Thyroid Health
at Absolute Health and Wellness
The thyroid gland is in the neck. It is one of several tissues which make hormones, making it a part of the endocrine system.
The thyroid gland receives input from two brain structures: the Hypothalamus and Anterior Pituitary Gland. These release hormones called Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH) and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). These signal for the thyroid gland to make the thyroid hormones.
The thyroid gland makes 2 main hormones, T3 and T4. These carry out all the functions of the thyroid gland.
Review of Healthy Thyroid Function
Euthyroid State
Euthyroid is basically a normal, functional thyroid gland and physiology. All the hormones involved are in balance and there are no symptoms.
Functions of the Thyroid Hormones:
Thyroid hormones can effect every cell of the body. They have significant roles to play in the following body systems:
1. Metabolic
- Increase basal metabolic rate
- Appetite
- Gut motility
- Gut absorption
- Sugar Metabolism: absorption, generation, uptake by cells and breakdown
- Fat Metabolism: breakdown
- Increases activity of mitochondria (where energy comes from)
- Increases body temperature
2. Cardiovascular
- Increase the rate and strength of the heartbeat
- Increase rate of breathing
- Influence intake and consumption of oxygen
- Decreases cholesterol in the blood
3. Developmental
- Important for fetal development and that of young children
- Important roles in sexual function
- Important roles in sleep patterns
Treating Hypothyroid Disease
Hypothyroidism describes an underactive thyroid. It’s important to distinguish the cause of your low functioning thyroid.
Thyroid dysfunction may arise from either the thyroid gland not producing enough hormone, or from issues throughout your body impeding the activity of those hormones.
Some common causes of hypothyroidism:
Primary hypothyroidism
- Autoimmune Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
- Post-ablative hypothyroidism
- Post-surgical hypothyroidism
- Radiation-induced hypothyroidism
Central hypothyroidism
- Pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunction
Decreased Absorption of levothyroxine
- Celiac disease
- Drug induced
Accelerated metabolism of thyroid hormone
- Increased deionase activity
- Drug induced
Naturopathic Stategies For Hypothyroid Diseaes
1. Digging Deeper
Conventional medical testing often focuses on TSH only, and not the actual thyroid hormones. In some cases, TSH, T3, T4, reverse T3, iodine uptake and thyroid auto-antibodies can be used to get a more in-depth look at your thyroid function.
2. Drug Co-Management: For those patients taking synthetic thyroid hormone (Synthroid, Eltroxin), there is still a role for naturopathic care, in optimizing absorption and utilization of those medications.
3. Hormone Conversion: your thyroid gland produces mostly inactive thyroid hormone. It only becomes active once it has reached elsewhere in your body. Many factors impede this conversion, such as inflammation, stress, infection, nutrient deficiencies and genetic anomalies. In these cases, TSH may be normal but usable, active thyroid hormone is deficient.
4. Diet: certain foods can impact thyroid function and hormone production. Certain foods may need to be avoided, while others may need to be incorporated.
5. Herbs, Nutrient Supplementation: specific nutrients that can be supplemented to help thyroid gland function in addition to hormone conversion.
6. Disease Co-management: thyroid hormones are affected by many factors. Other diseases or diagnoses are likely to affect thyroid function, so disease co-management is key.
Treating Hyperthyroid Disease
WHAT IS HYPERTHYROIDISM?
Hyperthyroidism describes an overactive thyroid. It’s important to distinguish the cause of your hyperfunctioning thyroid.
Thyroid dysfunction may arise from an overactive thyroid gland (producing too much hormone), or from issues throughout your body which increases the activity of those hormones.
Some common causes of hyperthyroidism:
- Autoimmune Grave’s Disease
- Multinodular goiter
- Toxic adenoma
- Inflammation of the thyroid
- Iodine toxicity
- Too much synthetic thyroid hormone (in those with hypothyroidism)
Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism:
Signs and symptoms of excessive thyroid function, include some serious body-wide changes.
Naturopathic Stategies For Hypothyroid Diseaes
1. Focusing On Everything Else
We will certainly focus on the thyroid gland, but we must not neglect the cardiovascular and neurological effects of excessive thyroid hormone. The goal is to minimize long lasting effects on these tissues, while we focus on the thyroid gland.
2. Digging Deeper
Conventional medical testing often focuses on TSH only, and not the actual thyroid hormones. In some cases, TSH, T3, T4, reverse T3, iodine uptake and thyroid auto-antibodies can be used to get a more in-depth look at your thyroid function.
3. Drug Co-Management: Patients often undergo drug therapy for overactive thyroid or consider surgery. We can discuss and help manage either scenario.
4. Hormone Conversion: thyroid function involves hormone production and conversion from inactive to active hormone. We may aim to reduce thyroid hormone conversion, to minimize damaging effects of hyperthyroidism.
5. Herbs, Nutrient Supplementation: There are specific nutrients that can be supplemented to help thyroid gland function in addition to hormone conversion and protection for the heart, brain and other areas impacted by an overactive thyroid.
