Keeping Your Thyroid Fully Powered

Hypothyroidism -- What is it?

Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland doesn't produce as much of the thyroid hormones as your body needs. These hormones function basically like metabolic regulators, controlling the speed of your metabolism and to some extent your external activity level. If you are very lethargic, for example, it could be due to hypothyroidism. Tests for hypothyroidism should be conducted when your hands and feet tend to feel cold easily or often. Also, hypothyroidism tends to increase with advancing age, even to the point to being fairly common Hypothyroidism is also genetically linked. Thus, it is clear why every ageing adult should be sensitive to this likely problem.

An Accurate and Simple Test for Thyroid Acticity

Dr. Broda Barnes, who was one of the pioneers of thyroid deficiency research developed this simple (yet accurate) home test for metabolic hypothyroidism:

Immediately upon waking and before rising from bed (or doing anything else which will stimulate the body like holding conversations), lie quietly in bed and place a thermometer under the armpit for a few minutes. (So, make sure the mercury has been shaken down before bedtime, or use an electronic one). The temperature should read between 97.8 and 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures lower than this are a strong indicator for hypothyroidism (insufficient hormone). For better accuracy, checking again another morning is desirable.

In some ways this is a better test than the blood tests for T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, since this test is an actual measure of biological effectiveness as opposed to simple indicators of how much hormone is in the blood stream. The blood chemistry tests do not account for physiological factors (which are sometimes present) which might reduce the effectivess of otherwise normal levels of thyroid hormones.

Because of the problems with the T3/T4 tests, many borderline cases are missed. A better test which is being used recently is the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test. This test checks the hormone which stimultes the thyroid to produce its hormones.

How to Treat Hypothyroidism

There are two types of treatment possible. First, the thyroid gland itself can be stimulated. For example, taking DHEA will stimulate all the glands, incluidng the thyroid. This is beneficial for a slightly underactive thyroid. Life Enhancement Products (among other companies) offers a thyroid-stimulating capsule which contains a variety of glandular extracts in a weak concentration. This does a similar task albeit in a somewhat safer way.

Second, the thyroid gland's hormones can be supplemented by a larger supply of hormone itself. This is necessary for more extreme cases, and it requires a doctor's prescription in the U.S. There are two types of thyroid hormone commonly sold. The synthetic variety is entirely composed of T3. The body is presumed capable of converting some of this into the T4 it also needs. The other variety is made from the glands of animals, and provides T3 and T4 in the normally-required ratio.

What route to take? For mild cases it is probably best to try the gland stimulating route at first. If general decline of hormone production is suspected, then taking a wide-spread stimulating hormone like DHEA might be beneficial. However, if the body doesn't respond sufficiently, then go to the next level by getting a direct thyroid hormone.

Which form is better? The naturally-derived hormone delivers more closely what the body actually needs. However, there is a common misconception (even held by many physicians) that the natural variability in the animal-derived hormone makes it a poorer source that the synthetic. Yet, this is false. Since these are labelled USP and give the quantities of the hormones, this prescription drug is guaranteed to be as accurate as any other drug in its contents through quality controls in the manufacturing process. The natural is also significantly less expensive than the synthetic. Finally, some bodies may not be able to convert the synthetic form as needed. I even know of someone whose body is unresponsive to certain brands of synthetic hormone -- and yet they are all supposed to be functionaly equivalent. Clearly, they are not.