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The Thyroid Gland
by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
The Thyroid Gland–could be your key to managing your moods, energy and stress levels
Introduction
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.
They 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.
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 F is normal. Readings below 97.6 F may indicate hypothyroidism.
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.
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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.
Dealing with hypothyroidism
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 your 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
in 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
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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. |
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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 the 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. TH
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