Hypothyroidism is a common health condition affecting millions of men and women (more women than men)that is frequently overlooked in our health care system.
According to our research at the National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, a healthy thyroid produces hormones that control a person’s metabolic rate. In essence, the thyroid acts as the body’s gas pedal. An overactive or hyperthyroid causes the body’s systems to run too hot and too fast. An under-active or hypothyroid causes the body’s systems to run too cold and too slow. The effects of low thyroid and low body temperature can be devastating because for every one degree decrease in body temperature the base metabolic rate decreases by approximately 6%.
It is not uncommon for a person to have an average temperature that is two to four degrees below normal, this correlates to a 12%-24% reduction in overall metabolism. No wonder these people feel tired and depressed and are consistently challenged with their weight.
Hypothyroidism is a common health condition affecting millions of men and women (more women than men)that is frequently overlooked in our health care system. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) estimates that 10% of Americans - more than the number of Americans with diabetes and cancer combined - suffer from thyroid disease.
The bottom line is that millions of Americans are hypothyroid, many hypothyroid patients receive inadequate treatment, and millions more are hypothyroid and may never even know.
Fatigue is one of the most common reasons for visits to primary care doctors, but the risk factors of having a poorly active thyroid are varied, and include: auto immune disease, post-partum depression, infertility, multiple miscarriages, pms (the previous 5 are specific to women only), weakness, problems with skin or hair, lethargy, sensation of cold, impaired memory or mood, constipation, weight gain or loss, muscle/joint pain, emotional instability, swelling around eyes, face or legs, nervousness, depression, heart palpitations, fullness in the throat area or difficulty swallowing, and much more.
In addition to being hypothyroid, there are many other reasons for fatigue. These include: poor blood sugar regulation, low adrenal function, anemia, nutritional deficiencies (often B vitamins), heavy metal toxicity, lack of exercise, allergies, inadequate sleep, clinical depression, and chronic infection - all of which can be positively effected by switching to a healthy diet high in raw vegetables and lean protein, where the meals are structured and evenly spaced throughout the day.
Diagnosing low thyroid can be difficult using the current medical model. Although there are numerous lab values that can be used to evaluate thyroid function, many physicians use only one lab test for diagnosis: thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Many patients with 8 out of 10 low thyroid symptoms will be told that their thyroid is not the cause of their symptoms because their TSH level is normal. Doctors using the TSH test as the sole criterion for detecting and treating the low thyroid patient are missing a great opportunity to help more sick people. Recently, the AACE has lowered the acceptable TSH values in order to detect more patients with this condition.
Although TSH is the most common method to diagnose low thyroid, having "normal" TSH levels does not automatically rule out hypothyroidism. In addition to the TSH test, a more complete thyroid panel should also include free T3, free T4, and possibly TPO antibodies, and reverse T3.
Although these are the best tests to evaluate thyroid function, these tests are often not performed because they are more expensive than the common tests and may not be covered by your insurance companies. When choosing a doctor to treat your possible thyroid problem, ask your doctor what tests they include in their thyroid panel.
Another very simple but less effective method to detect low thyroid is for the patient to measure their basal body temperature at home using a mercury thermometer. The basal temperature is measured by putting the thermometer under the arm for five minutes before getting out of bed. Men and post-menopausal women should record their temperatures for a week, menstruating women should start recording their temperature for a week beginning on day two of their period. Anyone with an average temperature of less than 97.6 F could be hypothyroid and should consult a skilled physician for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Once a diagnosis is made, the conventional treatment of hypothyroidism is to prescribe synthetic thyroid (Synthroid) and retest the TSH level in 4-6 weeks. The goal of the treatment is to bring the TSH level back into a normal range. This approach can be effective for some patients, but many patients do not feel better even after achieving normal TSH lab values.
When choosing a doctor to help with your potential low thyroid, you should ask whether the doctor uses medications other than Synthroid. Synthroid is the most commonly prescribed thyroid medication but is not the best solution. Physicians with experience in successfully treating thyroid disease will also utilize other alternatives such as naturally compounded T3/T4 hormone, Nature-throid, or Armour thyroid or natural supplements such as l-tyrosine, iodine, bladderwack (sea weed), natural progesterone, adrenal and thyroid glandular.
And ANY treatment to improve your thyroid functions absolutely must include instructions on how to eat healthier and lead a more active lifestyle. Exposure to toxins can also cause poor thyroid function.
Radiation treatments for an overactive thyroid is one of the most common causes of low thyroid. Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and others can also be a primary cause of hypothyroidism and need to be removed from the body. Lastly, fluoride and chlorine compete with the iodine needed for thyroid hormone metabolism and can cause poor thyroid function.
Many of you reading this article of are suffering needlessly from the symptoms of undiagnosed or ineffectively treated hypothyroidism. The ideas and suggestions contained in this article should provide you with a starting point and some direction for pursuing an effective solution. Always consult your physician first and always maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.
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