ATTENTION WOMEN: Can’t seem to shed weight – no matter how hard you try - or after dieting, you always gain it all back?
“It’s Not Your Willpower,
It’s Your Thyroid!”
“Discover How One, Super Cheap Supplement Can Kick Start Your
Metabolism, Helping You Lose Those Ugly Extra Pounds!”
Isn’t It Time You Got A Whole New Lease On Life?
***
A special message from legendary TV personality
Wink Martindale…
***
Dear Health Conscious Friend,
It’s a quiet epidemic affecting millions of women.
You’ve been watching your diet, cutting out the junk food, exercising… and not only haven’t you lost anything – you’ve gained back even more pounds! 1 2
Even if you had some success dropping weight with the latest fad diet, you’ve seen every last ounce come back on – with a vengeance.
Thinking you may have to go out and buy a new scale, you look in the mirror – and what you see just doesn’t lie. The stark truth is staring you right in the face… those ugly “love-handles” are still there, worse than ever. 3 4 5
Unfortunately, that’s only the beginning. No matter how much you sleep, you’re always waking up exhausted 6. Trying to shake the cobwebs from your head, you go through the day in those awful “brain fogs.”
Coffee after coffee, gulping down little bottles of super-expensive energy drinks, deep breathing exercises... all useless. Nothing seems to clear your head. 7 8 9
Running your hand through your hair before getting dressed, does it just seem thinner – less robust lately – or is it really falling out?
When cleaning out the shower drain, it hits home. The stark truth is staring you right in the face… clumps and wads of hair… and all of it yours.
Then there’s that secret fear – the one you keep hidden away deep inside. You see yourself in the mirror, that tired face staring back at you. Your husband sees it too. How long before he stops noticing you… and starts looking at other women?10
Irrational?
Maybe yes, maybe no. But your figure sure doesn’t look very sexy or alluring to you, so how can it be doing anything for your man?
You ask yourself… is all this normal? What we should be expecting from Mother Nature? Slowly, inevitably, unavoidably winding down and packing on the weight as the years go by? 11
Well, There’s Good News & Bad News…
First the bad news: In so many women, all the symptoms of weight gain – and the host of others – are caused by an under-active thyroid, what the medical world calls hypothyroidism. 12
It usually starts when you pass your middle 20s, slowly but surely finding it harder and harder to keep fit and trim, getting progressively worse as you age. Many of you really don't notice these symptoms until after childbirth… when it just hits you, seemingly out of nowhere. That “baby weight gain” 13 14 15 isn’t lost. Depression and exhaustion are constant companions, and you just don’t feel “right” in your own body anymore.
If you try talking to your doctor about it, you’ll be humored and told to “eat less and exercise more.” If you insist on having your thyroid levels checked, your physician will reluctantly order a thyroid blood test. Of course, when it comes back it’ll say you don't have hypothyroidism - your thyroid is normal. You’ll then be told it’s “all in your head” and all to often be given a prescription for a mild anti-depressant. 16 17 18 19 20
But the fact of the matter is this…
Your “Head” is Fine…
Your Thyroid Isn’t!
Here's a dirty little secret most doctors won’t discuss with you. When a medical test is done, any result within a wide range is deemed normal. Your thyroid could be barely functioning at 30% efficiency, but your tests will say that’s fine.
Well, it’s not fine - you're hypothyroid. And you have the weight gain, hair loss, lethargy & fatigue to prove it.
Taking an anti-depressant won’t do a thing for your figure or your hypothyroid condition. But it will make the big drug companies very happy in having yet another long term customer hooked on their products.
If you keep insisting, you’ll probably be told to go on yet another diet and hit the gym more often. The same things you’ve been trying over and over again – with the same yo-yo, short-term “success” at best. Since your tests were "normal" 21 you won’t be given the one prescription that could help: The actual thyroid hormone.
Natural Living
I’m Dr. Andrew Jones, Medical Director of the Natural Living - a forward looking think-tank exploring the root causes of female related illnesses – weight loss and weight gain among them.
Natural Living’s mission is to increase the understanding of how a woman’s body can best ward off and overcome disease and other conditions - based on the principles of natural healing, nutrition and holistic medical practices. Among the practices Natural Living encourages is the use of bio-identical hormone therapy for effectively treating the root causes of many women’s chronic complaints.
Natural Living explores new, natural and even controversial non-mainstream alternate methods for addressing health and wellness issues concerning women in the 21st century.
Perhaps you’ve heard me on the radio or seen me on television – addressing my millions of listeners regarding the serious health issues facing us today.
I constantly stress the need for proper nutrition and healthy, holistic living. This is especially important in the “modern” environment we now live in – an environment filled with toxins, chemical residues, and rogue hormones – a virtual cornucopia of health damaging substances. 22 23 24
Exploding Rate Of Adult Obesity Is No Accident
Whenever I get the chance, I try and spread the word about the poisons finding their way into our daily lives, our foodstuffs and our bodies, and what we can do to lessen or even reverse their ill effects.
The current state of our nation’s health is not good – in fact I’d call it downright appalling. Here’s the bottom line: For the first time in nearly a century, average life expectancy is actually falling. Diseases that were practically unknown a century ago are now major killers – heart and cardiovascular disease among them.
A huge part of this miserable state of affairs stems from obesity – we’re simply becoming fatter and fatter, at younger and younger ages.
Children(!) are getting diabetes as young as age 8, something almost unheard of just 25 years ago.
Yes, many of these conditions have to do with poor diet and the wholesale raping of our food supply. But that’s only part of this disturbing picture. The other part is that our internal systems are slowly being poisoned by our environment – the thyroid included.
You see, the thyroid is responsible for regulating our metabolism. Too little thyroid hormone, and the calories we eat simply aren’t burned off. It’s like trying to heat a home using only a pilot flame – the energy generated is far too small for the task.
That’s what’s happening in our bodies. We’re not utilizing the calories we take in, and the excess gets converted into ugly, damaging fat.
But as I said, when it comes to your thyroid, there’s good news and bad.
Here’s the good news…
You Can Now Safely Boost Your Thyroid Function & Lose Weight Naturally…
Without A Prescription and Without
Going On Dangerous Fad Diets!
How? By adding a simple but vital supplement to your diet: Iodine.
Just how important is iodine? Consider this… about 25¢ worth is all that stands between an infant developing normally and one that’ll be severely mentally handicapped the rest of its life.
Iodine is essential to a proper functioning thyroid and preventing hypothyroidism. But as we grow older, our thyroid starts slowing down. It just can’t metabolize the iodine it needs as efficiently, and that means the hormone produced (also known as thyroid) goes down as well.
There are 2 other reasons why most of us are iodine deficient:
- Inadequate dietary intake, and
- Exposure to toxic substances that displace iodine.
Iodine is a mineral, but one that’s not abundant in the food we eat. Primarily found in very small quantities in seawater, soils are naturally deficient in iodine, especially the further away you get from the ocean. 25 26
Iodine is also fairly easily displaced from your body by toxins called toxic halides… fluoride, bromine and chloride. 27 28
Fluoride is by far the worst culprit. Found in toothpaste and in your water supply, every time you take a shower, brush your teeth or drink from the tap, your body gets a little exposure to fluoride, leeching out good iodine. And contrary to popular belief, fluoridated water is actually rather poor at preventing tooth decay.
Why is it in our water supply? Poor science combined with corporate greed and political ignorance paved the way. Basically a toxic by-product of aluminum production, fluoridation was sold as a way to prevent cavities because some areas with natural fluoride in the water also had lower instances of tooth decay. Based upon that spurious observation, fluoridation began. 29 30
Then there’s bromine, an endocrine disruptor that competes for the same receptors that capture iodine. Essentially, bromine crowds out iodine.
How prevalent is bromine? Consider this, every time you bite into a piece of store bought bread, you’re probably ingesting some bromine. It’s used to make bread dough more elastic and thus easier to handle, but not by very much.
Where else is bromine found? How about…
- Bakery goods
- Citrus flavored soft drinks
- Fabric fire retardants
- Hair dyes
- Medicines
- Pesticides used on strawberries, especially in California
- Plastics
- Spaghetti & pasta
- Toothpaste and mouthwashes, and
- Your automobile!
Quite an extensive list when you think about it.
If You’re Human, You’re Most
Certainly Iodine Deficient!
Because of what we just spoke about, 96% of all people tested are iodine deficient!31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 This according to a study of 4000 patients conducted by Dr. David Brownstein, Medical Director for The Center of Holistic Medicine, and renowned author of several books on hormones, iodine and hypothyroidism.
The World Health Organization also concurs, estimating that 72% of the world’s population is being affected by iodine deficiency. 42
This trend is worsening. Over the last 30 years, the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I) shows iodine levels have dropped 50% in the U.S.A. alone. 43 44 45 46 47
Pregnancy, “Baby Weight Gain” & Your Thyroid
This is a common problem all too many women experience, especially after their 2nd or 3rd child. That “baby weight” gained during pregnancy just refuses to come off. It doesn’t matter how careful you are about diet and exercise. Those stubborn extra pounds stick to you like they’ve been soldered on.
The fact is this: It isn’t what you’re eating, or the type of exercise you’re doing. It’s simply that your iodine reserves have been almost totally drained.
During pregnancy, your unborn baby gets first dibs in almost everything. Vitamins, minerals, hormones – you name it. It’s nature’s way of making sure the human race survives.
After the first child, you probably still have some iodine reserves left. They may be lower, but they are still there for your thyroid to use. But after the second child, and then a third, those remaining iodine reserves are depleted dry.
By diverting all available iodine to the child, your body literally sacrifices its own well being in the process. (Motherhood can be tough!)
Breast Tissue & Iodine
A Double Whammy For Woman
As if pregnancy wasn’t enough of a problem when it comes to women, weight gain and their thyroid, here’s yet another: Women have more thyroid problems than men simply because of breast tissue. Did you know that a woman’s breasts require almost as much iodine as the thyroid?
So for women, iodine has to do double, or during pregnancy, even triple duty.
There’s even a condition named for this breast tissue iodine deficiency: Fibrocystic Breast Disease. Clinically, a woman with fibrocystic breast disease should be assumed to be thyroid deficient. It has also been reported that women with this specific iodine deficiency disease are also more likely to develop breast cancer than those that don’t.
Since men don’t have these problems, women are unfortunately the ones who are typically more prone to being iodine deficient.
Low Thyroid: A Host Of Symptoms &
Devastating Medical Conditions –
Including Weight Gain!
The downward spiral in your health is slight at first, but escalates rapidly. Your vitality isn’t what it used to be. Your get up and go seems to have got up and gone 48, you sleep less soundly. And then…
You gain weight… sometimes you just look at a french fry and it goes straight to your hips!
Chalking it up to a busy lifestyle and poor eating habits, you probably ignore it, possibly for years. But the changes in your body go on and on.
What kind of changes?
There are over 2 dozen major symptoms and signs associated with an under active thyroid. Here are just a few of the more common ones…49
- Weight gain
- Inability to maintain a healthy weight
- Low energy - fatigue
- Ice-cold hands or feet
- Dry skin
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Brain fog
- Insomnia, poor sleep
- Tingling in hands and feet
- Muscle pain
- Edema (swelling in ankles)
- Elevated cholesterol
All due to your under active thyroid, and definitely not to “clinical depression” as so many of you are led to believe. (In fact, your depression is yet another sign of hypothyroidism!)
AM I THYROID DEFICIENT?
Want to see if you may be one of the millions with a thyroid deficiency? Just take our quick online analysis. By answering the questions asked, you’ll quickly find out if you too may be suffering from an under-active thyroid.
Iodine, Your Thyroid Gland & Weight Loss
There are actually four types of thyroid hormones: T1, T2, T3, and T4. The most important are T3 and T4.
The bottom line is that if there’s not enough iodine in the thyroid gland, then it is impossible to have sufficient thyroid hormone of any type. The result is an under active thyroid or hypothyroidism.
As recently as 2007, a handful of progressive doctors (me included) wrote prescriptions for thyroid hormones in patients who had clinical hypothyroid symptoms (regardless of blood tests). And this was relatively successful. 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
But now, we’re finding out that iodine supplementation alone helps most of our patients, without ever having to resort to the prescription pad and hassle of getting a doctor to write a script for thyroid hormone. 57
This is a win-win situation - especially for women (and men!) who are experiencing stubborn, on-going weight gain, or finding it almost impossible to lose weight at all.
Iodized Salt Not Nearly Enough
You may think that if you use iodized salt, you’ll be getting all the iodine you need in your diet. Think again!
Iodizing salt goes back to the 1920’s, when kids in the Midwest were living in what was called the “goiter belt” – one in four had the bulging Adam’s Apple associated with an enlarged thyroid.
The soils were so over farmed, crops had almost no iodine left in them. And since fresh seafood was a rarity in that region, iodine deficiencies were widespread.
A solution was found by adding trace amounts of iodine to common table salt, which was just enough to stop and even reverse the goiter epidemic. But preventing goiter is one thing, having sufficient amounts of iodine circulating in your body is quite another.
IodinePlus2…
This Doctor’s Choice For
Healthy Weight Loss
It would be great if you could just walk into your local drug store or health food shop and be able to get your iodine supplements without any problems.
But here’s the thing – you can’t.
You see, there are two types of iodine necessary for optimal nutrition and thyroid function: Iodine and iodide. The iodine supplements you’ll normally find are made from kelp – a seaweed – lacking in iodide.
Plus, the iodine supplements on the retail shelves are about 100 times too weak to be effective in stimulating your thyroid, reversing hypothyroidism and stabilizing your weight. 58 59
Low iodine equals low thyroid. Low thyroid equals low energy and weight gain, along with a busload of other symptoms.
It’s that straightforward.
You’d literally have to be downing an entire bottle of low potency pills each day. Which is not only totally impractical, but downright expensive!
These problems are now solved - by using the exact same supplement as recommended by the Natural Living… IodinePlus2
Why do we recommend IodinePlus2 to help with natural & safe weight loss?
Because this supplement works. The 2 types of iodine in this formulation are not only critical for a healthy thyroid, they’re present and used by every single cell in your body, and are absolutely crucial for a healthy metabolism.
Each tablet we recommend contains a full 5 mg of Iodine combined with a balanced amount of 7.5 mg of Iodide – the optimal formulation for peak bio-availability and maintaining your optimal weight.
Plus... each IodinePlus2 tablet contains two essential ingredients to kick-start your thyroid gland at the cellular energy level, including selenium for enhancing conversion of the inactive thyroid hormone T4 into the active thyroid hormone T3 – giving you that extra boost for finally realizing your weight loss goals. 60 61 62
Three Extremely Common Iodine Questions
Question 1: Can I safely take iodine supplements with other thyroid preparations?
We constantly hear from our readers about some important questions. The first is about taking iodine while on other prescribed or non-prescribed thyroid hormone or thyroid hormone-acting preparations. Is this safe and effective?
The answer is always yes!
Iodine is an essential mineral, necessary for the proper functioning of every cell in your body. Iodine will not interfere with other prescribed or over the counter preparations. If anything, iodine will enhance their efficiency!
In fact, by taking a high quality & balanced iodine supplement, don’t be surprised if your need for the thyroid hormone preparations begins to wane – and in many cases disappears altogether.
Question 2: Can I take too much iodine?
You can’t harm yourself by taking “too much” iodine.
Any excess is secreted through sweat and urine. (And you definitely can’t be made allergic to iodine. If that were to happen, you would expire in a matter of days – if not hours! As noted above, every cell in your body is dependent upon iodine and thyroid hormones for its survival.)
Most over the counter iodine supplements, even those recommended by physicians, are woefully low in strength. You would literally have to down dozens of those pills a day in order to get anywhere near a proper dose of high quality iodine.
Question 3: The TSH Puzzle
Here’s anenigmamany of you find yourselves in. When diagnosed with hypothyroidism (low thyroid) one of the thyroid panel tests given is for circulating TSH levels. The higher the TSH numbers on the test, the greater the presumed deficiency.
There is logic to this. As thyroid levels drop, the body desperately tries to increase circulating thyroid hormone levels. TSH – or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone – is released to do just this, attempting to convert every last molecule of iodine it can find into usable hormones.
When given thyroid hormone preparations, TSH levels do drop. Again, logical because more thyroid hormone is being artificially introduced into your system.
But here’s the problem – your body is looking for iodine in order to manufacture the thyroid hormones on its own. The thyroid preparations supply the hormone (or a somewhat near equivalent of it) but not the essential iodine.
The result? Your body now becomes dependent upon these substances. When we introduce high potency quality iodine in the form of a supplement – an interesting paradox happens. TSH levels literally soar! Most physicians seeing this would press the panic button then and there. Which would be a mistake.
As soon as the iodine levels are increased, the body recognizes this and starts pumping out TSH at increased levels in order to take full advantage of the situation.
It’s like you coming home after a sweltering hot day and downing several glasses of cold water. Your body is responding to the stimulus of dehydration by making you incredibly thirsty.
By flooding the body with essential iodine, you are giving yourself exactly what your system is craving. TSH levels rise, converting the iodine into usable hormones. Since the thyroid works slowly (!) these elevated TSH levels can stay high for 6 months to a year – until your body once again reaches balance.
So yes, taking a supplement like IodinePlus2 is both safe and healthy. However, it is always recommended you consult with your doctor or primary health care provider if you are taking prescribed thyroid hormones and start on iodine supplementation. But don’t be surprised that after reading this, you are more informed than your physician!
Look Better, Live Better, Be Better…
Lose Weight The Sensible Way
By Using IodinePlus2
For most people, just one easy to swallow IodinePlus2 tablet each day is all you need, and you’ll be assured in maintaining both your health and your vitality… and get the help you need when it comes to safe and steady weight loss.
(Those who are severely iodine depleted may need 2 or 3 capsules a day. The quick online analysis iodine test will help you determine that.)
By reversing your hypothyroidism and bringing your thyroid back to optimum activity, your energy will increase the natural way – banishing that chronic fatigue along with those unsightly bulges. You’ll start to feel alive, motivated and refreshed, without the “wired for sound” jitters many of those so-called “diet-elixirs” are well known to cause. 63
Plus… here’s something that’s bound to make you smile: Not only will you be getting the amazing health benefits iodine has to offer, and not only will you be getting it in a convenient, easy to swallow pill…it’s no where near the cost of most any other high priced formulation you’ll see advertised on the web or on TV.
Our best offer works for IodinePlus2 out to all of… $10 a month!
There’s absolutely no more excuse for not getting all the benefits a healthy thyroid has to offer you – so take advantage of this special offer and order today… right now in fact.
The rewards will be nothing less than phenomenal.
Imagine the Life Awaiting You…
Where exhaustion and depression just aren’t in your vocabulary, being fit and firm is the norm, and your runaway weight gain simply stops.
Your hair is full and lustrous, and your face practically shines with robust health.
A time when looking into the mirror, the “old you” has disappeared, being replaced with the woman your husband fell head over heals in love with…
It’s possible. It’s doable. It’s easy.
Order your supply right now… quickly, securely and safely over the internet.
Just click here:
Your iodine/iodide supplement will be sent directly to your doorstep. And remember, no prescriptions or doctor’s visits are necessary.
Hesitating?
I’m well aware many of you may be skeptical that a simple supplement can bring all these benefits - even when other diets, supplements and aids have simply failed. However, if I wasn’t 100% convinced the iodine/iodide supplementation found in IodinePlus2 is the answer you've been seeking, I wouldn’t be putting my name and my reputation on the line supporting it.
So why order right now? Because each day you wait is yet another day of abundant living delayed.
Here’s to your excellent health, and a much trimmer figure!
Natural Living
*Latest Development in Weight Loss...
Belly Fat Burner Targets Abdominal Fat!
I have some breakthrough news for those of you constantly fighting the “battle of the tummy bulges!”
You’ve read how a sluggish thyroid can be responsible for weight gain. Getting your thyroid up to speed is crucial in any serious weight-management program.
However, there are areas on the body where it seems no matter how much we diet, watch what we eat, work out and take the proper supplements, the fat just refuses to budge.
The stomach and side obliques (love handles) are two such examples.
For whatever rhyme or reason, it looks like Mother Nature has taken some sort of wicked delight in making sure those “jelly-belly rolls” around our middle stay put.
I know this first-hand! Even after holding onto a nutritious diet, hitting the gym several times a week and leading a generally active, productive life, I still found it almost impossible to lose my love-handles. I definitely wasn’t the only person with this problem.
But here’s the good news… after months of research, I’ve come up with a unique, breakthrough supplement for directly targeting those stubborn, hard to displace abdominal fat reserves.
The secret lies with two little known bio-nutrients:
- Forskolin – which significantly increases lean muscle tissue, bone mass and metabolism – while lowering total body fat and hunger pangs, and
- Fucoxanthin – which seemingly targets abdominal fat by directly influencing the UCP1 protein, which increases metabolism of the white adipose tissue found along our tummy and sides.
I then took the extra steps of adding six additional, all natural components to intensify this belly fat burning effect!
In fact – that’s what I call this brand new supplement: Belly Fat Burner.
If you’re looking for that extra edge and added advantage for finally toning your abs and sides, try this supplement. It’s what this Doctor recommends!
You can find out more and order at: www.Belly-Fat-Burner.com
Mandatory FDA Legal Disclaimer. We are required by law to add the following:
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- New York Thyroid Center – Thyroid Disorders – Hypothyroidism- Symptoms
- WebMD Health News - Kathleen Doheny, Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
March 24, 2008 – “In a new study examining thyroid and weight, scientists have found that even a thyroid functioning on the lower end of the normal range is associated with weight gain.”
- Thyroid Disease and Hair Loss: hairlosslibrary.com/thyroid_hair_loss.html
- Mayo Clinic – Hair Loss Causes, February 2, 2010
Abstract: “Hormonal changes. Hormonal changes and imbalances can cause temporary hair loss. This could be due to pregnancy, childbirth, discontinuation of birth control pills, the onset of menopause, or an overactive or underactive thyroid gland.” - Hair Loss and Thyroid Disease, Mary Shomon, About.com Guide May 31, 2010
Quoted: “… rapid hair loss is the worst symptom of their thyroid problem - the thinning hair, large amounts of hair falling out in the shower or sink, often accompanied by changes in the hair's texture, making it dry, coarse, or easily tangled.
“If you are taking levothyroxine (i.e., Synthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, Levothroid) as your thyroid hormone replacement, and still losing hair, you may need to take action. Prolonged or excessive hair loss IS a side effect of these drugs for some people.”
- “The Environmental Illness Resource” - Byron Richards - April 18, 2008
“What is Thyroid Related Fatigue?
Abstract: “Thyroid-related fatigue begins to appear when you cannot sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a past level of fitness or ability. If your thyroid foundation is weak, sustaining energy output is difficult. You will notice you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things you used to be able to do. Some of the key symptoms of thyroid fatigue include: Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and typically not exercising on a consistent basis.” - Mayo Clinic - Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) Mayo Clinic Staff, June 10, 2010
“When hypothyroidism isn't treated, signs and symptoms can gradually become more severe. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more hormones may lead to an enlarged thyroid (goiter). In addition, you may become more forgetful, your thought processes may slow, or you may feel depressed.”
- Gynecol Endocrinol. 2003 Feb;17(1):79-85.
“Thyroid function and post menopause”
Source: Institute for Medical Research and Education (IMRE), Essen, Germany.
Abstract: “There is an increasing prevalence of high levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) with age - particularly in postmenopausal women - which are higher than in men. The incidence of thyroid disease in a population of postmenopausal women is as follows: clinical thyroid disease, about 2.4%; subclinical thyroid disease, about 23.2%. Among the group with subclinical thyroid disease, 73.8% are hypothyroid and 26.2% are hyperthyroid.
“The rate of thyroid cancer increases with age. The symptoms of thyroid disease can be similar to postmenopausal complaints and are clinically difficult to differentiate. There can also be an absence of clinical symptoms. It is of importance that even mild thyroid failure can have a number of clinical effects such as depression, memory loss, cognitive impairment and a variety of neuromuscular complaints.
“Myocardial function has been found to be subtly impaired. There is also an increased cardiovascular risk, caused by increased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein. These adverse effects can be improved or corrected by L-thyroxine replacement therapy. Such treatment has been found to be cost-effective. With time, overt hypothyroidism can develop.” - Gynecol Endocrinol. 2003 Feb;17(1):79-85.
“Thyroid function and postmenopause.”
Source: Institute for Medical Research and Education (IMRE), Essen, Germany.
Synopsis: “It is of importance that even mild thyroid failure can have a number of clinical effects such as depression, memory loss, cognitive impairment and a variety of neuromuscular complaints. Myocardial function has been found to be subtly impaired. There is also an increased cardiovascular risk, caused by increased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein. These adverse effects can be improved or corrected by L-thyroxine replacement therapy. Such treatment has been found to be cost-effective”. - Nurse Pract. 1995 Mar;20(3):54-60.
“Hypothyroidism: common complaints, perplexing diagnosis.”
Heitman B, Irizarry A.
Source: Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, USA.
Synopsis: For adult women, hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid disorder. This disease affects every major organ system and metabolic process. Many doctors are sidetracked by hypothyroidism, because it can appear out of nowhere and manifest itself in a myriad of different complaints. Fatigue, muscle weakness, lethargy, and weight gain are all present, and often are explained away by emotional or other health problems. Unfortunately, the symptoms are then treated and not the actual disease. - Annals of Internal Medicine February 15, 2000;132:270-278
Abstract: “Older women who have a reduction in thyroid function -- but no obvious signs of the problem -- are at increased risk of heart disease and heart attacks. A reduction in thyroid function, known as hypothyroidism, is characterized by low metabolism, weight gain, dry skin, and mental and physical lethargy. There is also an increase in cholesterol and blood pressure, and consequently, the risk of heart disease.”
- The Mayo Clinic: “Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)”
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353/DSECTION=symptoms - The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology - 2011
“Pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism or thyroid antibodies have an increased risk of complications, especially pre-eclampsia, perinatal mortality and miscarriage. Future research, within the setting of clinical trials, should focus on the potential health gain of identification, and effect of treatment, of thyroid disease on pregnancy outcome.”
- The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology - 2011
“Pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism or thyroid antibodies have an increased risk of complications, especially pre-eclampsia, perinatal mortality and miscarriage. Future research, within the setting of clinical trials, should focus on the potential health gain of identification, and effect of treatment, of thyroid disease on pregnancy outcome.”
- The New England Journal of Medicine June 7, 2001; 344: 1743-1749, 1784-1785
“Increases in estrogen, such as those that occur in pregnancy, lead to dips in thyroid levels. Among women with normal thyroid function, the gland can compensate and produce more thyroid hormone. But this barometer does not work in women with hypothyroidism.”
- Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., Endocrinology - Lower Newton Falls, Massachusetts
"The key thing is ... doctors are always told that TSH is the test that gives us a yes or no answer. And, in fact, I think that's fundamentally wrong. The pituitary TSH is controlled not just by how much T4 and T3 is in circulation, but T4 is getting converted to T3 at the pituitary level. Excess T3 generated at the pituitary level can falsely suppress TSH. Hence, many people who are simply tested for TSH levels and are found to be within "normal" range are, in fact, suffering from thyroid problems that are going undetected.”
- Hypothyroidism Reaching Epidemic Proportions
“In 1995, researchers studied 25,862 participants at the Colorado statewide health fair. They discovered that among patients not taking thyroid medication, 8.9 percent were hypothyroid (under active thyroid) and 1.1 percent were hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid). This indicates 9.9 percent of the population had a thyroid problem that had most likely gone unrecognized. These figures suggest that nationally, there may be as many as 13 million Americans with an undiagnosed thyroid problem.” - Ridha Arem, M.D., associate professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Baylor College of Medicine “The Thyroid Solution”
“Many people may be suffering from minute imbalances that have not yet resulted in abnormal blood tests. If we included people with low-grade hypothyroidism whose blood tests are normal, the frequency of hypothyroidism would no doubt exceed 10 percent of the population.”
- American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist January, 2003
“Under the new guidelines, as many as 27 million people may have abnormal thyroid function—more than double the number of people thought to have abnormal thyroid function... These estimates would make thyroid disease more common in North America than diabetes. Women are at an increased risk for thyroid disease, as they are five to eight times more likely than men to be diagnosed. The elderly are also at an increased risk--by the age of 60 years, as many as 17 percent of women and nine percent of men have an underactive thyroid. Thyroid disease is also linked to other autoimmune diseases, including certain types of diabetes, arthritis and anemia.”
- Chris Kresser – “5 thyroid patterns that won’t show up on standard lab tests” – July 8th, 2010
“A standard thyroid panel usually includes TSH and T4 only. The ranges for these markers vary from lab to lab, which is one of two main problems with standard lab ranges. The other problem is that lab ranges are not based on research that tells us what a healthy range might be, but on a bell curve of values obtained from people who come to the labs for testing.”
“Now, follow me on this. Who goes to labs to get tested? Sick people. If a lab creates its “normal” range based on test results from sick people, is that really a normal range? Does that tell us anything about what the range should be for health? (For more on the problems with standard lab ranges, watch this great presentation by Dr. Bryan Walsh)”
Extract of Complete Article Follows:
The five thyroid patterns
- Hypothyroidism caused by pituitary dysfunction
This pattern is caused by elevated cortisol, which is in turn caused by active infection, blood sugar imbalances, chronic stress, pregnancy, hypoglycemia or insulin resistance. These stressors fatigue the pituitary gland at the base of the brain so that it can no longer signal the thyroid to release enough thyroid hormone. There may be nothing wrong with the thyroid gland itself. The pituitary isn’t sending it the right messages.
With this pattern, you’ll have hypothyroid symptoms and a TSH below the functional range (1.8 – 3.0) but within the standard range (0.5 – 5.0). The T4 will be low in the functional range (and possibly the lab range too). - Under-conversion of T4 to T3
T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. It must be converted to T3 before the body can use it. More than 90% of thyroid hormone produced is T4.
This common pattern is caused by inflammation and elevated cortisol levels. T4 to T3 conversion happens in cell membranes. Inflammatory cytokines damage cell membranes and impair the body’s ability to convert T4 to T3. High cortisol also suppresses the conversion of T4 to T3.
With this pattern you’ll have hypothyroid symptoms, but your TSH and T4 will be normal. If you have your T3 tested, which it rarely is in conventional settings, it will be low. - Hypothyroidism caused by elevated TBG
Thyroid binding globulin (TBG) is the protein that transports thyroid hormone through the blood. When thyroid hormone is bound to TBG, it is inactive and unavailable to the tissues. When TBG levels are high, levels of unbound (free) thyroid hormone will be low, leading to hypothyroid symptoms.
With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be low, and T3 uptake and TBG will be high.
Elevated TBG is caused by high estrogen levels, which are often often associated with birth control pills or estrogen replacement (i.e. Premarin or estrogen creams). To treat this pattern, excess estrogen must be cleared from the body. - Hypothyroidism caused by decreased TBG
This is the mirror image of the pattern above. When TBG levels are low, levels of free thyroid hormone will be high. You might think this would cause hyperthyroid symptoms. But too much free thyroid hormone in the bloodstream causes the cells to develop resistance to it. So, even though there’s more than enough thyroid hormone, the cells can’t use it and you’ll have hypothyroid – not hyperthyroid – symptoms.
With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be high, and T3 uptake and TBG will be low.
Decreased TBG is caused by high testosterone levels. In women, it is commonly associated with PCOS and insulin resistance. Reversing insulin resistance and restoring blood sugar balance is the key to treating this pattern. - Thyroid resistance
In this pattern, both the thyroid and pituitary glands are functioning normally, but the hormones aren’t getting into the cells where they’re needed. This causes hypothyroid symptoms.
Note that all lab test markers will be normal in this pattern, because we don’t have a way to test the function of cellular receptors directly.
Thyroid resistance is usually caused by chronic stress and high cortisol levels. It can also be caused by high homocysteine and genetic factors.
Conclusion: The five patterns above are only a partial list. Several others also cause hypothyroid symptoms and don’t show up on standard lab tests. If you have hypothyroid symptoms, but your lab tests are normal, it’s likely you have one of them.
Not only do these patterns fail to show up on standard lab work, they don’t respond well to conventional thyroid hormone replacement. If your body can’t convert T4 to T3, or you have too much thyroid binding protein, or your cells are resistant, it doesn’t matter how much T4 you take; you won’t be able to use it.
Unfortunately, if you have one of these patterns and tell your doctor your medication isn’t working, all too often the doctor’s response is to simply increase the dose. When that doesn’t work, the doctor increases it yet again.
As I said at the beginning of this article, the key to a successful treatment is an accurate diagnosis. The reason the conventional approach fails is that it skips this step and gives the same treatment to everyone, regardless of the cause of their problem.
The good news is that, once the correct diagnosis is made, patients respond very well to treatment. http://thehealthyskeptic.org/5-thyroid-patterns-that-wont-show-up-on-standard-lab-tests
- Hypothyroidism caused by pituitary dysfunction
- American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Press Release in New York Jan 18, 2001
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)
“TSH level between 3.0 and 5.0 uU/ml should be considered suspect. This is a major reversal of the long held view that a person ONLY had hypothyroidism if their TSH is above 5.0.”
The current upper half of the TSH test's normal range may not in fact be normal, but rather, evidence of developing hypothyroidis.
Nearly 13 million Americans have thyroid disease, but more than half of these people remain undiagnosed. Thyroid disease most often strikes durjng : the post-childbirth period, menopause and after age 60.
- CHEM TRUST STUDY: “EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF MALE VERTEBRATE WILDLIFE -MALES UNDER THREAT” –– Pgs, 16, 30, 33, 34 December 2008
- Crofton, K.M., Craft, E.S., Hedge, J.M.,Gennings, C., Simmons, J.E., Carchman, R.A.
et al. (2005)
“Thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals: Evidence for dose dependent additivity or synergism.” Environ Health Perspect.,113(11):1549-1554. - Dr. Joseph Mecola, MD
“Environmental stress such as chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, and fluoride are also tough on the thyroid. A growing body of evidence suggests that fluoride, which is prevalent in toothpaste and water treatment, may inhibit the functioning of the thyroid gland.
“Additionally, mercury may diminish thyroid function because it displaces the trace mineral selenium, and selenium is involved in conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3”.
- Dr. Joseph Mercola, September 05 2009
“The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.”
- Altern Med Rev. 2008 Jun;13(2):116-27. “Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerations.”
Source: Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, USA.
Abstract: “Iodine deficiency is generally recognized as the most commonly preventable cause of mental retardation and the most common cause of endocrinopathy (goiter and primary hypothyroidism). Iodine deficiency becomes particularly critical in pregnancy due to the consequences for neurological damage during fetal development as well as during lactation.
“The safety of therapeutic doses of iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg is evident in the lack of toxicity in the Japanese population that consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States. Japan's population suffers no demonstrable increased incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism.
“Studies using 3.0- to 6.0-mg doses to effectively treat fibrocystic breast disease may reveal an important role for iodine in maintaining normal breast tissue architecture and function. Iodine may also have important antioxidant functions in breast tissue and other tissues that concentrate iodine via the sodium iodide symporter.” (emphasis added)
- Kim Hooper and Thomas A. McDonald, "The PBDEs: An Emerging Environmental Challenge and Another Reason for Breast-Milk Monitoring Programs," ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES Vol. 108, No. 5 (May 2000), pgs. 387-392.
- "Brominated Flame Retardants: A Novel Class of Developmental Neurotoxicants in Our Environment?" ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES Vol. 109, No. 9 (September 2001), pgs. 903-908.
“Recent studies have shown that these brominated compounds can interfere with the thyroid hormone, which is critical for the proper development of the brain and central nervous system in animals and humans. Baby mice exposed to PBDEs show permanent behavioral and memory problems, which worsen with age.”
- The natural form of mineral fluoride is Apatite (calcium fluoro-chlorohydroxyl phosphate). When fluoride is added to drinking water, it’s not the natural apatite mineral. Instead, it’s other fluoride compounds – the toxic waste products from aluminum manufacturing, phosphate fertilizer plants, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons plants.
The 2 most common compounds used for fluoridating water are:- Sodium silicofluoride
- Hydrofluorosilicic acid
Hydrofluorosilicic acid is the most commonly used additive. (Center for Disease Control) - Cherie Calbom, M.S. Nutritionist, Researcher
“Goitrogens block iodine”
Abstract: “While more research needs to be done, it is generally accepted that diet plays a major role in thyroid health. For decades we have known that low iodine intake leads to low thyroid function and eventually to goiter. Iodized salt was intended to solve this problem, but it has not been the answer.
“There are a number of foods known as goitrogens that block iodine. Two goitrogens are quite prevalent in the American diet--peanuts and peanut butter and soybeans used most often in prepared foods as textured vegetable protein (a refined soy food) and soybean oil. The rise of industrialization, corporate farming, and mass production of food has drastically changed our food supply from what our ancestors ate.
“Many studies show the detrimental effects of refined sugars and grains on our health. These foods are very taxing on the thyroid gland, and we consume them in large quantities.
“Environmental stress such as chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, and fluoride are also tough on the thyroid. A growing body of evidence suggests that fluoride, which is prevalent in toothpaste and water treatment, may inhibit the functioning of the thyroid gland. Additionally, mercury may diminish thyroid function because it displaces the trace mineral selenium, and selenium is involved in conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3.”
- Hong Kong Med J. 2001 Dec;7(4):414-20.
“Mild iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders in Hong Kong.”
Kung JW, Lao TT, Chau MT, Tam SC, Low LC, Kung AW.
Source: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
Abstract: “Iodine is an essential nutrient. Iodine deficiency can lead to goitre, hypothyroidism, mental deficiency, and impaired growth. It is now appreciated that determination of goitre incidence in children alone may grossly underestimate the problem of iodine deficiency in a population. In total, the evidence indicates that iodine deficiency exists in Hong Kong, leading to clinical problems of transient neonatal hypothyroidism, goitrogenesis, and thyroid disorders in pregnant women and neonates, as well as thyroid dysfunction in the elderly.”
CONCLUSION: “A supplementation programme aimed at a relatively uniform iodine intake is recommended to avoid deficient or excessive iodine intake in subpopulations.” - Thyroid. 2002 Oct;12(10):839-47.
“Epidemiology and prevention of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism.”
Vanderpump MP, Tunbridge WM.
Source: Department of Endocrinology, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom
Synopsis: “Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. The prevalence of spontaneous hypothyroidism is between 1% and 2% and is more common in older women and 10 times more common in women than in men.”
“A significant proportion of subjects have asymptomatic chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and 8% of women (10% of women over 55 years of age) and 3% of men have subclinical hypothyroidism.”
- Altern Med Rev. 2008 Jun;13(2):116-27.
“Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerations.”
Source: Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, USA.
Synopsis: Iodine deficiency is generally recognized as the most commonly preventable cause of mental retardation, as well as the most common cause of goiter and primary hypothyroidism.
Iodine deficiency is particularly dangerous during pregnancy for the yet unborn child. Therapeutic doses of natural iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg seems to be totally safe, evidenced by the lack of toxicity in the Japanese society, who consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States.
Even with these elevated intake levels, Japan's population suffers no demonstrable increased incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism.
- Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993 Mar 15;678:158-68.
“Iodine supplementation and the prevention of cretinism.” Dunn
Source: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
Abstract: Normal development of the CNS requires adequate thyroid hormone exposure. Since iodine is an essential component of the thyroid hormone molecule, its deficiency during fetal development can cause hypothyroidism and irreversible mental retardation. The full-blown syndrome, called cretinism, includes deaf-mutism, short stature, spasticity, and profound mental retardation.
The clinical spectrum can vary in degree and combination of these features. Screening programs in iodine-deficient countries show that up to 10% of neonates have elevated serum TSH levels, putting them at theoretical risk for permanent brain damage. About one billion people worldwide risk the consequences of iodine deficiency, all of which can be prevented by adequate maternal and infant iodine nutrition.
Iodized salt is usually the preferred prophylactic vehicle, but iodized vegetable oil, iodized water, and iodine tablets are also occasionally used. The United Nations and the heads of state of most countries have pledged the virtual elimination of iodine deficiency by the year 2000. This goal is technically feasible if pursued with sufficient vigor and resources. - Thyroid. 1994 Spring;4(1):107-28.
“The disorders induced by iodine deficiency.” Delange F.
Source: Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Saint-Pierre, University of Brussels, Belgium.
Synopsis: This paper reviews present knowledge on the etiology, pathophysiology, complications, prevention, and therapy of the disorders induced by iodine deficiency. The recommended dietary allowances of iodine are 100 micrograms/day for adults and adolescents, 60-100 micrograms/day for children aged 1 to 10 years, and 35-40 micrograms/day in infants aged less than 1 year. When the physiological requirements of iodine are not met in a given population, a series of functional and developmental abnormalities occur including thyroid function abnormalities and, when iodine deficiency is severe, endemic goiter and cretinism, endemic mental retardation, decreased fertility rate, increased perinatal death, and infant mortality.
These complications, which constitute a hindrance to the development of the affected populations, are grouped under the general heading of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). At least one billion people are at risk of IDD. Iodine deficiency, therefore, constitutes one of the most common preventable causes of mental deficiency in the world today. Most of the affected populations live in mountainous areas in pre-industrialized countries, but 50 to 100 million people are still at risk in Europe.
The most important target groups to the effects of iodine deficiency from a public health point of view are pregnant mothers, fetuses, neonates, and young infants because the main complication of IDD, i.e., brain damage resulting in irreversible mental retardation, is the consequence of thyroid failure occurring during pregnancy, fetal, and early postnatal life.
The main cause of endemic goiter and cretinism is an insufficient dietary supply of iodine. The additional role of naturally occurring goitrogens has been documented in the case of certain foods (milk, cassava, millet, nuts) and bacterial and chemical water pollutants.
- Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2009 Sep;9(3):277-94. Epub 2009 Sep 1.
“Role of iodine, selenium and other micronutrients in thyroid function and disorders.”
Triggiani V, Tafaro E, Giagulli VA, Sabbà C, Resta F, Licchelli B, Guastamacchia E.
Source: Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases. University of Bari. Bari, Italy.
Synopsis: Micronutrients, mostly iodine and selenium, are required for thyroid hormone synthesis and function. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones and its deficiency is considered as the most common cause of preventable brain damage in the world. Nowadays about 800 million people are affected by iodine deficiency disorders that include goiter, hypothyroidism, mental retardation, and a wide spectrum of other growth and developmental abnormalities. Iodine supplementation, under form of iodized salt and iodized vegetable oil, produced dramatic improvements in many areas, even though iodine deficiency is still a problem not only for developing countries.
In fact, certain subpopulations like vegetarians may not reach an adequate iodine intake even in countries considered iodine-sufficient. A reduction in dietary iodine content could also be related to increased adherence to dietary recommendations to reduce salt intake for preventing hypertension. Furthermore, iodine intakes are declining in many countries where, after endemic goiter eradication, the lack of monitoring of iodine nutrition can lead to a reappearance of goiter and other iodine deficiency disorders. - Thyroid. 2002 Oct;12(10):839-47.
“Epidemiology and prevention of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism.”
Vanderpump MP, Tunbridge WM.
Source: Department of Endocrinology, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract: Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. In persons living in iodine-replete areas, causes are congenital, spontaneous because of chronic autoimmune disease (atrophic autoimmune thyroiditis or goitrous autoimmune thyroiditis [Hashimoto's thyroiditis]), or iatrogenic because of goitrogens, drugs, or destructive treatment for thyrotoxicosis. Screening for congenital hypothyroidism exists and its use prevents mental retardation. The prevalence of spontaneous hypothyroidism is between 1% and 2% and is more common in older women and 10 times more common in women than in men.
- Prog Food Nutr Sci. 1989;13(1):1-15.
“The impact of iodine deficiency on human resource development.”
Kochupillai N.
Source: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
Synopsis: Studies using specific and sensitive techniques, to assess the functional status of thyroid in areas with iodine deficiency and endemic goitre, show large scale prevalence of functional failure among neonates, children and adults. As thyroxine deficiency can impair quality of human resource, poverty and socio-economic backwardness in endemic areas may have a causal nexus with nutritional iodine deficiency. Eradication of NID, therefore, is an essential first step in the socio-economic transformation, through human resource development, of goitre endemias in developing countries. - Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(3):CD003204.
“Iodised salt for preventing iodine deficiency disorders.”
Wu T, Liu GJ, Li P, Clar C.
Source: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, West China Medical Centre, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Synopsis: Iodine deficiency is the main cause for potentially preventable mental retardation in childhood, as well as causing goitre and hypothyroidism in people of all ages. It is still prevalent in large parts of the world.
- Nutrition. 1995 Sep-Oct;11(5 Suppl):517-20. Ali O.
“Iodine deficiency disorders: a public health challenge in developing countries.”
Source: Department of Community Health, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia.
Synopsis: Iodine as a trace element is an essential nutrient for human growth and development. Its potential impact on manpower development in third world countries are of special concern, primarily due to iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) such as goiter, hypothyroidism, and cretinism. - Cas Lek Cesk. 1995 Jan 18;134(2):35-43.
“Iodine deficiency in Europe.”
Delange F.
Source: Department of Pediatrics, University of Brussels.
Synopsis:
1) Thyroid hormones play a decisive role in the metabolism of all cells of the organism
2) Thyroid hormones play an equally critical role in the early growth and development of most organs, especially of the brain
3) Consequently, a deficit in iodine and/or in thyroid hormones occurring during this critical period of life will result not only in the slowing down of the metabolic activities of all the cells of the organism but also in irreversible alterations in the development of the brain.
When iodine deficiency is severe, endemic goiter and cretinism, endemic mental retardation, decreased fertility rate, increased perinatal death, and infant mortality all occur.
- World Health Organization; Global Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, May 1995
- Center for Disease Control; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I, October 1975
- The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study
Gay J. Canaris, MD, MSPH; Neil R. Manowitz, PhD; Gilbert Mayor, MD; E. Chester Ridgway, MD
Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:526-534.
Abstract: “These results confirm that thyroid dysfunction is common, may often go undetected, and may be associated with adverse health outcomes…”
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
(Dr Canaris); Knoll Pharmaceutical Co, Mt Olive, NJ (Drs Manowitz and Mayor); and the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver (Dr Ridgway). Dr Mayor is currently with the Mayor Group LLC, Morristown, NJ.
Conclusions: “The prevalence of abnormal biochemical thyroid function reported here is substantial and confirms previous reports in smaller populations. Among patients taking thyroid medication, only 60% were within the normal range of TSH. Modest elevations of TSH corresponded to changes in lipid levels that may affect cardiovascular health.
“Individual symptoms were not very sensitive, but patients who report multiple thyroid symptoms warrant serum thyroid testing. These results confirm that thyroid dysfunction is common, may often go undetected, and may be associated with adverse health outcomes that can be avoided by serum TSH measurement.” - Medizinische Klinik, Bürgerspital, Solothurn, Switzerland
“Iodine deficiency diseases in Switzerland one hundred years after Theodor Kocher's survey: a historical review with some new goiter prevalence data.”
Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1990 Dec;123(6):577-90.
Bürgi H, Supersaxo Z, Selz B.
Synopsis: Before 1922, certain regions in Switzerland had an appalling problem: 0.5% of the inhabitants were clinical cretins, almost 100% of schoolchildren had large goiters and up to 30% of young men were unfit for military service due to that condition. In 1922 salt iodization occurred, at 3.75 mg Iodine per kg. It was since doubled twice, in 1962 and 1980. Currently it stands at 15 mg Iodine per kg. The results?
Cretinism has all but disappeared. The same with goiter in newborns and children – almost totally eradicated. The goiter reversal was significant in young men as well, albeit at a slower rate. Interesting to note is that some Cantons didn’t switch to iodized salt until 1952. The incidences of goiter remained high in those areas – proof it was the iodine making these enormous health differences.
- Michael B. Zimmermann, M.D., Laboratory for Human Nutrition
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
LFV E19; Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zürich
Synopsis: A study was conducted to see if oral iodine supplementation (both pill form and in salt) could alleviate the problems of subclinical hypothyroidism (ScH) – a problem associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Using standard controls, children from Morocco, Albania, and South Africa were used as test subjects. The results were clear.
The iodine supplemented group had improved lower insulin and lipid profiles, which are markers for lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Quoting from the study itself:
“This previously unrecognized benefit of iodine prophylaxis (iodine supplementation) may be important because iodine deficiency remains common in rapidly developing countries with increasing rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease.”
- DRS. RICHARD AND KARILEE SHAMES - June 25, 2011 – “Ask The Experts”
“I generally find out on a first conversation with a potential thyroid sufferer what is their present percent of total optimal function that they currently enjoy. … people say to me, "Dr. Shames, I'm glad I can talk to you on the phone from across the country because I'm only feeling 20% of my prior self, but my doctor says my TSH test is normal, so they are not going to do anything further."
- The Mayo Clinic: “Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)” et.al.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353/DSECTION=symptoms
- US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/35.html
Synopsis: Iodine is used to prevent iodine deficiency and its consequences, including goiter. It is also used for treating a skin disease caused by a fungus (cutaneous sporotrichosis); treating fibrocystic breast disease; preventing breast cancer, eye disease, diabetes, and heart disease and stroke; and as an expectorant.
Iodine is also used to for radiation emergencies, to protect the thyroid gland against radioactive iodides. Potassium iodide tablets for use in a radiation emergency are available as FDA-approved products (ThyroShield, Iosat) and on the Internet as food supplements.”
The “Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database” rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
The effectiveness ratings for IODINE are as follows:
“Likely effective for...
“Iodine deficiency. Taking iodine supplements is effective for preventing and treating iodine deficiencies including goiter.
“Thyroid conditions. Taking iodine orally can improve thyroid storm and hyperthyroidism. - “Treatment of goitrous hypothyroidism with iodized oil supplementation in an area of iodine deficiency.”
Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1996;104(5):387-91.
Azizi F, Kimiagar M, Ghazi A, Nafarabadi M, Behjati J, Esfahanian F.
Source: Endocrine Research Center, Shaheed Beheshti, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran.
Synopsis: “It is concluded that iodized oil injection is an effective and convenient treatment for goitrous hypothyroid youngsters in iodine deficient areas.”
Abstract: “In order to investigate the effect of iodized oil administration on the thyroid status of male hypothyroid children and adolescents residing in an area of iodine deficiency, 32 apparently normal school boys with increased serum TSH, aged 7 to 15 years, were given a single intramuscular injection of 480 mg iodized oil. Four months after injection, serum T4 increased from 60 +/- 23 to 118 +/- 24 nmol/l and serum TSH decreased from 39 +/- 33 to 2.5 +/- 1.2 mU/l. Serum T4 remained unchanged while a further decline in TSH to 1.3 +/- 0.9 and 1.4 +/- 1.3 mU/l was observed 7 and 12 months after injection, respectively. There was a small but significant reduction in serum T3, FT3I as well as in the prevalence and severity of goiter 1 year following iodine treatment. Neither the age of the subject nor the severity of hypothyroidism affected the thyroid response to iodine treatment. It is concluded that iodized oil injection is an effective and convenient treatment for goitrous hypothyroid youngsters in iodine deficient areas.”
- Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988 Aug;2(3):719-35.
“Endemic goitre and iodine deficiency disorders--aetiology, epidemiology and treatment”
Eastman CJ, Phillips DI.
Synopsis: “Disorders caused by iodine deficiency continue to be a major health problem in many underdeveloped areas of the world. The most significant is the impaired mental and physical development which occurs as a result of iodine deprivation early in life. Fetal hypothyroidism in the first and early second trimester predominantly affects the developing nervous system causing deaf-mutism and mental retardation. If hypothyroidism occurs in the early postnatal period the main abnormalities are growth stunting and related somatic abnormalities. Sub-clinical deficits of intellectual and motor development may also be found in apparently normal individuals living in affected areas. Iodine supplementation programmes form the basis of the public health strategy in combatting these disorders. Where the iodization of foodstuffs is not feasible, an alternative is the use of iodine… which can be given orally or intramuscularly to provide a long-lasting supply of iodine.” - Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993 Mar 15;678:158-68.
“Iodine supplementation and the prevention of cretinism.” Dunn JT
Source: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville
Synopsis: Normal development of the CNS requires adequate thyroid hormone exposure. Since iodine is an essential component of the thyroid hormone molecule, its deficiency during fetal development can cause hypothyroidism and irreversible mental retardation. The full-blown syndrome, called cretinism, includes deaf-mutism, short stature, spasticity, and profound mental retardation. The clinical spectrum can vary in degree and combination of these features. Screening programs in iodine-deficient countries show that up to 10% of neonates have elevated serum TSH levels, putting them at theoretical risk for permanent brain damage.
About one billion people worldwide risk the consequences of iodine deficiency, all of which can be prevented by adequate maternal and infant iodine nutrition. Iodized salt is usually the preferred prophylactic vehicle, but iodized vegetable oil, iodized water, and iodine tablets are also occasionally used. The United Nations and the heads of state of most countries have pledged the virtual elimination of iodine deficiency by the year 2000. This goal is technically feasible if pursued with sufficient vigor and resources.
- J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2008;22(2):81-92. Epub 2008 May 7.
“Iodine requirements and the risks and benefits of correcting iodine deficiency in populations.”
Zimmermann MB.
Source: The Human Nutrition Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.
Abstract: “Iodine deficiency has multiple adverse effects on growth and development due to inadequate thyroid hormone production that are termed the iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). IDD remains the most common cause of preventable mental impairment worldwide. IDD assessment methods include urinary iodine concentration, goiter, thyroglobulin and newborn thyrotropin. In nearly all iodine-deficient countries, the best strategy to control IDD is salt iodization, one of the most cost-effective ways to contribute to economic and social development.
“When salt iodization is not possible, iodine supplements can be targeted to vulnerable groups. Introduction of iodized salt to regions of chronic IDD may transiently increase the incidence of thyroid disorders, and programs should include monitoring for both iodine deficiency and excess. Although more data on the epidemiology of thyroid disorders caused by differences in iodine intake are needed, overall, the relatively small risks of iodine excess are far outweighed by the substantial risks of iodine deficiency.” - Endocrine Reviews & The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, May 21, 2009
Dr. Zimmerman,
Quoting from the Conclusions: “Looking at the benefits vs. the risks of iodine prophylaxis, it is clear that severe iodine deficiency in pregnancy can cause hypothyroidism, poor pregnancy outcome, cretinism, and irreversible mental retardation. Mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in utero and in childhood results in less severe learning disability, poor growth, and diffuse goiter. In adults, mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency appears to be associated with higher rates of more aggressive subtypes of thyroid cancer and increases risk for nontoxic and toxic nodular goiter and associated hyperthyroidism….”
“Iodine prophylaxis with periodic monitoring is an extremely cost-effective approach to help control thyroid disorders, compared with clinical diagnosis and treatment.” - Iodine Deficiency
Michael B. Zimmermann
Author Affiliations
- Human Nutrition Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland; and Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, 6708 Wageningen, The Netherlands
Abstract: “Iodine deficiency has multiple adverse effects in humans, termed iodine deficiency disorders, due to inadequate thyroid hormone production. Globally, it is estimated that 2 billion individuals have an insufficient iodine intake, and South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are particularly affected. However, about 50% of Europe remains mildly iodine deficient, and iodine intakes in other industrialized countries, including the United States and Australia, have fallen in recent years.
“Iodine deficiency during pregnancy and infancy may impair growth and neurodevelopment of the offspring and increase infant mortality. Deficiency during childhood reduces somatic growth and cognitive and motor function.”
“Assessment methods include urinary iodine concentration, goiter, newborn TSH, and blood thyroglobulin. But assessment of iodine status in pregnancy is difficult, and it remains unclear whether iodine intakes are sufficient in this group, leading to calls for iodine supplementation during pregnancy in several industrialized countries. In most countries, the best strategy to control iodine deficiency in populations is carefully monitored universal salt iodization, one of the most cost-effective ways to contribute to economic and social development. Achieving optimal iodine intakes from iodized salt (in the range of 150–250 µg/d for adults) may minimize the amount of thyroid dysfunction in populations. Ensuring adequate iodine status during parenteral nutrition has become important, particularly in preterm infants, as the use of povidone-iodine disinfectants has declined.
“Introduction of iodized salt to regions of chronic iodine deficiency may transiently increase the incidence of thyroid disorders, but overall, the relatively small risks of iodine excess are far outweighed by the substantial risks of iodine deficiency.”
Iodine supplementation
In some regions, iodization of salt may not be practical for control of iodine deficiency, at least in the short term. This may occur in remote areas where communications are poor or where there are numerous small-scale salt producers. In these areas, iodized oil supplements can be used (54). Iodized oil is prepared by esterification of the unsaturated fatty acids in seed or vegetable oils, and addition of iodine to the double bonds (214). It can be given orally or by im injection (78). The im route has a longer duration of action, but oral administration is more common because it is simpler. Usual doses are 200–400 mg iodine/yr (54), and it is often targeted to pregnant women (216), and children.
- “The safe and effective implementation of orthoiodosupplementation in medical practice” Guy E. Abraham, March 2004
Abstract: “Not all physicians abandoned iodine/iodide, and many continued up to the present day to use Lugol solution and potassium iodide in the treatment of iodine deficiency and simple goiter. Today, this is called alternative medicine, but 100 years ago it was mainstream medicine. In 1921, S.P. Beebe stated, "We may say that medical treatment of simple goiter is contained in this one word--iodine." - Dr. Joseph Mercola, September 05 2009
“The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.” - Altern Med Rev. 2008 Jun;13(2):116-27.
“Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerations.”
Patrick L.
Source: Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, USA.
Abstract: “Iodine deficiency is generally recognized as the most commonly preventable cause of mental retardation and the most common cause of endocrinopathy (goiter and primary hypothyroidism). Iodine deficiency becomes particularly critical in pregnancy due to the consequences for neurological damage during fetal development as well as during lactation.
“The safety of therapeutic doses of iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg is evident in the lack of toxicity in the Japanese population that consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States. Japan's population suffers no demonstrable increased incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism.”
“Studies using 3.0- to 6.0-mg doses to effectively treat fibrocystic breast disease may reveal an important role for iodine in maintaining normal breast tissue architecture and function. Iodine may also have important antioxidant functions in breast tissue and other tissues that concentrate iodine via the sodium iodide symporter.”
- Thyroid. 2002 Oct;12(10):867-78.
“The impact of iron and selenium deficiencies on iodine and thyroid metabolism: biochemistry and relevance to public health.”
Supersaxo Z, Köhrle J.
Source: Laboratory for Human Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland.
Abstract: “Several minerals and trace elements are essential for normal thyroid hormone metabolism, e.g., iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc. Coexisting deficiencies of these elements can impair thyroid function. Iron deficiency impairs thyroid hormone synthesis by reducing activity of heme-dependent thyroid peroxidase. Iron-deficiency anemia blunts and iron supplementation improves the efficacy of iodine supplementation. Combined selenium and iodine deficiency leads to myxedematous cretinism.
“The normal thyroid gland retains high selenium concentrations even under conditions of inadequate selenium supply and expresses many of the known selenocysteine-containing proteins. Among these selenoproteins are the glutathione peroxidase, deiodinase, and thioredoxine reductase families of enzymes. Adequate selenium nutrition supports efficient thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and protects the thyroid gland from damage by excessive iodide exposure.
“In regions of combined severe iodine and selenium deficiency, normalization of iodine supply is mandatory before initiation of selenium supplementation in order to prevent hypothyroidism.”
- Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2009 Sep;9(3):277-94. Epub 2009 Sep 1.
“Role of iodine, selenium and other micronutrients in thyroid function and disorders.”
Triggiani V, Tafaro E, Giagulli VA, Sabbà C, Resta F, Licchelli B, Guastamacchia E.
Source: Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases. University of Bari. Bari, Italy.
Synopsis: Micronutrients, mostly iodine and selenium, are required for thyroid hormone synthesis and function. - Am J Clin Nutr. 1993 Feb;57(2 Suppl):240S-243S.
“Effects of combined iodine and selenium deficiency on thyroid hormone metabolism in rats.”
Beckett GJ, Nicol F, Rae PW, Beech S, Guo Y, Arthur JR.
Source: University Department of Clinical Chemistry, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
Synopsis: This paper compares the effects of combined iodine and selenium deficiency, of single deficiencies of these trace elements, and of no deficiency on thyroid hormone metabolism in rats. In rats deficient in both trace elements, thyroidal triiodothyronine (T3), thyroidal thyroxin (T4), thyroidal total iodine, hepatic T4, and plasma T4 were significantly lower, and plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid weight were significantly higher than in rats deficient in iodine alone.
Plasma and hepatic T3 concentrations were similar in the dietary groups. Hepatic type I iodothyronine deiodinase (ID-I) activity was inhibited by selenium deficiency irrespective of the iodine status. Type II deiodinase (ID-II) activity in the brain was significantly higher and in pituitary, significantly lower in combined deficiency than in iodine deficiency alone.
These data show that selenium can play an important role in determining the severity of the hypothyroidism associated with iodine deficiency. - Enzyme Health
“Are Energy Drinks Safe?”
Dianne Ronnow, 2008
Abstract: “Most energy drinks are just marketing ploys, according to Mark Kantor, professor of family and consumer sciences and nutrition at the University of Maryland, who specializes in consumer education. “I'm not aware of any scientific data that they do what they say they're going to do," He said "They don't give you more energy." For the most part, they are nothing much more than a can full of caffeine and a lot of sugar.”
“The caffeine in energy drinks can give a temporary or false feeling of energy for a short period of time as it raises the blood pressure, but then the body goes through a dramatic drop in energy an hour or so later as the caffeine and sugar leave the bloodstream, causing sluggishness, mood changes, and a burned out feeling.”
- “Clinical Experience with Inorganic Non-radioactive Iodine/Iodide”
David Brownstein, M.D.
“If someone is on thyroid medication, can they still take iodine?
“A: Yes. The body needs adequate amounts of iodine to properly utilize thyroid hormone. Those individuals already on thyroid medication may need to lower their dose of thyroid medication upon starting iodine therapy. My experience has shown that 1/3 of patients currently taking thyroid medications will need to lower their dose of thyroid hormone after starting iodine supplementation.”