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Natural Support for Thyroid Health |
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Natural Support for Thyroid Health
by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
Since thyroid hormones affect every cell of the body, a deficiency will usually result in a large
number of signs and symptoms including weight gain or an inability to lose weight, depression,
lack of concentration and fatigue.
Do you struggle with your weight? Do
you often feel blue or depressed? Do
you have trouble concentrating or
dealing with stress? Do you get more than
one or two colds a year? Do you suffer from
lack of libido? Do you have digestive disturbances?
Do you have weak, brittle or cracked
nails? Is your hair dry and lifeless?
All of these symptoms and more may be
due to one single factor—an underactive
thyroid gland. Since thyroid hormones affect
every cell of the body, a deficiency will usually
result in a large number of signs and
symptoms including weight gain or an
inability to lose weight, depression, lack of
concentration and fatigue. Low thyroid
function (hypothyroidism) is an extremely
common condition that is estimated to affect
nearly 20 percent of all women and 10 percent
of all men in the United States.
Diagnosing low thyroid function
Your doctor can conduct blood tests that
measure thyroid hormone levels. The test
assesses the quantity of T4 and T3 hormones
as well as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
released by the pituitary gland. Low levels of
thyroid hormones and high levels of TSH
indicate hypothyroidism. However, in
milder cases of thyroid hormone insufficiency,
the blood tests may show that hormone
levels are within “normal” ranges, even
if the person is experiencing symptoms.
These individuals usually respond quite well
to targeted nutritional and herbal support.
These individuals also tend to have a low
basal body temperature.
Your body temperature reflects your
metabolic rate, a rate that in turn is largely determined by thyroid hormone activity.
When your thyroid is not functioning up to
par, the basal body temperature is reduced.
Many health experts believe that determining
your basal body temperature is the
most sensitive test of thyroid function. The
test is simple: all you need is a thermometer.
TAKING YOUR BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE
- Plan to take the test first thing in the morning after you wake-up, because it's important to measure temperature after you have had adequate rest.
- Before going to sleep, if you are not using a digital thermometer, shake down a regular thermometer to below the 95-degree mark and place it by your bed.
- Immediately upon waking, place the thermometer in your armpit (if using a regular thermometer keep it there for a full 10 minutes). Hold your elbow close to your side to keep the thermometer in place.
- Read and record the temperature and date.
- Repeat the test for least three mornings (preferably at the same time of day).
- A reading between 97.6 and 98.2 degrees F is normal. Readings below 97.6 F may indicate hypothyroidism.
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Note: Menstruating women must perform
the test on the second, third and fourth days
of menstruation. Men and postmenopausal
women can perform the test at any time.
Dealing withhypothyroidism
Severe hypothyroidism
requires the use of supplemental
thyroid hormone—available only by prescription.
Mild or subclinical hypothyroidism
may respond to nutritional and herbal
support. Like other glands, the thyroid has
special nutritional needs. Here are some of
the key nutrients required for proper thyroid
function:
- Iodine. The thyroid gland needs iodine to make its hormones. In fact, iodine’s only role in the body is in making thyroid hormones. Too little iodine can cause impaired thyroid function, while too much iodine can actually interfere with the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones. The dosage range for iodine supplementation is 300 to 400 mcg per day. Read the labels on your multivitamin supplement and on any thyroid preparations you are taking. Keep your intake of iodized salt to a bare minimum. Make sure that your total amount of iodine intake is within the recommended range—not too low or too high.
- Tyrosine. The other key ingredient in thyroid hormones is the amino acid tyrosine. Taking L-tyrosine alone or as a component as a nutritional supplement at a dosage of 250 to 500 mg daily may enhance thyroid function.
- High potency multiple. A deficiency of nutrients like zinc, copper, manganese and the vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, C and E could cause or contribute to hypothyroidism. Taking a high potency multiple vitamin and mineral supplement will ensure optimal levels of these important nutrients.
Herbal support for thyroid function
Two herbs long used in Ayurvedic medicine
—Withania somnifera (ashwaganda) and
Commiphora mukul (myrrh)—have shown
an ability to boost thyroid function in experimental
studies in animals. The two plants
appear to exert synergistic effects.
Specifically, withania extract appears to produce
a significant increase in the level of thyroid
hormone (T4) while commiphora
extract enhances the conversion of T4 to the
more potent T3 form. Both of the plants
appear to boost thyroid function without
influencing the release of the pituitary hormone
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone),
indicating the herbs work directly on the
thyroid gland and other body tissues to exert
their effects. This action is quite important
as 95 percent of all cases of hypothyroidism
are not due to a problem with pituitary. The
problem is with the thyroid gland itself and
an impaired conversion of T4 into the more
potent T3 in tissues outside the thyroid
gland. The recommended dosages for thyroid
support for the two herbs are:
- Withania somnifera root extract (standardized to contain 1.5 percent withanolides) 150 mg
- Commiphora mukul extract (standardized to contain 2.5 percent guggulsterones) 100 mg.
Michael T. Murray, N.D., director of new
product development for Natural Factors is
widely regarded as one of the world’s leading
authorities on natural medicine. He is a
graduate, faculty member and serves on the
Board of Trustees of Bastyr University in
Seattle, Washington. He is coauthor of the
best-selling Encyclopedia of Natural
Medicine. His latest book is How to Prevent
and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine.
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