Thyroid: The Master Gland of Metabolism by Paula Owens

This is a very informative article on your thyroid. If you scroll down, you will see the one of the most comprehensive lists of symptoms I have seen. I know - I have experienced a lot of them. Enjoy the article if you are into reading about the master gland of metabolism!

Thyroid: The Master Gland of Metabolism
January 4, 2010 · Published By Paula Owens

Part one of a series on Hypothyroidism

Your thyroid is the master gland of your metabolism. It is your body’s internal thermostat, regulating the temperature by secreting two hormones, T3 and T4 that control your ability to burn calories and use energy. The thyroid controls your weight, body temperature, heart rate, energy levels, menstrual regularity and muscle strength.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped, hormone producing tissue the size of a walnut located at the lower front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. Every cell in your body needs small amounts of thyroid hormone to function optimally. Thyroid function is vital to your health.

Hypothyroidism is a health condition in which there is insufficient thyroid activity which is often undiagnosed. Less than 25% of people with an underactive thyroid have been properly diagnosed and treated. Untreated hypothyroidism dramatically increases your risk of serious health concerns and degenerative diseases.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted by the pituitary gland in your subconscious brain. In early stages of hypothyroidism, the pituitary gland releases more and more TSH, causing elevated TSH levels. This causes the thyroid to work overtime to secrete more thyroxin (T4) and T3, the biologically active form of thyroid. Most of the T4 produced is converted to T3 by your liver.

Most conventional doctors only test TSH. This is not thorough testing for thyroid function.

Measuring different hormones in the blood can determine if the thyroid gland is working properly. To most effectively screen for hypothyroidism and other thyroid imbalances, Dr. Galitzer recommends that doctors also request blood tests for thyroid antibodies.

Therefore, it is recommended that all women be tested for hypothyroidism by the age of 50 as well as those women who are or are planning to become pregnant in order to detect thyroid problems. In addition, the American Thyroid Association suggests that everyone over 35 years of age should be screened with a TSH test every 5 years.

New data from a study of 25,000 participants whose TSH was measured argued that the ideal TSH level is 1.4 or less, not the usual 5.5 limit still cited by some labs.

Suggested Thyroid Tests:
Basal temperature test (read about this in my book, THE POWER OF 4) – Oral temperatures consistently <97.3˚ F may suggest hypothyroidism; temperatures consistently <97.0˚ F suggests hypothyroidism.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This is the BEST test, but beware most all of the “normal” ranges are simply dead wrong. The ideal level for TSH is between 1 and 1.5 mIU/L.
T4 panel
Free T4 – The normal level of free T4 is between 0.9 and 1.8 ng/dl.
T4 Thyroxine – optimal levels are 8-12.5
Free Thyroxine Index – optimal levels are 1.5-5
T3 Panel
Free T3 – Optimal ranges are between 1.8-5.4
T3 Uptake – optimal levels are 27-37
T3 Total – optimal ranges are 72-170
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody – optimal ranges are 0-19
Thyroid hormones are affected by stress. Adrenaline and cortisol, hormones released by stress, interfere with the body’s ability to convert T4 into T3. When T3 levels decrease, the body produces even more adrenaline and cortisol to help speed up metabolism which further inhibits the conversion of T4 to T3. Healthy functioning adrenals must always be factored in when dealing with thyroid imbalances. Excess cortisol increases risk of Candida.

Suggested Testing to Evaluate Low Adrenal Function:

Cortisol levels (8 a.m. and 4 p.m.)
DHEA and DHEA-S
Adrenal Stress Index (ASI)
ACTH
Other testing to consider:
Homocysteine (clinical research has shown that homocystinuria is found with many cases of primary and secondary thyroid hypo-function).
Liver function. (Thyroid hormones are conjugated in the liver).
Hypothyroidism affects an estimated 10% of the U.S. population of which 90% are women. Thyroid disease and breast cancer are most common in post-menopausal females. Sugar intolerance, menopause and depression cause many of the same symptoms of thyroid disorders. Those with low thyroid may experience elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides caused by failure of the anterior pituitary to drive the thyroid.

When thyroid disease is left untreated, it can cause elevated cholesterol levels and subsequent heart disease, infertility, Candida, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and sometimes even coma or death. According to new research, women who had a prior history of hypothyroidism for more than 10 years had a two to threefold higher risk of liver cancer compared to women without a history of thyroid disorders.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid may include:

Catches colds and other viral/bacterial problems easily and has difficulty recovering
Chronic digestive problems (gas, bloating, indigestion)
Constipation
Decreased immunity
Depression
Dry or brittle hair, hair falls out easily
Dry or itching skin
Edema, especially in the face and eyelids
Elevated LDL cholesterol levels
Fatigue, especially in the middle of the day
Increase in weight even while on a low-calorie or low-fat diet
Loss of outer third portion of the eyebrows
Low temperature
Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses.
Muscle cramps while at rest
Overly sensitive to cold weather
Poor circulation, joint stiffness, numbness in hands or feet
Reduced initiative, mental confusion, and poor memory
Requires an excessive amount of sleep to function normally
Ringing in the ears associated with decreased blood pressure and/or slow pulse rate
Wounds heal slowly
Three or more of the above may indicate hypothyroidism.

Three or more symptoms above may indicate hypothyroidism.

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Christmas 2009