The thyroid thread

[Tatyana]

I also stand corrected about iodine deficiency.

I am currently sorting out training for some of our new scientists and I am going to be lecturing on a lot of the hormones, the first one is on thyroid function.

It is a serious issue, 2 billion people world-wide are iodine deficient and it has a phenomenal impact on intelligence.

If children are born to iodine deficient mothers, congenital iodine deficiency hypothyroidism may occur, and if this is not treated, then cretinism results, and the brain never properly develops, which obviously has an impact on future cognitive abilities and all things associated with it, like employment.

It is a major issue that is one of the projects of the WHO.

It is also an issue in Europe. I couldn't find any statistics on England, however, I did find a communication in the Lancet that only 5% of families in the UK use iodinised salt, and when the researchers were assessing the iodinised salt, some of them had no iodine or trace amounts.

I don't think this is an issue in the US, and if you are taking a multi-vitamin/mineral everyday, it also won't be an issue.

Before anyone runs out and starts to supplement with iodine, there is also an issue if you over-supplement with iodine.

There can be an issue with people who move from areas with iodine rich soils to one with a lot of iodine or iodine enriched food, this can induce either hyper or hypo-thyroidism.

 

[Piernes]

Thanks for this thread!

I recently got diagnosed with hypothyroidism but also have had problems with Pernicious anaemia. The comment regarding low carbohydrate intake and hypothyroidism really rings true with me as I am always in a rush to get leaner and to go faster in my sport. I am not sure how long I really have had the problem as although I may have been inside 'normal' ranges when you push yourself to the limit little things can have a large effect and I highly recommend athletes get these checked out regularly and monitor their own natural pattern. I just hope I can rescue some form ahead of the coming season. However I am being very cautious now about my carbs (much against my brain's wishes of less carbs = leaner!)

I started on 50mg T4 but now up to 125mg only 2 and a half months later!

The fact that concerns me now going forward is the link of low HGH and IGF-1 in hypothyroid patients.

 

[Tatyana]

Thanks for this thread!

I recently got diagnosed with hypothyroidism but also have had problems with Pernicious anaemia. The comment regarding low carbohydrate intake and hypothyroidism really rings true with me as I am always in a rush to get leaner and to go faster in my sport. I am not sure how long I really have had the problem as although I may have been inside 'normal' ranges when you push yourself to the limit little things can have a large effect and I highly recommend athletes get these checked out regularly and monitor their own natural pattern. I just hope I can rescue some form ahead of the coming season. However I am being very cautious now about my carbs (much against my brain's wishes of less carbs = leaner!)

I started on 50mg T4 but now up to 125mg only 2 and a half months later!

The fact that concerns me now going forward is the link of low HGH and IGF-1 in hypothyroid patients.

Please post some information with regard to the low GH.

 

[Piernes]

Here's one, but there are others I will try and find
Werner & Ingbar's the thyroid: a ... - Google Books - see page 806, but there is lots more information on other pages here. Just would like to get my hands on a hard copy.

 

[Perragrande]

Re: The thyroid thread-I have been there!!

Hi ladies,
I am not a BB, fat and not in very good shape.
I have been on Armour Thyroid (natural sheep glands) since I was 11 years old and I got Hashimoto's thyroiditis -- the most common form of hypo.

It is autoimmune and that runs in my mom's family. Same thing happened to her at same age -- she took Armour till she died which you have to do.

I am now 54. You may not get total symptom relief on synthroid alone. Synthroid is T4 only. I know in the UK they only approve Synthroid and many patients are quite unhappy with that. I know Synthroid doesn't work with me. My doc tried to refill a ascrip for me with synthroid and I raised HELL>
I have argued with endos, like the guy in the big medical center, board certified endo who told me the common lie, "Armour is not dosed properly, the dosages are not consistent, you don't know how much active ingredient you're gonna get".

I said, "Well I read the label, it says United States Pharmacopoeia, Biologically Assayed".

He shut up.

PLEASE go to this website and read: Stop the Thyroid Madness - Thyroid info and life-changing truth about thyroid treatment

The posters there have gone through all the same hell I have trying to get their dosage high enough to alleviate symptoms, and then some. Lots of fat, tired, exhausted people out there trying to get answers from their doctors who don't want to deal with them.

It's not about blood tests -- it's about taking ENOUGH thyroid to relieve symptoms.

GOOD LUCK, LADIES!!!

I take four grains a day of thyroid and most doctors crap a brick when they hear me say that. I got my internist trained to not object, after about 25 years!!

 

[Piernes]

Thanks for your post. I'm not a BB but I do another power sport to an elite level.

I got tested for hashimoto's and that was negative, but it is extremely common and therefore requires different treatment??

Anyone know any spanish dessicated thyroid brands?

 

[Perragrande]

I think the treatment for low thyroid is the same -- no matter what the cause.

Read up at Stop the Thyroid Madness - Thyroid info and life-changing truth about thyroid treatment

LOTS of info there!

Don't know of any different brands in Spain.

 

[Piernes]

I went to the farmacia and they had never heard of dessicated thyroid or natural thyroxine. They didn't even know of T3 because at least for now I could do a 4:1 T4 T3 as I am still having a majority of the symptoms listed on the website.

Anyone know of any spanish brand names for T3?

 

[Tatyana]

Synthetic T4 or levothyroxine and natural thyroxine are chemically identical, it is a very simple molecule.

There is a huge debate running right now as to what is the best treatment, I am going to review a few of the research papers.

I think that it is fairly obvious that you really have to go with what works for you. Initially to get your thyroxine levels in a physiologically, psychologically and biochemical 'happy' range can take quite a few dose adjustments and quite a few blood tests.

T3 is called liothyronine, it goes by the commercial names is cytomel or tertroxin.

 

[Piernes]

Thanks.
I asked for liothyronine but they could not find it....hoping for more luck with tertroxin