 |
An imbalance of your thyroid hormone can affect every metabolic function in your body. Your thyroid gland is your body regulator. It regulates energy and heat production, growth, tissue repair and development and stimulates protein synthesis. Furthermore, thyroid hormone moderates carbohydrates, protein and fat metabolism, vitamin uses, and digestion. It supports the function of the mitochondria, muscle and nerve action, blood flow, hormone excretion, oxygen utilization and sexual function. |
The main thyroid hormones are thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T4 and T3. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is made in your pituitary gland located in your brain. T4, also known as thyroxine, is made in your thyroid gland. T3, or triiodothyronine, is made in other tissues.
T4 accounts for 80 percent of the thyroid gland’s production, and most of T4 is changed into T3 in your liver or kidneys. The T3 hormone is five times more active than T4.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism include:
|
|
Other interesting facts about hypothyroidism:
- Thyroid hormones also affect muscle metabolism. If your thyroid is not functioning optimally then you do not build muscle.
- Mild thyroid dysfunction is associated with heart disease.
- Decreased T3 production will cause less cholesterol to be removed from your blood which causes elevation of LDL (bad cholesterol).
- People with low thyroid levels have raised cholesterol levels 10-50% higher than people with normal thyroid function.
- Many people with fibromyalgia also have hypothyroidism.
Vitamin deficiency, lifestyle and health issues contribute to decreased production of T4. This ncludes deficiencies in Zinc, Copper and Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6 and C and the mineral selenium. Lifestyle and health issues include stress, cadmium, mercury or lead toxicity, starvation diets, inadequate protein intake, high carbohydrate diet, elevated cortisol, chronic illness, and decreased kidney or liver function. Medications can also cause an inability to convert T4 to T3. This includes beta blockers, birth control pills, estrogen, lithium, phenytoin, theophylline and chemotherapy.
When testing your thyroid, an entire panel should be measured. This includes your free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TSH and thyroid antibodies. If your antibodies are too high, they can stop thyroid hormone from attaching to your thyroid receptors. Consequently, you can get symptoms of decreased thyroid function even when your blood levels are adequate. Thyroid antibodies can be elevated due to trauma, poor function of your gut, inflammation, and thyroid degeneration.
Click here to contact our staff to learn more about the BH2 programs that might be right for you.
Posted in 
.
