because excess estrogen blocks thyroid hormone from plugging into its own receptors.
Before you get discouraged with the complexity of determining whether or not thyroid insufficiency is present, you should know that simply taking your temperature can determine if you have a metabolic imbalance. Many people tell me that their temperature is normally low, but I can assure you that low body temperature, while common, is not normal for anyone.
There are two ways to monitor your temperature.
• The most popular method is to keep a shakedown thermometer beside your bed, then, in the morning before you sit up or move around, put it under your arm for 10 minutes. If your temperature is lower than 97.8, you have a low metabolic rate. (Hint: I change my alarm setting to “beep” instead of music when I want to remember to take my temperature in the morning.)
• Some people find it easier to take their temperature orally during the day. Take your temperature 3 times during the day starting 3 hours after rising in the morning. Don’t take your temperature for 15 minutes after eating or drinking. If you use a digital thermometer, remember that the accuracy will vary by plus or minus .2 degrees. Anything below 98.6 degrees indicates a lowered metabolism.
When using either method to check your metabolic rate, it’s best not to take your temperature during your menstrual cycle or at ovulation. Take your temperature for 3-5 days and average your readings.
Diminished thyroid activity, or hypothyroidism, decreases metabolic rate, makes it impossible to assimilate food properly, depresses the activity of other glands in the body and ultimately adversely affects every cell and tissue in the body. Some problems associated with thyroid imbalance or malfunction include weight problems, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, frequent illness, feeling cold all the time, heart and arterial disease, and feeling down or depressed.
What can cause Hypothyroidism?
• Exposure to radioactive fallout (which is likely to contain radioactive iodine)
• Some drugs, such as lithium and the heart drug cordarone,
• A deficiency of iodine in the diet
• Vaccinations
• Radiation treatment to the head, neck or chest.
• Over consumption of uncooked "goitrogenic" foods, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, rutabaga, turnips, kohlrabi, radishes, cauliflower, African cassava, millet, babassu fruit, cabbage and kale
• Surgery
• Radioactive iodine treatment
• Chronic Stress
• Exposure to Water pollutants including Fluoride
• Smoking
Some alternative physicians place a lot of emphasis on the adverse affects of chlorine, bromine and fluorine in the water supply, toothpaste and other sources on the thyroid gland. The rationale is that chlorine, bromine and fluorine are very near iodine on the periodic chart and can therefore chemically interfere with iodine metabolism. As a preventive measure it makes sense to filter water to remove these chemicals and to avoid exposure from other sources.
In addition to chemical and environmental factors, thyroid function can be depressed by imbalances in other endocrine glands. Increased insulin levels from sugar handling stress can depress thyroid function and increase cortisol levels. Increased cortisol levels caused by all forms of stress can depress thyroid function as well. Hypoadrenia or adrenal exhaustion often proceeds or occurs with a hypothyroid state. To correct hypothyroidism by addressing the cause, one must engage in an effective stress reduction strategy, correct sugar handling stress and provide adrenal support.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
• Feeling cold Yellow bumps on the eyelids
• Difficulty losing weight Hair loss
• Slow heart rate Recurrent infections
• Hormone imbalances Depression
• Fertility problems Difficulty concentrating
• Muscle weakness and cramps Poor memory
• Dry skin
• Fluid retention
• Constipation
• Yellow-orange coloration of the skin
• Drooping, swollen eyelids
• Brittle nails
• Low libido
• Goiter
If suffering from hypothyroidism consider incorporating these small, but very helpful, things into your lifestyle:
Stone therapy: Green stones contain healing vibrational frequencies for many emotional and physical conditions including thyroid. Consider wearing one, or more, of these stones close to your throat:
• Amazonite
• Apatite
• Aventurine
• Bloodstone
• Quartz
• Chrysocolla
• Chrysoprase
• Emerald
• Epidote
• Fluorite
• Green Garnet
• Jade
• Kyanite
• Nephrite
• Ocean Jasper
• Peridot
• Prehnite
• Rhyolite
• Serpentine
• Tourmaline
• Turquoise
• Unakite
• Zoisite
Aromatherapy:
• Clove = (for dysfunctioning thyroid)
• Myrtle = (for normalizing hormonal imbalance)
• Endo Flex (apply on top of big toes) & peppermint = (for hypothyroidism)
• Endo Flex & Myrrh (rub on hands and feet) = (to support the thyroid)
Diet:
• Avoid refined foods
• Sugar
• dairy products
• wheat
• caffeine
• alcohol
**This newsletter is not meant to replace medical advice from your doctor and is intended for educational purposes only.
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