Autoimmune Thyroid -Hashimoto's Disease

[Odysseus]

You've probably also heard of Dr David Brownstein ... seems to be one of the gurus determined to get down to earth info into the hands of the public -

I just stumbled over and read the Iodine thread (Selenium is mentioned there often too; this thread is a must read). There is a lot of reference to Dr David Brownstein and hypothyroid aspects in the light of an Iodine deficiency. If that's what you meant, then yes I just heard of him. :)

So, it seems that an Iodine deficiency might be part of the equation in a hypothyroid/Hashimoto disease, but supposedly excessive Iodine (intakes) can actually trigger a hypothyroid (I'll have to do some more research on that one to see what's up with it).

 

[Breo]

Very informative iodine thread. In Hashi thyroid there seems to be caution to be taken with intake of iodine.

Bowthorpe in "Stop the thyroid madness" writes:

Hashimoto patients find iodine to exacerbate their autoimmune symptoms, especially with the use of sea salt. If you have anitbodies, you may want to do research on the use of iodine...

_http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/brownstein-hormones.htm :

Q. David, in your book, "The Miracle of Natural Hormones," you cover a number of natural hormones, including natural progesterone and estrogens, DHEA, melatonin, and many more. Yet your first chapter focuses on natural thyroid hormone. Is there a reason you chose to start with the thyroid?

A. Mary, the reason I put the natural thyroid hormone chapter first is because it is the most important part of the book. Although I feel it is best to use all of the natural hormones in combination to achieve the best results, balancing the thyroid gland is the most important. It is impossible to balance the hormonal system without adequately addressing the thyroid gland. In addition, some of the best results I have seen in medicine have to do with using natural thyroid hormone or Armour Thyroid.

...

A. In my experience, Armour Thyroid provides the best results for the majority of patients. Armour thyroid not only contains T3 and T4, but it contains many other factors that facilitate the conversion of T4 to T3 including calcitonin, T1, T2 and many other chemicals that we have not even identified. If we had a direct human duplicate of all of the chemicals contained and released by our own thyroid gland, I would be the first to promote its use. Armour Thyroid has been around for almost 100 years and has proven to be extremely safe and effective.
...

In my experience, people will generally feel better on Armour Thyroid versus the synthetic combinations that you have mentioned. However, one size does not fit everyone. Each therapy needs to be individualized for that particular person.

Q. You feel that a number of factors can contribute to the inability to convert T4 to T3, including:

1. Deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iodine and iron
2. beta blockers, Dilantin and certain other drugs
3. Alcohol and pesticides

...

A. Mary, all of these factors decrease the conversion of the relatively inactive T4 to the more active form of thyroid hormone, T3. All patients with thyroid problems need to be properly evaluated for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In addition, I look at all of my patients for signs of toxicity, whether it is from drug therapies or chemicals like pesticides and alcohol. It is critically important to treat the whole person, not just part of the person in order to achieve the best results.

Q. Can you explain more about your assertion in the book that low protein/low fat diets can contribute to the inability to convert T4 to T3? Do you feel that the current "low-fat" craze might contribute to increasing borderline thyroid problems in the U.S.?

A. I often see people on a low fat/low protein diet that have hypothyroid symptoms. Often, just by correcting the dietary insufficiencies, their thyroid symptoms will improve. It is well known that adequate protein and fat is necessary to convert T4 to T3. Dr. Barnes (a pioneer in the treatment of thyroid problems) wrote 40 years ago about how the thyroid will under-function if there is a lack of protein and fat in the diet.

Q. In your book, in addition to a variety of supplements, including Vitamin A, B Vitamins, C, E, and others, you suggest people get sufficient foods with iodine. There's been a great deal of controversy among holistic and complementary practitioners regarding whether to supplement with iodine or iodine-containing foods and herbs (such as seaweed, kelp, bladderwrack, etc.). A number of practitioners I've spoken feel that iodine can actually aggravate autoimmune thyroid disease. Personally, I've found this to be the case with me, and have heard from so many people who have had major "crashes" (in terms of fatigue, low energy, neck irritation/tenderness) when they either eat iodine-rich food, or begin iodine supplementation. What do you feel the situation is with iodine, and what are these reactions all about?

A. I agree that iodine can aggravate autoimmune thyroid conditions. Iodine supplementation in those that have an autoimmune thyroid problem can be akin to pouring gas over a fire. However, with hypothyroid conditions that are not autoimmune in nature, iodine-containing foods can actually help the thyroid function better.

Q. You mention the importance of stress reduction in your book. Can you explain what you feel the relationship is between stress and thyroid disease, and how reducing stress can help?

A. Mary, there is no doubt in my mind that stress reduction improves the entire hormonal system, including the thyroid gland. Stress exacerbates all thyroid problems, particularly those with an autoimmune component (i.e., Hashimoto's or Graves).
...

A. In order to achieve the best results, I feel it is necessary to balance out the entire hormonal system. This can include the use of the adrenal hormones (i.e., DHEA, and pregnenolone), ovarian hormones (i.e., using natural progesterone and natural estrogens and natural testosterone), growth hormone, melatonin and others. I find using small amounts of each of these hormones in combination much more effective than using one hormones individually. Sometimes, one needs a combination of treatments to help them achieve their optimum health.

Q. You have chapters in your book for other hormones, such as DHEA, Natural Progesterone, Natural Estrogens, Natural Testosterone, Growth Hormone, Natural Hydrocortisone, Melatonin and Pregnenolone. What one hormone relates most to the thyroid gland?

A. Mary, all of the hormones relate to the thyroid gland. However, there is definitely a relationship between thyroid problems and DHEA and Natural Progesterone. I usually find patients with thyroid problems will do much better when DHEA and Progesterone levels are appropriately investigated. IF there is a problem with these hormones, supplementation with natural versions of DHEA and Progesterone are extremely helpful to balance out thyroid problems.

Q. Did you have any other information or advice you think is important for people with hypothyroidism?

A. I recommend to my patients to do their own reading and make their own decisions about their health care. A more informed patient will get the best results. Don't rely on one test to tell you whether your thyroid is functioning appropriately. Take into account the whole picture, from the blood tests to the physical exam signs and symptoms and the basal temperatures. This is truly a holistic way to treat someone, and this is what I describe in my book.
...

About iodine and Hashimoto...what do you find out?

 

[Gaby]

Hypothyroidism

This article is interesting and something to consider for those who have hypothyroidism/autoimmune problems.

Intermittent Fasting as a Therapy for Hypothyroidism

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=1260

Reader Adam Kadela has begun intermittent fasting and wonders how it might affect his hypothyroidism:

I have a question pertaining to the section at the end of the book covering extended fasts. I regularly practice the 16-8 fast/feast protocol (breakfast at noon, last meal before eight), and plan to throw in a 36 hour fast once a month per your book. However, I am hypothyroid (hashimoto’s) and take synthetic T4 and T3 (unithroid and cytomel), so I’m wondering if an extended fast could affect my thyroid function negatively.

This is a great question. I think the daily 16-hour fast should be therapeutic for hypothyroidism, but I’m not sure about the 36-hour fast.

In today’s post I want to talk about why daily intermittent fasting may be therapeutic for Hashimoto’s, which is an autoimmune hypothyroidism.

Food Sets The Circadian Clock

The circadian clock is strongly influenced by diet: indeed, food intake dominates light in setting the circadian clock. If you regularly eat at night and fast during the day, the body will start treating night as day and day as night. [1]

(Alcohol consumption at night will also tend to reset the clock, which may explain why college students are often night owls!)

This suggests that controlling the timing of food consumption can help to maintain circadian rhythms.

The Circadian Clock and Hypothyroidism

The thyroid follows circadian rhythms. There is a circadian pattern to TSH levels: high at night, low during the day.

The thyroid’s circadian pattern is diminished in autoimmune hypothyroidism. In a study of hypothyroid children, the night-time surge of TSH averaged 22%, compared to 124% in normal children. Only one of 13 hypothyroid children had a night-time TSH surge in the normal range. [2]

The study authors concluded:

We suggest that the nocturnal surge of TSH is important for maintenance of thyroid function and conclude that the nocturnal TSH surge is a much more sensitive test than the TSH response to TRH for the diagnosis of central hypothyroidism. [2]

Shift Work and Hypothyroidism

If circadian rhythms are important for thyroid function, we would expect shift workers to have high rates of hypothyroidism. Shift workers sleep during the day and eat at night, which disrupts circadian rhythms.

It turns out that shift work doubles the risk of autoimmune hypothyroidism:

Stress induces autoimmune disorders by affecting the immune response modulation. Recent studies have shown that shift work stress may enhance the onset of the autoimmune Graves hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, the possible association between occupational stress and autoimmune hypothyroidism has not yet been investigated…. Subclinical autoimmune hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 7.7 percent shift workers and in 3.8 percent day-time workers with a statistically significant difference: Odds Ratio (OR) 2.12, 95 percent Confidence Interval (CI) 1.05 to 4.29; p=0.03…. Our data show a significant association between shift work and autoimmune hypothyroidism. This finding may have implications in the health surveillance programs. [3]

Shift Work Affected Adam Too

In a follow up email, Adam told me that night shift work may have helped cause his hypothyroidism:

[T]he paper about thyroid and fasting … is particularly interesting to me due to my experience with night shift work for 10 months last year. My circadian rhythm was all out of whack due to experimenting with different sleep schedules and trying to workout around midnight before going into work at two a.m. I also played around with different diet strategies (grazing method w/ small meals, warrior diet, and ultimately settling on the 16-8, which is by far superior imo). My thyroid, along with other hormones, did not enjoy these trials.

Intermittent Fasting May Be Therapeutic

Since the circadian rhythm is affected by both food and light exposure, lifestyle practices can enhance natural circadian rhythms. These practices should optimize the circadian cycle:

* Light entrainment: Get daytime sun exposure, and sleep in a totally darkened room.
* Daytime feeding: Eat during daylight hours, so that food rhythms and light rhythms are in synch.
* Intermittent fasting: Concentrate food intake during an 8-hour window during daylight hours, preferably the afternoon. A 16-hour fast leading to lower blood sugar and insulin levels, and the more intense hormonal response to food that results from concentration of daily calories into a short 8-hour time window, will accentuate the diurnal rhythm.
* Adequate carb intake: Eat at least 400 “safe starch” carbohydrate calories daily during the afternoon feeding window. Relative to a very low-carb diet, this will increase daytime insulin release and, by increasing insulin sensitivity, may reduce fasting insulin levels. It will thus enhance diurnal insulin rhythm.

Adam tells me that intermittent fasting seems to be improving his hypothyroidism:

I think you’re correct in that I’ve experienced some curative effects. However, with the improved nutrient absorption and gut health from healthier eating and fasting, I think I fluctuate a lot b/w slightly hypo, normal, and hyper, since my medication is constant. I’m still in the process of finding a balance, but it’s a bigger improvement than my past state.

Conclusion

Many doctors mistakenly assume that little can be done to cure autoimmune disorders. In fact, however, autoimmune conditions commonly disappear once the chronic infections, food toxins, or poor health practices that cause them are eliminated.

Circadian rhythms have powerful influences on many biological processes, and disrupted circadian rhythms are a common feature of disease. Without clinical trials it’s impossible to be sure, but efforts to enhance circadian rhythms may be therapeutic for diseases such as hypothyroidism.

Intermittent fasting, daytime light exposure, excluding light from the bedroom, night fasting and daytime feeding are simple practices. But they may be underappreciated keys to good health.

References

[1] Fuller PM et al. Differential rescue of light- and food-entrainable circadian rhythms. Science. 2008 May 23;320(5879):1074-7. http://pmid.us/18497298.

[2] Rose SR et al. Hypothyroidism and deficiency of the nocturnal thyrotropin surge in children with hypothalamic-pituitary disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990 Jun;70(6):1750-5. http://pmid.us/2112153.

[3] Magrini A et al. Shift work and autoimmune thyroid disorders. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2006 Oct-Dec;19(4 Suppl):31-6. http://pmid.us/17291404.

 

[Breo]

Thank you Psyche :) this is an important input in my understanding of Hashimoto.

It rings a big bell to me "that controlling the timing of food consumption can help to maintain circadian rhythms". Since my teens I was a night owl, which gradually turned into a severe sleeping disorder. Also I would get hungry at night. Plus constant stress being a key factor.

I will test now "Intermittent fasting: Concentrate food intake during an 8-hour window during daylight hours, preferably the afternoon."

Question 1: Does this mean, one afternoon meal? Or main meal in the afternoon, with small breakfast and small lunch?
Question 2: "Eat at least 400 “safe starch” carbohydrate calories". I already eat gluten/dairy/corn/soy/potato free. Is our forum diet considered "safe starch carbohydrates"? What about meet and eggs concerning this diet? (I am not allergic to eggs)
Are all of the following fine?


Carbohydrates:
* Amaranth
* Buckwheat
* Finger millet (Rag)
* Job's tears
* Millet
* Montina (Indian rice grass)
* Quinoa
* Sorghum
* Tef (or teff)
* Wild rice

Starches
* Arrowroot
* Beans (such as: black, navy, pinto, lentils)
* Cassava
* Flax
* Nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
* Peas
* Sago
* Seeds
* Tapioca
* Yucca

 

[Gaby]

Question 1: Does this mean, one afternoon meal? Or main meal in the afternoon, with small breakfast and small lunch?

Basically your last meal should be between 6 and 7 pm, and it should be already smaller. Your biggest meal should be at breakfast and then lunch time. "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar."

Question 2: "Eat at least 400 “safe starch” carbohydrate calories". I already eat gluten/dairy/corn/soy/potato free. Is our forum diet considered "safe starch carbohydrates"? What about meet and eggs concerning this diet? (I am not allergic to eggs)

Don't worry about counting calories, the article specifies it because they want to distinguish that it is not a low carbs paleo diet, even though their diet is basically paleolithic. It is just to make sure people eat carbs.

Are all of the following fine?

Did you test all of them?

Know that millet and sorghum have a good percentage of gluten, so considering your thyroid problem, I would keep them out of your diet even though you think you can tolerate them. They could still damage your thyroid silently.There are not enough studies of some "new" rices. But in general, pseudocereals are considered to be safe: wild rice, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa.

Starches are safe, especially if the are from roots. If you tested nuts and you are sure that they're fine, you can have them. But know that people with autoimmune disorders often react to them in some way or another. Beans, remember to soak them to neutralize the lectins as much as possible, even then, keep in mind that people with autoimmune disorders are very sensitive to their lectins.

 

[Breo]

Basically your last meal should be between 6 and 7 pm, and it should be already smaller. Your biggest meal should be at breakfast and then lunch time. "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar."

Ok. Got it.

So you point to keeping the eight hour food window and to fast the next 16h and not as said in the article to mainly eat in the afternoon. Anyhow I would get weak not having a good breakfast.

Did you test all of them?

Not all of them yet. So thanks for the additions and for all :)

 

[Gaby]

Basically your last meal should be between 6 and 7 pm, and it should be already smaller. Your biggest meal should be at breakfast and then lunch time. "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar."

So you point to keeping the eight hour food window and to fast the next 16h and not as said in the article to mainly eat in the afternoon. Anyhow I would get weak not having a good breakfast.

Yeah, breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day. It has been part of our "folk wisdom" and I do not understand cultures which make their breakfast the smallest meal of the day.

It seems that breakfast sets our metabolic expenditure for the day:

Fried breakfast is healthiest start to day, say scientists

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/206690-Fried-breakfast-is-healthiest-start-to-day-say-scientists

A breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs, and beans could be the healthiest start to the day, according to new research.

Scientists believe that breakfast programmes the metabolism for the rest of the day, and a fatty meal will help the body break down fat later on.

Carbohydrate rich foods in contrast appear mainly to prepare the body to break down only carbohydrates, the International Journal of Obesity reports.

Dr Martin Young, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said: "The first meal you have appears to programme your metabolism for the rest of the day.

"This study suggests that if you ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast it would promote carbohydrate utilisation throughout the rest of the day, whereas if you have a fat-rich breakfast, you (can) transfer your energy utilisation between carbohydrate and fat."

The team of researchers found there may be some truth in the old saying "'eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper' - may be the key to a healthy body and mind."

Their study looked at the effects of eating different types of food - and of eating them at different times in the day, according to the Daily Mail.

Mice fed a high fat meal after waking remained healthy, but those given a carb-rich breakfast, followed by a fatty dinner, did not fare as well.

Co-researcher Professor Molly Bray added: "Our study seems to show that if you really want to be able to efficiently respond to mixed meals across a day, a meal in higher fat content in the morning is a good thing."

 

[Breo]

Yeah, breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day. It has been part of our "folk wisdom" and I do not understand cultures which make their breakfast the smallest meal of the day.

It seems that breakfast sets our metabolic expenditure for the day:

I´m relieved as thats how I eat breakfast since some months: ham, eggs, avocado and buckwheat blinis, learned it here on the forum. It does me very good! I got a little confused by the term "Eat at least 400 “safe starch” carbohydrate calories" on the article above.

Scientists believe that breakfast programmes the metabolism for the rest of the day, and a fatty meal will help the body break down fat later on.

Yes, I noticed I keep my weight easily, even lost some pounds although I really eat a lot of ham, tar, ghee, fat fish and meat.

Yet the Hashimoto did not change. I´ll keep on searching. Next thing will be another round of detox but first I had to get a bit more strength for that.


Mod's note: Fixed quotation boxes

 

[Gaby]

Here is another update, FWIW:

Micronutrient Deficiencies: An Underappreciated Cause of Hypothyroidism

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=1272

A significant number of our readers have hypothyroidism with normal T4 but low T3. For instance, Kratos:

I followed a strict low carb diet with around 50g of carb per day for over 1 year and I think I have developed hypothyroidism …

TSH 3.4 (0.3-4.0)

FT3 2.2 (2.1-4.9)

FT4 11.4 (6.8-18.0)

This situation can have many causes. Our last post discussed how shift work and disrupted circadian rhythms can cause hypothyroidism. Another often-overlooked cause of hypothyroidism is nutrient deficiencies.

As noted in the book, selenium and iodine deficiencies are classic causes of hypothyroidism. Here I want to look at a few other possiblities.
Copper and Iron Deficiency

Copper deficiency, iron deficiency, and iodine deficiency during pregnancy or infancy generate similar neurological defects, and during adulthood generate similar hypothyroid symptoms:

Cu, Fe, and iodine/TH deficiencies result in similar defects in rodent brain development, including hypomyelination of axons, aberrant hippocampal structure and function, altered brain energy metabolism, and altered neuronal signaling (8–13). In addition, the behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities associated with perinatal Cu, Fe, and iodine/TH deficiencies are irreversible and persist into adulthood (14–16). These similarities suggest that there may be a common underlying mechanism associated with all three deficiencies contributing to the observed neurodevelopmental defects.

Several studies in postweanling rodents show that Cuand Fe deficiencies impair thyroid metabolism. Fe deficiency reduces circulating thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations (17–20), peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 (18, 19), TSH response to TRH (19), and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) activity (20). Cu deficiency also reduces circulating T4 andT3 concentrations and peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 (21, 22). In addition, Cu deficiency reduces serum and brain Fe levels, which may contribute to the Cu-dependent effect on thyroidal status (23). [1]

In infant rats, deficiencies of either copper or iron cause hypothyroidism:

Cu deficiency reduced serum total T(3) by 48%, serum total T(4) by 21%, and whole-brain T(3) by 10% at P12. Fe deficiency reduced serum total T(3) by 43%, serum total T(4) by 67%, and whole-brain T(3) by 25% at P12. [1]

Note that copper deficiency hypothyroidism reduces serum T3 levels more strongly than T4 levels, the same pattern that Kratos displays.
While We’re On the Topic of Micronutrients and Hypothyroidism …

Hypothyroidism induces the symptoms of riboflavin deficiency. This is because thyroid hormone is needed for production of the enzyme flavin kinase, which is in turn needed to generate flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Riboflavin deficiency and thyroid hormone deficiency lead to the same low FAD levels in both rats and humans. [2]

This suggests that hypothyroid persons may wish to supplement with riboflavin, so that extra riboflavin may help make up for deficient flavin kinase.

Conclusion

I believe that those with health problems should strive to “overnourish” themselves. Micronutrient deficiencies can have insidious disabling effects, yet be impossible to diagnose. In disease conditions, needs for many micronutrients are increased. Many micronutrients are non-toxic up to fairly large doses and can be safely supplemented.

An effort to eat micronutritious foods and supplement micronutrients into their “plateau ranges” to eliminate deficiencies might generate startling health improvements.

Minerals like copper, selenium, and iodine are among the most important nutrients – they are among our eight essential supplements – yet also among the most widely deficient. Most supplementers neglect key minerals; but optimizing their intake can pay large health dividends.

References

[1] Bastian TW et al. Perinatal iron and copper deficiencies alter neonatal rat circulating and brain thyroid hormone concentrations. Endocrinology. 2010 Aug;151(8):4055-65. http://pmid.us/20573724.

[2] Cimino JA et al. Riboflavin metabolism in the hypothyroid newborn. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988 Mar;47(3):481-3. http://pmid.us/3348160.

 

[Breo]

Thanks again, Psyche!

Micronutrient Deficiencies: An Underappreciated Cause of Hypothyroidism

Feels so right for me.

I would like to ask about dosages, stay on the safe side, as I want to start "overnourishment".

I take per day:
D3 I 5000u p.d
Selen 200 mcg p.d
Magnesium chelate 300 mg
Zinc 150mg
copper citrate 12mg (2 mg copper)
B complex 100 mg

With these I can check the dosis with self tests:
Ascorbic Acid: I took 15-20g in the beginning, now I am at 5-10g
5 HTP 150-300
About iodine with Hashimoto, I am still hesitant as mentioned above.

Short summary of where I stand now after last years diagnosis: First real and significant change in energy came when I started with the gluten/sugar/soy/casein free diet recommended here on the forum, along with a mild detoxification with daily intake of French green mud for 2x6 weeks. Pains in the joints lessened and my stools got regular again. I stopped drinking coffee and black tee. Not one migraines or headake since then! I started smoking again after a brake of 3 years and it does me very good. I noticed I can concentrate and think better. Smoking calms my symptoms around the neck (pain, stiffness, swollen feeling). 5 HTP intake made a clear lift of general mood and I started sleeping through the night again. Physical pressure around the heart lessened too. I started resting again after many years of extreme exhaustion!

My thyreoglobulin antibodies last year were 848, now: 524. It seems to go in the right direction...

I have read the patients-to patients book recommended in this thread: Stop the thyroid madness
My 2 cents: It gives an overview about the conventional medical physiological approach on thyroid problems, how to read clinical tests and teaches you how to deal with ignorant doctors. It brings to awareness that Adrenal fatigue is one of the important hidden factors behind Hashimoto and offers Hydro Cortison (natural cortison) as a solution. The one and only therapy offered for Hashimoto in the book is "desiccated thyroid". It does not include any diet recommendations or any other aspects that could cause this disease.

Personally I am still hesitant to use "desiccated thyroid" as a treatment or Hydro Cortison for Adrenal Fatigue.
Can you give advice if to go for it or leave it?

Besides environmental toxines, I noticed these personal patterns, to be connected:
1. Ongoing stress since earliest childhood caused by narcissist/abusive behaviour. (Adrenal Fatigue...) Not digesting shocks but freezing them into trauma´s.
2. Ongoing suppression of healthy anger, resulting in gall bladder removal in my teens (adding to toxidity). Lack of ability to put borders, to say no.

Present symptoms: Still little energy, mild joint pains (hands/feet), sensitive stomach/intestines, pressure in the throat, back of head and pineal gland area and oversensitivity.

Thanks for being able to share all this :)

 

[Gaby]

Hi Breo,

We are trying thyroid glandular extracts because from what I read, it sounds promising. But so far, it is hard to tell if it's worth it. Here is some info about it:
http://www.tahomaclinic.com/empty2.shtml

The article is very interesting.

I would take at least 700mg of magnesium chelate per day and reduce only if you have laxative symptoms.

You have made great progress and deserve some kudos :) Step by step, onwards and upwards. Be patient with the process.

If you want to look into the low dose hydrocortisone research, there should be some available here in the forum. Perhaps a search function of "safe uses of cortisol" or "william jefferies", or "low dose hydrocortisone" will come up with something. I remember posting about it in the adrenal fatigue thread, search "hydrocortisone" by "Psyche" in the health section.

Reading about it is highly recommended. It has made the difference in a lot of people, but it is usually something that is available only under prescription, although it is available from fludan.com

 

[chachazoom]

great information. I just received my blood tests results and I tested positive for thyroid antibodies thus it looks like hashimotos. The dr. (a top thyroid doc in the area) said that even though the celiac test was negative, as psyche said too, eliminate gluten from diet as it goes hand in hand with hypothryoidism.
(as does blood sugar problems) My DHEA was low which indicates adrenal issues however a more in depth saliva test (rather pricey) needs to be done as well as an iodine loading test. Adrenal function is the foundation.
The adrenals might have been stressed due to long term untreated thyroid problems or the thyroid may have problems because of adrenal problems. I've read in stop the thyroid madness that it is not uncommon to have to treat both.
So I am on a probiotic, a fish oil (he is very specific with brands. I had been on NOW brand and he suggested Genestra brand for probiotic and fish oil) as well as a product for adrenal support called Adapt.
I'm waiting 6 weeks to have more tests and will ask for iodine loading and saliva
He prescribed the natural desiccated thyroid however we had a little discussion about dosages. He said he's treated many people and starts on a specific dose (around 3 grams) then retests in six weeks. I mentioned that in stop the thyroid madness, a book compiled after extensive research and the personal experiences of thousands of thyroid patients, that it is wise to start on one grain and every one or two weeks increase by half a grain until one is up to three then hold it there four to six weeks to give the t4 a chance to build up.
He didn't seem to agree with this but said he'd write it for one grain. I dont see him for 6 weeks and I have 3 repeats. Since it was stressed in the book NOT to hold too low of a starting dose for too long (more than 2 weeks) I guess I have to self dose somehow.
I suppose it's better to start at 3 grains than start at one and remain at one for 6 weeks however I dont see what the big deal is with starting at one grain (considering I've gone without any up until now) and gradually increase.
Thyroid should be treated based on symptom relief, not, as so many have pointed out, based on TSH test results.
I'm a little nervous as I don't have thinning hair, goiter or extreme fatigue but I do have very dry skin, constant rashes and mental fog. And low grade depression. (I read that the brain has more t3 rceceptors than anywhere else in the body and that depression is often caused by insufficient t3 needed for serotonin production)
Anyways I pick up dessicated thyroid today and will have to figure out dosing. It's said too that placing under the tongue bypasses stomache and is better especially if one has malabsorption problems. And spreading the dose out through out day to mimic what a healthy thyroid would do.

 

[Breo]

Dear Psyche,

What I have learned from the article about thyroid glandular extracts is very interesting indeed:
The endocrine system effects nearly every tissue in the body!
To treat only one part of the endocrine complex will create progressive imbalance and malfunction in time! One has to look at the subject as a sort of network disability. Thus you have to treat the whole network. Recommendion is to use small quantities of whole glandular material from each of the key endocrine glands to support these glands, with major emphasis on the impaired gland and minor on the whole complex.

I understand now why I was hesitant to go for desiccated thyroid only. The above recommended Thyroplex is available prescreption free. (biovea). I would really like to give it a try. It speaks to me. But in the product section I read:

_http://www.biovea.net/%28S%28uxgy3145hzxokk21uiebtt55%29%29/product_detail.aspx?PID=168&CID=0&OS=204

Per Dr. Wright, this product is for you if you have no overt endocrine disease and are over 40 (because this is when all the endocrine glands are going to start slowing down). Caution: Not for use by children, pregnant or lactating women, or those who have an overt endocrine disease.

But here they recommend it with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto:
_http://www.tahomaclinic.com/empty.shtml

What does this contradiction mean? And is one serving of ThyroPlex (equivalent of 1/4 grain thyroid.) enough p.day not for anti-aging but Hashimoto treatment? With desiccated thyroid they start with 1/2 grain and go up to 3 grains.

Also, as cortisol plays a major role, in "Stop thyroid madness" it is emphasized that "it can be important to first rule out poor adrenal function before starting on natural hormones, or soon after you have started and are noticing strange symptoms, which become unmasked by the use of natural hormones. Some patients will notice the strange reactions early on, while others may not until they get as high as 3 grains or more."

Do you agree to first take care of the adrenals and then turn to natural hormones?
I will read about low dose hydrocortisone next.

Thank you,
Breo

 

[Gaby]

Also, as cortisol plays a major role, in "Stop thyroid madness" it is emphasized that "it can be important to first rule out poor adrenal function before starting on natural hormones, or soon after you have started and are noticing strange symptoms, which become unmasked by the use of natural hormones. Some patients will notice the strange reactions early on, while others may not until they get as high as 3 grains or more."

Do you agree to first take care of the adrenals and then turn to natural hormones?
I will read about low dose hydrocortisone next.

Thank you,
Breo

Yeah, it is best to take care of the adrenals first, that alone can make a huge difference.

I'm not sure about the thyroplex as we've just started using it. We'll see. I think it might not be enough if you have a significant thyroid imbalance.

 

[seek10]

Basically your last meal should be between 6 and 7 pm, and it should be already smaller. Your biggest meal should be at breakfast and then lunch time. "Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar."

when I take large nbr of vitamins vitamins on empty stomach, I get strange, very uneasy sensation all over the body as if some thing is blood creating this sensation. I don't know how to explain it, it is like very very very mild shock type. I heard some people chill out. I am not sure this is chilling out. Is it any deficiency ?. Usually before sleeping I take omega -3, gaba, 5-HTP, magnesium etc. I immediatly eat some thing and it goes away almost immediatly. I was wondering whether any body faced it. This generally happens when I fast or doesn't eat any thing after 6PM to follow this nature rythm and take vitamins before sleep.