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Hypothyroid
It is estimated that 1% of the population is suffering from hypothyroidism. This number is widely disputed. *Many scientist, researchers and physician's believe as many as 40% of the population has hypothyroidism. Every cell in the body depends on having enough thyroid hormone. If your thyroid gland becomes dysfunctional, every cell in the body suffers. This is why thyroid disorders can cause so many problems.
Hypothyroid is commonly described as an underactive or sluggish thyroid, but there is more to it than just thyroid activity. Sometimes the problem is thyroid hormone imbalance, primarily underproduction of the thyroid's main hormone, thyroxine (T4). But T4 also has to be converted into it's active form, triodothyronine (T3), by the liver. It then has to be efficiently utilized by the body. Disruption in any one of these processes can contribute to hypothyroidism symptoms.
Notably, women are far more likely than men to be afflicted with thyroid problems. The great majority of these women suffer from hypothyroidism, which leads to fatigue, weight gain, depression, high cholesterol and other symptoms. A fraction suffer from hyperthyroidism, which is an overactive thyroid.
Thyroid Disorders
Over 20 million Americans suffer from thyroid dysfunction. More than 10 million women have a low-grade thyroid dysfunction, almost 8 million people with low thyroid go undiagnosed. Over 500,000 new cases of thyroid disease occur each year.
The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in the lower front part of your neck (just above the breast bone). The thyroid gland is responsible for secreting thyroid hormones. A hormone is a chemical substance formed in the body that is carried in the bloodstream to affect another part of the body. Thyroid hormones travel through the blood stream and help cells convert oxygen and calories into energy. Thyroid hormones control a person's metabolism. Metabolism is defined as the sum of all physical and chemical changes that take place within the body; all energy and material transformation that occur within living cells.
Do you have any of the symptoms below?
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decreased concentration
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slow wound healing
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decreased sex drive
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easy bruising
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unhealthy nails
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acid Indigestion
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low motivation
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constipation
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cold hands or feet
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inappropriate weight gain
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dry skin
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dry hair
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infertility
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hypoglycemia
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falling asleep during the day
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increased skin infections/Acne
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changes in skin pigmentation
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itching
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carpal tunnel syndrome
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high cholesterol
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loss of outside portion of eyebrows |
If you checked more than five of the above symptoms,
you might be suffering from hypothyroid dysfunction
Millions of Americans Have Been Misdiagnosed
In the last year, the lab values for measuring TSH have dropped from 6 to 3.04. This is an almost 50% reduction. Dr. Broda Barnes, a pioneer in treating thyroid disorders, has been advocating a reduction in the TSH level for decades. Millions of Americans have been misdiagnosed with normal thyroid function based on the old test parameters. Individuals who had a TSH blood levels between 3.05 and 6 were told that they were normal.
New Criteria for Diagnosis Increases Hypothyroid Population by 100%
You could have a thyroid problem and the doctors have not diagnosed it yet. New standards have been put in place to diagnose at the early stages of thyroid disease.
The new guidelines (2003) narrow the range for acceptable thyroid function and the AACE is now encouraging doctors to consider thyroid treatment for patients who test the target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.04, a far narrower range. AACE believes the new range will result in proper diagnosis for millions of Americans who suffer from a mild thyroid disorder but have gone untreated until now.
At a press conference, Hossein Gharib, MD, FACE, and president of AACE, said: "This means that there are more people with minor thyroid abnormalities than previously perceived."
AACE estimates that the new guidelines actually double the number of people who have abnormal thyroid function, bringing the total to as many as 27 million, up from 13 million thought to have the condition under the old guidelines.
Some doctors think TSH levels should be reduced even further.
They believe that TSH levels above 2.0 should be treated as hypothyroid
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Past Normal Adult Range: .5 - 6 miliIU/L
NEW OPTIMAL RANGE FOR ADULTS: .5 - 3.04 miliIU/L |
This is a significant change for those that believe they may have a thyroid condition
but the numbers don't back it up.
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Are you unsure which Thyroid product might be best for you?
Dr Murphree recommends taking the "Thyroid Boost" as the first course of action. If your thyroid is not functioning properly and you want to feel better quickly, consider taking the Thyroid Support Formula along with your Thyroid Boost. The Thyroid Support Formula will Turbo Boost the Thyroid Boost, helping to get your thyroid functioning properly. Feel Better Faster! |
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A Short-Course on Thyroid Hormones
The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland (both are contained in the brain) to produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then stimulates the thyroid to produce and release thyroxine (T4). T4 is then converted into triiodthyronine (T3), which is vital for life and four times more active than T4. This conversion of T4 to T3 takes place in the cells. You can live without T4 but not T3. The body must have T3.
Many people have reported that they have been tested for low thyroid but the blood tests were all normal.
They have all symptoms of a low thyroid: hair loss, low moods, can't lose weight (even on starvation diets), fatigue, cold hands and feet, skin, etc. Even their doctor believes they have low thyroid - until the tests come back normal. Then the patient is told, all your blood work looks normal, you just need to increase your anti-depressant medication.
Euthyroid Syndrome
Euthyroid is a medical term for patients who have normal thyroid blood tests but have all the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism: fatigue, low metabolism, headache, etc. Euthyroid patients often have a problem with T4 converting into active T3, even though blood tests show normal levels. Individuals might take synthetic thyroid hormones (like Synthroid, which contains T4 only), but since the T4 is not converting efficiently, they continue the symptoms of low thyroid. Many people complain of low thyroid symptoms. They relate that they, and sometimes their doctors, suspected a thyroid problem only to have their blood work return normal. Most physicians, in this case, won't recommend thyroid replacement therapy. Many don't know about (or they choose to ignore) well-documented studies that show that low body temperature is indicative of euthyroid hypothyroidism
Body Temperature, Metabolism, and Thyroid Hormones
Blood tests for thyroid function measure the amount of TSH, T4, and T3 in the bloodstream. But thyroid hormones don't operate within the bloodstream; the action takes place in the cells themselves. What good is a blood test that only shows what is racing around the bloodstream one second out of a day? It's inadequate for measuring true thyroid hormone levels.
Self-test for Low Thyroid
Dr. Broda Barnes was the first to show that a low basal body temperature was associated with low thyroid. His first study was published in 1942 and appeared in JAMA. This study tracked 1,000 college students and showed that monitoring body temperature for thyroid function was a valid if not superior approach to other thyroid tests.
The test for low thyroid function, according to Dr. Barnes's protocol, starts first thing in the morning.
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While still in bed, shake down and place the thermometer (preferably mercury; digital thermometers are not as accurate) under your arm and leave it there for 10 minutes
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Record your temperature in a daily log
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Repeat these steps for 7 days
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Return your daily recordings to your doctor
Women who are still having menstrual cycles should take their temperature after the third day of their period.
Post menopausal women can take their temperature on any day.
A reading below the normal 97.2 strongly suggests hypothyroid. A reading above 97.6 may indicate hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Add one degree to axillary (under arm) temperatures. You can also use a digital thermometer if needed. I recommend you take your underarm temperature as described above and take your temperature under the tongue two hours after waking up in the morning. Don't eat or drink anything ten minutes before taking your oral temperature.
Treatment for Hypothyroid, The Barnes Method
Dr. Barnes recommends patients take a desiccated glandular (derived from pigs) prescription medication known as Armour Thyroid, which was used before synthetic medications such as Synthroid were introduced. Armour Thyroid and other prescription thyroid glandulars (including Nuthroid and Westhroid), contain both T4 and T3. Synthroid and other synthetic thyroid medications contain T4 only. Since some individuals have a difficult time converting inactive T4 to active T3, these medications may not work at the cellular level. Individuals may take T4 medications for years and never notice much improvement.
Wilson's Syndrome
Wilson's Syndrome was first described by E. Denis Wilson, MD. He was refining some of the pioneering clinical research first performed by Dr. Barnes. Dr. Wilson showed that symptoms of low thyroid function could be present with normal thyroid blood tests. The group of symptoms that he studied he called Wilson's Syndrome. These symptoms can include severe fatigue, headache and migraine, PMS, easy weight gain, fluid retention, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, decreased memory and concentration, hair loss, decreased sex drive, unhealthy nails, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, dry skin, dry hair, cold and/or heat intolerance, low self-esteem, irregular periods, chronic or repeated infections, and many other complaints. A lot of symptoms for such a little hormone problem, huh? Perhaps the greatest obstacle Dr. Wilson has had to overcome in his attempts to be recognized by mainstream medicine is the vast symptoms associated with Wilson's Syndrome. Yet all these symptoms can be seen in hypothyroid patients.
Causes of Low Thyroid Function
The symptoms of low thyroid tend to come on or become worse after a major stressful event. Childbirth, divorce, death of a loved one, job or family stress, chronic illness, surgery, trauma, excessive dieting, and other stressful events can all lead to hypothyroidism. Under significant physical, mental, or emotional stress the body slows down the metabolism by decreasing the amount of raw material (T4) that is converted to the active thyroid hormone (T3). This is done to conserve energy. However, when the stress is over, the metabolism is supposed to speed up and return to normal. This process can become derailed by a buildup of reverse T3 (rT3) hormone. Reverse T3 can build to such high levels that it begins to start using up the enzyme that converts T4 to T3. The body may try to correct this by releasing more TSH and T4 only to have the levels of rT3 go even higher. A vicious cycle is created where T4 is never converted into active T3. Certain nationalities are more likely to develop Wilson's Syndrome: those whose ancestors survived famine, such as Irish, American Indian, Scotch, Welsh, and Russian. Interestingly, those patients who are part Irish and part American Indian are the most prone of all. Women are also more likely than men to develop Wilson's Syndrome. One study showed that all the symptoms associated with FMS could be eliminated while the patient was taking high-doses (120 mcg.) of T3.
Over the Counter Glandular Thyroid Supplements
The prescription thyroid glandular medications, Armour, Westhroid, and Nuthroid are the preferred method of treating low thyroid disorder. Dr Wilson's timed-release prescription T3 therapy is another option. However, many people have trouble getting their medical doctor to write them a prescription for one of these medications. If you have trouble getting your doctor to prescribe one of these medications then you should consider using the over-the-counter thyroid supplement. Over-the-counter thyroid glandular supplements can also be used to correct low thyroid function. Since these raw thyroid tissue concentrates contain T3, they can be used as a first line of treatment for low to moderate hypothyroid, euthyroid disorder, or Wilson's syndrome.
Individuals taking synthetic prescription thyroid medicines (Synthroid, Levathyriod, etc.) may find that adding an over the counter T3 glandular supplement helps them feel better. A study by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that patients who received a combination of T4 and T3 were mentally sharper, less depressed, and feeling better overall than a control group who received T4 only. Potent, high quality thyroid glandular supplements are not easy to find.
Lab Values and what they mean
> Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) - produced by the anterior pituitary gland, causes the
release and distribution of stored thyroid hormones.
> When T4 and T3 are too high, TSH secretion decreases. A TSH below .5 suggests a
hyperthyroid (over active thyroid).
> When T4 and T3 are low, TSH secretion increases. A TSH above 3.04 suggests hypothyroid
(low thyroid function).
Symptoms Associated with Hypothyroid
>Do you suffer from fatigue, headaches, dry skin, swelling, weight gain, cold hands and feet, poor memory, hair loss, hoarseness, nervousness, depression, joint and muscle pain, and or burning or tingling sensations in the hands or feet?
>Skin may become yellow, especially the hands, from a build-up of carotene. This is because the process that converts carotene to vitamins is slowed by hypothyroidism.
>Numbness or tingling in the feet is caused by hypothyroid neuropathy (a degenerative nerve disease). Carpal tunnel syndrome (medial nerve neuropathy) may also be caused by hypothyroidism.
>Hypothyroidism can also cause problems with balance and equilibrium. You may experience an unsteadiness on your feet or a lack of coordination.
>Constipation occurs from the slowed metabolism associated with hypothyroid.
Of course, the most profound symptom associated with hypothyroidism is fatigue
What Causes Thyroid Disorder
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Stress, viruses that attack the thyroid, environmental and dietary toxins can all cause the thyroid to malfunction.
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Corticosteroids (prednisone) and lithium can suppress TSH and prevent the conversion of T4 to T3.
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Certain foods including Brussels sprouts, rutabaga, turnips, cabbage, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, millet, kale, and soy products can all contribute to low thyroid hormone production.
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Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also contribute to low thyroid function.
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The amino acid L-Tyrosine is the precursor for T4 hormone. Vitamins B1 and B2 are essential for proper thyroid function. The mineral selenium activates an enzyme that helps convert T4 to T3.
Depression
Depression is the most common condition seen in general medical practice. It is estimated that 10 percent of the population suffers from depression.
Stress, depression, anxiety, tiredness, and other emotional problems can all mask a thyroid disorder. Research now shows that depressed patients have reduced levels of a protein transthyretin, which normally carries T4 from the bloodstream into the brain. Treatment with a prescription of Cytomel, a T3 medication, (or naturally with GTA, see below) could help circumvent this problem.
Increasing evidence indicates that T3, the most active form of thyroid hormone, is an effective antidepressant, when used in conjunction with a conventional antidepressant. Ridha Arem, M.D.
A Properly Functioning Thyroid is Critical To Good Health,
Get Your Thyroid Functioning Properly Faster with our Jumpstart Thyroid Kit
Feel Better Faster!
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