what-is-thyroid-gland

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck just below Adam’s apple. It’s part of an intricate network of glands called the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for coordinating many of the body’s activities. The thyroid gland manufactures hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism (the process of creating and using energy). There are several different disorders that can arise when the thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism). The four most common thyroid disorders include Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, goiter, and thyroid nodules. (healthline.com) 

In the United States, the most common test for thyroid is to test the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels in the blood. The TSH level tells your doctors that the pituitary gland (which produces TSH) is stimulating the thyroid to produce too much T4 hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism). It can be confusing, but the higher the TSH, the lower your thyroid function, and vice versa. On average, the normal values for TSH  fall somewhere between 0.7-6.4 mU/L. 

dr-ruscios-laugh-pictureMy doctor said my thyroid level is normal. Is it, really? Which test did your doctor run for you? Educate yourself as much as you can before you go to see your endocrinologist and ask QUESTIONS!!!

Thyroid Panel: “TSH is NOT the only blood test you should get tested “

  • TSH (Marker from the pituitary gland in the brain is sending the signal to the thyroid. This is not the only one your thyroid makes)
  • Free T3 (actual T3 hormones metabolized in the body: Total T3 is total overall T3. Free T3 is the portion of Total T3 and this is the most important marker your liver convert)
  • Reverse T3 (peripheral thyroid marker – what’s body is using T3 for. The higher the marker, your metabolism is LOW)
  • Anti-TPO (above 32 = Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Disease ***  Attention: many people have NORMAL TSH and never get tested this marker***)
  • Anti-Gb (Thyroglobulin) – Antibody to Thyroid Globulin that circulates in their blood
  • Free T4
  • Ferritin (Iron storage marker)
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin B12
  • Glucose
  • HA1c
  • Insulin
  • Homocysteine (inflammation marker for Methionine methylation cycle)
  • Iron panel with Folate

Autoimmunity – Thyroid Antibodies – articles are written by Dr. Ruscio DNM

5 Thyroid patterns that won’t show up on standard lab tests, The Gluten and Thyroid Connection  Chris Kresser Lic. Ac. (my mentor)

6 Ways to feel better with Hashimoto’s – Suzy Cohen

Connection between High Cholesterol and Thyroid Problems – Dr. Jockers

T4 to T3 Conversion

T4 range:
Total T4 “4.5 – 12.5” Low reading = pituitary problem, Free T4 “0.7 – 2.0” Less than 0.7 = Hypothyroidism

T3 range:
Total T3 “80 – 220” Less than 80 = Hypothyroidism; Free T3 “2.3 – 4.2” Less than 2.3 = Hypothyroidism

Watch this video from Dr. Peter Osborne

Some professionals believe that the TSH test alone is not enough (some even claim it’s useless), and advocate testing both the T4 and T3. T3 is, simply put, the “useful” conversion of T4. T4 must be converted to T3 in your blood, then it can be used by the body. High “Reverse T3” marker indicates your body is not metabolizing. Increase the amount of trace mineral called selenium and zinc (avoid zinc oxide).

For a more in-depth understanding of T3 and T4, read this article, or watch this great Thyroid related Q&A video series with Alan Christianson. Will Cole’s article, Why your lab results could be lying about your thyroid health, is also a great resource. The article about rT3.

The important thing to remember is you need your T3 into the cell as FT3 (Free T3) to be fully metabolized in the cells, not want to go to another way around to become RT3 (Reverse T3) which your FT3 could NOT make it to the cell to make the energy. RT3 and T3 complete for binding sites on the cell. What makes RT3 high? Here are the list factors increase the conversion of T4-> RT3. Stress, Trauma, Inflammation, Toxins, Infection, Certain Medications. If you think you are stressed out, at least start taking pharmaceutical grade selenium and zinc. These two make a big difference in the world.

Thyroid Health and Pregnancy – I have treated many women came to see me with various thyroid issues and having a hard time getting pregnant. But once you get pregnant, I encourage you to see the acupuncturist specialized in hormonal imbalance to get treated and watch the nutrition intake. This article might help you to understand the list of foods you should be avoiding.

Thyroid Function and Iodine

When the body cannot create iodine on its own, it is essential that you get it from iodine-rich foods. Check out this list of articles for further reading on iodine and thyroid disease. In the U.S., we just do not get enough iodine from foods but there are many displacers to iodine. Here is the list:

  • Chlorine in tap water (solutions -> water filtering system and shower filter)
  • Sweeteners like Splenda (solutions -> local honey, maple syrup, coconuts nectar and syrup, stevia and monk fruits)
  • Fluoride in our water supply (solutions -> water filtering system and a shower filter)
  • Toothpaste and many medications (solutions -> fluoride-free toothpaste)
  • Bromine in numerous commercial baked goods includes bread (solutions -> make your own sourdough bread from starters. please check the blog for my recipe)

If you have been diagnosed with thyroid disease, or suspect you may have it, read the ten myths of thyroid disease by Alan Christianson.

Selenium

I recommend 200 mcg of Selenium for all thyroid patients. Here’s an article you might be interested in to read:

Thyroid Autoimmunity and SIBO

  • This is the 5 minutes video very interesting connection between these three -TPO, SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and one of the trace minerals called Selenium. Please take a look.
  • This is a very interesting study done to use Black Cumin to treat Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto. If your TPO is elevated, try to take it for a month or two. I recommend this product.

Thyroid and Heavy Metal

  • Heavy Metal called Thallium will cause the symptoms caused by both Hypo and Hyperthyroidism to include fatigue, brain fog, insomnia, hair thinning, missing outer 1/3 of an eyebrow, weight gain, gluten sensitivity,  weight loss and more. If you are eating a lot of organic kale either juicing or cooking, watch out.

Thyroid and Fluoridation

For further reading about Thyroid, check out favorite articles!

Desiccated Thyroid Medication (T4 and T3) Order

This is the GREAT website to place your Thyroid Medication online if you are looking for Nature Thyroid, WP Thyroid brands or any other medications. In the summer of 2019, these two medications were out of stock for more than 4 months. It will be wise to get 6 months supply when they have in the stock. And believe or not, even though it bypasses the insurance and their price often less expensive. All you need is your doctor’s prescription. Here’s the site.

Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
weight loss
increased appetite
nervousness
restlessness
inability to concentrate
weakness
irregular heartbeat
difficulty sleeping
fine, brittle hair
itching
hair loss
nausea and vomiting

Hyperthyroidism is caused by an over-production of the thyroid hormone in the body. Untreated, hyperthyroidism can cause major stress body systems, including the heart and vascular system and the digestive system. For a more in-depth article about hyperthyroidism – symptoms, causes and alternative cure remedies – read this article from Health911. and Low TSH Symptoms (Dr. Westin Childs)

Graves Disease

Graves disease is a condition in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, cause the thyroid to overproduce the hormone responsible for regulating your metabolism. It is the most common form of hyperthyroidism in the United States and can lead to serious medical issues (heart and bone density conditions) if not treated. However, successful treatment for Graves Disease can often result in hypothyroidism. For more information, Dr. Donielle Wilson has a great series about the connection between Hashimoto’s and leaky gut.

Thyroid and Lyme Disease

The Borrelia bacteria have 16 cross-reactive proteins mimic thyroid protein which means the longer you have Lyme disease, very likely you are going to have ongoing thyroid autoimmune disease. If you are not feeling well and you know you have thyroid issues or your close relatives have thyroid issues, you may get tested for Lyme disease. Western Blot test has low false-negative test results than the Elisa test most of the doctors do.

Hypothyroid and Hashimoto’s

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
Fatigue
Weakness
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance
Muscle cramps/frequent muscle aches
Constipation
Depression
Irritability
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Decreased libido
Iron deficiency
…and more!

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. The main purpose of the thyroid hormone is to run the body’s metabolism, so people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. However, weight gain or difficulty losing weight are not the only symptoms associated with hypothyroidism(see right).  According to EndocrineWeb, approximately 10 million Americans have this common medical condition. Despite the controversial success, Synthroid is not only the most common drug treatment for hypothyroidism in the US, but it is also both the #1 prescribed medication in the country.

Hashimoto’s syndrome is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system also attacks the thyroid, but, unlike Graves’s disease, Hashimoto’s slows and eventually eliminates the thyroid’s ability to function. It is the most common form of hypothyroidism in the United States; the test for Hashimoto’s is the anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) test. According to Dr. Isabella Wentz, Pharm D., “estimates are that between 90-97% of those with hypothyroidism in the United States actually have Hashimoto’s.”  Andrea Nakayama is also an expert in nutritional support for Hashimoto’s. If you suspect you may have hypothyroidism, visit Stop the Thyroid Madness for more great resources and information, read Tamie’s favorite book on the subject, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, written by Dr. Isabella Wentz.

Thyroid and Environmental Toxins – this is quick and easy to read the article.

Thyroid Nodules (Goiter) 

A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It is often caused by hyperthyroidism and major iodine definitely. You may read this article “Natural Management of Grave’s Disease“. Dr. Ruscio explains Grave’s Disease in detail and what to do about it. Acupuncture treatment for Goiter along with the proper supplementations helps to reduce the size of the nodule. Thyroid nodules are growths that form on or in the thyroid gland. The causes are not always known but can include iodine deficiency and Hashimoto’s disease. The nodules can be solid or fluid-filled. Most are benign, but they can also be cancerous in a small percentage of cases.

This is 10 min. video about how to self-screen Thyroid Cancer by my master, Alan Christianson ND. Please take a look.

Izabella Wentz’s Website – She is one of my mentors for Hashimoto’s Institute Practitioner Training I took in 2016. She writes a lot of thyroid-related articles. Please take a look at her site to learn more about Thyroid Disease and its manifestation, and what you can do about it. Here’s one of her article ” Where do I start with Hashimotos?” I am more than happy to assist you following her plan I was taught at Hashimoto’s Institute in 2016.

If you have weight gain issue, you may watch this video – Thyroid Type of weight gain (the first type he talks about) – Dr. Eric Berg DC

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