A Thyroid Support That Could Benefit Hashimoto’s Disease

“Treatment of sub-clinical hypothyroidism with levothyroxine is not associated with improvements in quality of life or thyroid-related symptoms.”

What is Hashimoto’s Disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder and with the influx of environmental toxins, autoimmune disorders are on the rise. Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It affects about 1 out of 20 people and at least 8 times more common in women than men. It can occur in teens or young women, though it is most common with women between ages 40 and 60. Hashimoto’s disease is hereditary and your chances of developing it may increase if other family members have the disease. In this case all family members should be checked proactively if they have any autoimmune deficiencies. Unfortunately, the treatments of autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto are not working properly.

What is Hypothyroidism?

The thyroid gland produces and stores hormones that regulate metabolism. It releases T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine)—the two most important thyroid hormones—when the hypothalamus (a regulatory region of the brain) senses that their circulating levels have dropped. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which sends thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to the thyroid to trigger the release of thyroid hormones. In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland doesn’t respond fully to TSH, so not enough T3 and T4 reach the body’s organs, and functions begin to slow. The pituitary releases more and more TSH in an effort to stimulate thyroid hormone production. That’s why TSH levels in the blood are high when thyroid function is low.

Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone production) can cause many health problems but it can also be easily diagnosed and treated.

Changes in our mental state, energy level or appearance (skin, hair, or weight) are not always the results of the aging process but many times the result of an under active thyroid, the gland that influences virtually every organ system in the body. The hormones it secretes into the bloodstream play a vital role in regulating metabolism.

“Moreover, hypothyroidism is especially common in women. Between ages 35 and 65 about 13% of women will have an under-active thyroid, and the proportion rises to 20% among those over 65. Because the link between hypothyroidism symptoms and thyroid disease isn’t always obvious, especially in older people, many women won’t know they have an under active thyroid and therefore won’t be treated for it.”^[1]

This lack of treatment can increase the risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. This is why it is so important to beware of the hypothyroidism symptoms and have the thyroid function checked by your healthcare professional. My preference is to seek a naturopathic doctor since the disease will be treated holistically and not symptomatically.

Hypothyroidism symptoms

Fatigue
Frequent, heavy menstrual periods
Forgetfulness
Weight gain
Dry, coarse skin and hair
Hoarse voice
Intolerance to cold
Severe mood swings
Constipation

Symptoms Related to the Reproductive System are Gender-specific

Thyroid hormone imbalance is far reaching and results in multiple health concerns from depression to lack of energy or side effects of pregnancy, and it also affects a large percentage of women globally, as you can read in the Danish nationwide study reported in European Journal of Endocrinology. Its objective was that immunological changes in and after a pregnancy may influence the onset of autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis disease. An increased incidence of hyperthyroidism has been observed both in early pregnancy and postpartum, but it remains to be studied if the incidence of hypothyroidism varies in a similar way.

For example, women will notice changes in their menstrual cycle. Infertility could stem from hypothyroidism in both sexes, but it’s more common in women. Hypothyroidism can affect exercise capacity, physical performance, and libido in both genders. Men may also experience erectile dysfunction, according to Frederick Singer, MD, endocrinologist and director of the endocrinology and bone disease program at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Men and women may share the tendency to dismiss their symptoms, relating them to stress or aging. But getting a proper diagnosis is important so treatment can be started and symptoms stopped.[2]

Why Medication Is Not Working?

What is absorbed to the cells is far more important than what’s consumed in the gut. This is true with most things in life from the food we eat to the medications taken, be it prescription drugs or naturally sourced nutraceuticals. A medicine that is beneficial for one may be poorly tolerated by another, while many taking synthetic medication may experience genetic mutations.

The human body is complex and interlinked with other endocrine gland stimulation. Taking a single gland—especially when synthetically based and created in a lab opposed to one naturally occurring—, may cause an imbalance with other endocrine glands involved: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, pineal glands, reproductive glands (which include the ovaries and testes) and the pancreas.

Synthetic and natural plant or animal nutraceuticals are a controversial subject and one of debate for several decades. Synthetic drugs are designed to mimic what nature naturally provides and is often produced with harsh chemicals—as recently discovered with so called commercial hormone free thyroid gland. The body normally has difficulty recognizing synthetic drugs and or raw materials produced with toxic chemical residues, making them harder to metabolize, and more likely to induce toxicity and adverse side effects.

Treatment of sub-clinical hypothyroidism with levothyroxine, though commonly practiced, is not associated with improvements in quality of life or thyroid-related symptoms, according to a meta-analysis from 2018.

Twenty-one randomized clinical trials including 2,192 participants with sub-clinical hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone therapy was not significantly associated with improvements in general quality of life (standardized mean difference −0.11) or thyroid-related symptoms (standardized mean difference 0.01).

Among non-pregnant adults with sub-clinical hypothyroidism, the use of thyroid hormone therapy was not associated with improvements in general quality of life or thyroid-related symptoms. These findings do not support the routine use of thyroid hormone therapy in adults with sub-clinical hypothyroidism.[3]

Why Iodine Treatment with Hashimoto’s Disease Does Not Work?

Iodine deficiency is one cause of hypothyroidism. However, studies are also showing that in the case of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, the highest prevalence occurs in countries with the highest intake of iodine, such as the US and Japan. So, although iodine supplementation should be implemented to prevent and treat iodine-deficiency disorders, supplementation with those with Hashimoto’s disease should eliminate iodine from their diet and from supplements.

Possible Thyroid Support That Will Benefit Hashimoto’s Disease

Raw desiccated whole thyroid gland concentrates derived from non-GMO grass-fed bovine that is non-medicated, hormone free and iodine free. Thyrodine® Thyromoto is a proprietary preparation without chemical residue, both safe and effective. It also contains selenium, yeast free, which is needed for treating thyroid disease, especially when combined with Zinc Picolinate, since they both help build immunity. It is also important to note that anemia is associated with hypothyroidism, thus low dose iron included in the formulation could also be effective in counteracting this deficiency. Thyrodine® Thyromoto is a four year achievement, and licensed by Health Canada for thyroid support.

References:

Feller M, et al. 2018. Association of thyroid hormone therapy with quality of life and thyroid related symptoms in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism: A systematic review and meta analysis. JAMA 2018; 320:1349-1359.
Stewart, Kristen. 2014. Hypothyroidism in Men vs. Women.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/thyroid-conditions/hypothyroidism/men-vs-women/