378 Natural Hypothyroid Treatments II [18 July 2016]

This week I will continue my discussion of natural treatments for hypothyroidism. I found a good source of information in an interview with Dr. Jonathan Wright, a practicing natural medicine physician, on mercola.com June 15, 2014.

First, Wright explains why hypothyroidism is so common in North America. One reason is the use of chlorinated and fluoridated water. Chlorine and fluorine are members of the halogen element family and interfere with the utilization of iodine. Bromine added to flour and packaging and in some pesticides is another toxic halogen source.

Another reason is inadequate iodine consumption. I have previously explained why iodized salt is a poor source [#282 August 2014]. The Canadian RDA of 150 mcg per day is barely sufficient to prevent goiters but falls far short of the 2 - 3 mg (2,000 - 3,000 mcg) intake of most Japanese. Wright prescribes iodine intakes of 3 mg per day for men and 6 for women and has shown that up to 14 is safe.

Wright uses symptoms and a physical exam plus the Free T3 (fT3) blood levels to diagnose hypothyroidism. TSH alone is a very poor test for several reasons. It’s the T4 that signals back to regulate TSH production (low TSH indicates normal T4 levels). So if something inhibits conversion of T4 to T3, the active form (fT3) could be low but T4 and TSH show normal. Another (rare) possibility is that the hypothalamus is not producing enough TRH (thyroid releasing hormone) to trigger the pituitary to produce TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). This would result in low TSH (considered normal) even though T4 and T3 could be low.

Another complication is high Reverse T3 (rT3) which is a mirror image of T3. rT3 blocks the T3 receptors but is not active, thereby creating functional hypothyroidism with normal levels of TSH, T4 and T3. Heavy metal toxicity (lead, cadmium, mercury) elevates rT3 production and chelation therapy usually clears it.

Wright uses whole thyroid supplements to treat hypothyroidism when iodine alone is not enough. Whole thyroid contains all 12 iodine containing compounds produced in the thyroid, rather than the conventional treatment of synthetic T4. An exception would be in cases of Hashimoto’s in which he uses T3 and T4 initially while treating the auto-immune component of the disease.

Next week: Hyperthyroidism – the overactive thyroid.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

377 Natural Hypothyroid Treatments I [11 July 2016]

Last week I discussed Mark Starr’s book Hypothyroidism Type 2 about undiagnosed low thyroid function. This week I will discuss natural options for improving thyroid health.

There is a ton of information on the internet, much of it contradictory, with everyone sharing their opinion and what worked for them. There is a wide range of approaches to the condition. If you are aware of different options you can choose what you want to try; and if that doesn’t work try something else.

Many people have found that a desiccated whole thyroid supplement works better with fewer side effects than the synthetic T4 hormone usually prescribed. Armour, promoted in the book Stop the Thyroid Madness, is a Canadian brand available by prescription only. The disadvantage of hormones, natural or synthetic, is that you will likely need to take them for life.

At the other extreme, Lily from legitnutritionhawaii.com advises to avoid all external hormones, including “natural” hormones, and to encourage, with diet and lifestyle changes, your glands to heal and make your own hormones. She advocates a high carb, low protein, low fat, mostly raw, strictly vegan diet. She advises to avoid supplements, including iodine unless severely deficient, with the only exception being a good probiotic.

One reason for the wide range of protocols is that hypothyroidism can have many causes. The problem can be a simple nutrient deficiency (iodine, B12, selenium, etc.) which is an easy fix, or an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s which is much more complex.

The endocrine system is very complicated, with many glands and organs involved in thyroid function. The pituitary and hypothalamus glands together control thyroid hormone production. Elevated cortisol from stressed adrenal glands inhibit the conversion of T4 to T3. Melatonin, made in the pineal gland, is required for the production of thyroid hormones but in excess will inhibit production of T4. The conversion of T4 to T3 occurs in the liver. Your doctor should look at the health of all of these before deciding on treatment.

See my column #126 from August 2011 for an explanation of thyroid function and tips for improving thyroid health. More on this topic next week.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

306 Nascent Iodine [17 Feb 2015]

This is my third article on iodine. The first in August 2011 [#125 Iodine] introduced the nutrient and its functions. The most recent [#282 Iodized Salt] from August of last year mentioned two forms of iodine – the ionic form e.g. potassium iodide, and the I2 molecular form called diatomic iodine. There is a third form called nascent iodine in which the diatomic bonds are broken by exposing the tincture of iodine to a high electromagnetic field leaving single neutral iodine atoms. Alcohol is used as a carrier as nascent iodine does not dissolve in water.

Nascent iodine is the safest and most effective form of iodine for our bodies (unfortunately it is also the most expensive). Functions of nascent iodine include:
• Stimulates and regulates production of T3 and T4 hormones
• Helps balance other endocrine functions
• Critical in pregnancy & breastfeeding for developing brains
• Improves breast health; reduces tenderness and cyst formation
• Improves behavior of children with autism
• Improves mental focus in adults & children
• Increases energy and stamina
• Protects from toxic halides: fluorine, chloride & bromides

To use nascent iodine, place a drop or more in a small glass of water and drink immediately. Diluting the tincture in water activates the iodine for several hours. It is best taken on an empty stomach in divided doses if required. One drop of 1% contains 0.2 mg of iodine (slightly more than the Canadian RDA).

As David Brownstein explains in his book “Iodine – Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It” this amount (the RDA) may prevent a goiter but is far too low for most functions of iodine. For example, several studies have shown that to prevent and control fibrocystic breast disease, a minimum of 5 mg (25 drops) per 50kg (110 lbs) body weight is required. He found 96% of 4,000 Americans tested to be deficient in iodine. I would expect Canadians to be similarly deficient as soils are depleted and few of us eat enough seafood.

Sources:
Robert Redfern website
Global Healing Centre website
Magnascent website

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

282 Iodized Salt [25 August 2014)

In my article on iodine a few years ago [#125 1 Aug 2011] I hinted that iodized table salt may be inadequate as an iodine source. Lynne Farrow, author of “The Iodine Crisis: What You Don’t Know About Iodine Can Wreck Your Life” (2013) explains why in an essay titled “Debunking ‘Iodized’ Salt”. Farrow gives three reasons why iodized salt is an inadequate source of iodine.

1) Iodine, as potassium iodide, is not stable in salt and sublimates (vaporizes) after opening, especially with high humidity. After about a month, half of the iodine is gone. Who knows how much is left after a few years.

2) Even if the salt is consumed fresh from the factory, only about 10% is absorbed. The sodium in salt competes with iodine for absorption, making salt a questionable food to fortify with iodine.

3) While the iodide form in iodized salt is used by the thyroid and may prevent goiter, it’s not the only form your body needs. Women particularly require the iodine (I2) form for breast and ovarian health.

The amount of iodine in salt is insufficient for several additional reasons. For starters, only about 20% of the salt consumed in North America is iodized. Salt added to processed foods is not iodized. Neither are sea salts or other gourmet salts.

The Canadian RDA of 150mcg for adults is the minimum to prevent goiter in most people. Like the amount of vitamin C needed to prevent scurvy, this amount is much lower than what our bodies need for optimum health. Pregnant women and growing children need sufficient iodine for brain growth. Much higher amounts are required to prevent fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer.

Many nutritionists are now recommending a minimum of 12.5 mg total of iodide and iodine. They also recommend avoiding sources of the other halogens – bromide (found in commercial flour and baked goods), fluoride and chlorine – which compete with iodine contributing to a deficiency.

222 Salt – how much is too little? [24 June 2013]

The Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation’s DASH diet for lowering high blood pressure recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. But some organizations like the American Heart Association are pushing for as little as 1,500 mg (half a teaspoon) per day. A recent report questions the benefits and safety of this lower amount.

The report, titled “Sodium Intake in Populations: Assessment of Evidence” by an expert group of the Institute of Medicine for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was published in May 2013. The group looked at new evidence that had been published since the last report in 2005. The new data showed no health benefit in restricting sodium below 2,300 and indications of possible harm. The “possible harm” included increased rate of heart attacks and risk of death. It looks like the Canadians, with their more conservative recommendation, got it right this time.

Previous predictions on benefits of sodium reduction (like the prevention of 14,500 heart attacks each year in Canada that I quoted in my column #022 July 27, 2009) are based solely on salt’s effect on blood pressure. Actual studies of health outcomes found that groups with the lowest salt intake often had worse health outcomes, including higher death rates. Obviously salt plays many important roles other than affecting one’s blood pressure.

Over-restricting salt in seniors is especially dangerous because symptoms of hyponatraemia (low sodium levels) are commonly associated with aging – fatigue, confusion and poor balance – and can easily be overlooked.

Potassium in balance with sodium is more important than just sodium levels – see my columns #129 and #211 for more on potassium.

Hyperinsulinism (high insulin levels) is the underlying cause of metabolic syndrome which includes high blood pressure. See my column #084 Insulin and Blood Pressure (03 Oct 2010). The insulin causes the body to retain sodium and excrete potassium. Normalizing insulin not only prevents type 2 diabetes but also reverses high blood pressure with normal salt consumption.

Additional points not mentioned in the Eagle ad article:

Salt is a nutrient and is essential for life so can't be completely eliminated. There are however sources of sodium other than salt that are not essential (and likely harmful) so should be avoided: sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate, and MSG.

80% of sodium in the typical American diet comes from processed foods; 10% from natural foods; and only 10% added at the table. The best way to reduce sodium would appear to be to reduce processed foods.

Iodine is added to commercial table salt which is believed responsible for the lower rates of hypothyroidism in North America. There is some concern that reducing salt, or switching to the marginally more nutritious sea salts, could lead to more iodine deficiencies. Probably true but it need not be the case. There are other sources of iodine supplementation readily available, either as a liquid supplement or some form of kelp supplement.

To recap, the only benefit to reducing salt is to lower blood pressure. Levels below 2,300 mg have no blood pressure lowering effect. Levels lower than 2,300 can be detrimental to our health.

Sources:
IOM Report
New York Times article and opinion piece
Health Sciences Institute articles 1 and 2
Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation – DASH diet

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

125 Iodine [1 August 2011]

Iodine is an essential trace mineral that has many functions besides its main role as a component of the thyroid hormones. Iodine is essential for proper brain development in infants and young children; deficiencies during pregnancy can result in severe intellectual disabilities, and may play a role in some ADHD cases. Iodine deficiency results in an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly called a goiter, but iodine is essential for the function of all the glands and hormones in the body, not just the thyroid. Iodine deficiency has been linked to breast cancer and possibly to ovarian and prostate cancers. It has been used to prevent and treat ovarian cysts and fibrocystic breast disease.

Iodized table salt is our main food source, and may be inadequate. We all are (or should be) reducing our salt intake, so are getting less iodine as well as sodium. Sea salt is low in iodine, and even iodized salt may not contain as much as we thought – a University of Texas study found half of 90 salt samples analyzed didn’t meet the FDA’s recommended level of iodine. Kelp is the richest natural food source of iodine, but is rarely on the menu in this country. That leaves supplementation to ensure that we are getting enough. Iodine is available as kelp tablets or capsules, and as a liquid supplement.

And how much iodine is enough? The Canadian RDA is 150 mcg (0.15 mg) for adults, less for children. Japanese who are among the healthiest people in the world (with low rates of breast, uterine and ovarian cancers) consume an average of 13.8 mg (nearly 100 times the Canadian RDA). Several studies have shown that to prevent and control fibrocystic breast disease, a minimum of 5 mg per 50kg (110 lb) body weight is required. David Brownstein, author of the book “Iodine – Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, found 96% of 4,000 Americans tested to be deficient in iodine. Maybe they were following the Canadian RDA?

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.