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The Epidemic of Thyroid Disorders [part 1]

Are you fatigued? Unable to lose weight? Have high cholesterol and have been prescribed statin drugs? You may be suffering from a crucial mineral deficiency.

Iodine deficiency is one of the most under-diagnosed problems in the U.S.; and, it contributes to a host of our most prevalent chronic health issues. See Table 1, below, for a partial list of these conditions.

Conditions Treated with Iodine [table 1] 

Attention Deficit Disorder	Infections
Atherosclerosis	Keloids
Breast Diseases	Liver Diseases
Dupuytren's Contracture	Ovarian Disease (cystic ovaries)
Excess Mucous Production	Parotid Duct Stones
Fatigue	Peyronie's syndrome
Fibrocystic breasts	Prostate disorders
Hemorrhoids	Sebaceous cysts
Headaches & Migraine Headaches	Thyroid Disorders
Hypertension	Vaginal Infections

In an effort to take the efficacy of our wellness program to a new level, I have been intensely studying endocrine imbalance. In this and subsequent newsletters, I will share what I have been learning with you.

I will discuss the crucial interactions of iodine, thyroid function and our endocrine system as a whole, since iodine and proper amounts of thyroid hormone regulate (and interact with) our gonads, adrenals, pancreas and liver. The truth is: every cell in our body is dependent upon adequate levels of iodine and thyroid hormone to regulate their metabolism.

Please review Table 2 to determine whether you see yourself in this list of the signs and symptoms of poor thyroid function. I know I did.

Signs & Symptoms of Hypothyroidism [table 2] 

Brittle nails	Hypotension
Cold hands & feet	Inability to concentrate
Cold intolerance	Infertility
Constipation	Irritability
Depression	Menstrual irregularities
Difficulty swallowing	Muscle cramps
Dry skin	Muscle weakness
Elevated cholesterol	Nervousness
Essential hypertension	Poor memory
Eyelid swelling	Puffy eyes
Fatigue	Slower heartbeat
Hair loss	Throat pain
Hoarseness	Weight gain

If you find yourself on the "possibly" list, please contact the office for instructions on how to do an Iodine Patch Test and Axillary Temperature Test. If you can come to the Clinic, Vicky will do the initial part of the Iodine Patch Test at no charge to get you started. The patch test is a screening test and indicates whether you need further blood tests.

The problem for the medical community is that poor thyroid function is multi-factorial. It can be due to i) iodine deficiency; ii) inadequate production of thyroid hormone (T4); iii) inadequate conversion of T4 to T3 (the form active in the cells); iv) toxic overload in the body of the toxic halides chlorine, fluorine and bromine; and v) vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The key is to put each individual's biochemical profile together to develop a personalized solution for them. (N.B. I will cover the toxic halides at length in a subsequent newsletter.)

Conventional medical care simply looks at the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) on a blood test and, if your levels are within the range of 0.4 to 4.0 µIU/ml (as reported by our lab), you are fine. Unfortunately, this approach is very limited and doesn't tease out whether your body is able to use the thyroid hormone (T4) being produced. In addition, the range is much too broad.

For clarity when reading the studies below, please be aware that 0.4 µIU/ml is the same as 0.4 mIU/L. This will allow you to review your own blood test report intelligently.

Let me give you just a couple of examples. A study reported in the Archives of Int Med studied 209 women over a period of 12.7 years. They found that women with the lowest TSH level (<1.0mIU/L) and the highest level (>2.1mIU/L) had an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease compared to those in the middle (0.5 - 2.1 mIU/L). And, the differences were enormous. The lowest group had a 239% increase in Alzheimer's and the highest group a 215% increase.

Similarly, a study was done involving 17,311 women of a period of 8.3 years and reported in the Archives of Int Med. These women were sorted into 3 groups:

Low TSH   0.5 - 1.4mIU/L

Middle TSH  1.4 - 2.52 mIU/L

High TSH  2.52 - 3.5 mIU/L

(Note: all of these values are within "normal" range)

These values were then correlated with death from cardiovascular (CV) disease. The mid-range group had a 41% increase in the risk of CV disease death. The high range had a 69% increase.

If we correlate these two findings, we can set an optimum TSH level at 1.0 - 1.3 mIU/L. Dr. David Brownstein, to whom I am indebted for much of this detail, prefers a range of 1.0 - 1.2 mIU/L. If you want greater depth on this topic, visit his web site www.drbrownstein.com and order one of his excellent books. Iodine; Why You Need It; Why You Can't Live Without It is an excellent place to start. You may see yourself in the symptom patterns listed above and you may have a low first morning body temperature and iodine patch test. What's the next step? I will discuss the additional testing that is needed in the next installment of this newsletter. Thereafter, the third edition will discuss the reasons for rampant iodine deficiency in the U.S. If you don't want to wait, call the office and schedule a consultation for immediate testing.