- October 8, 2020
- 5:43 pm
Hypothyroidism is a Chronic and Metabolic Disease that can be managed through the elimination of its causes; i.e. through the restoration of the organism’s Biochemical and Hormonal Balance, we can restore the Thyroid gland to its previous, healthy state.
Patients should not change their everyday life. To the contrary, they see their health improving gradually, together with their overall physical condition.
To date, hypothyroidism is mainly treated using drugs. The patient should be receiving drugs throughout his or her life. The problem is never restored, while at the same time there is a risk of side effects from the chemical substances.
Is causes are the key.
However, biochemical aberration at the organism’s functional level among patients with hypothyroidism can be restored, as long as the causes are identified. There is a large number of specialized exams and tests available according to the Medical History to ultimately determine the treatment regime. Hypothyroidism can be treated if we eliminate its causes; i.e. through the restoration of the organism’s Biochemical and Hormonal Balance, we can restore the Thyroid gland to its previous, healthy state. This can be achieved through therapies, aiming at correcting structural insufficiencies in terms of nutrients, to regulate neurotransmitters, remove heavy metals from the body, and enrich the diet with “smart” foods that have anti-inflammatory action.
Available treatments can work individually or in combination. This depends on the findings of the exams, as well as the overall burden of each organism by external conditions. The mean duration of treatment depending on the clinical status of each patient, may last from six months to one and a half years.
Patients don’t have to change their everyday life. To the contrary, it is gradually improving. At the same time, their overall physical status and quality of life are also improving.
Now it is possible to permanently restore the function of the Thyroid gland, and with the use of the provided instructions there are no relapses.
Hypothyroidism – Definition
So, hypothyroidism is characterized as a Disease related to the reduced production hormones from the thyroid gland, or their inadequate functioning. In general, this leads to low levels of energy, due to the slowing of metabolism and slow “burning”.
The human organism is a machine that produces and combusts carbon. This is achieved through many different mechanisms, taking place in our body’s tissues and organs.
The thyroid gland is part of this machine. It produces Hormones, which then affect many different processes in the body, influencing all types of cells. Keeping the levels of these hormones at optimal levels is important for the organism to function properly. These hormones help our body in the production and consumption of energy, so that to maintain life.
Hypothyroidism – Forms – Types
Depending on the primary organ that has a problem and is responsible for its onset, hypothyroidism is classified into three types.
Primary Hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland itself is the source of theproblem, and it does not produce enough thyroid hormones. It is the most common type (90%), and the most common cause is detrimental Autoimmune Hashimoto's thyroiditis, in which the patient’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland itself with auto-antibodies (“cannibalism” of the organ). In this case, hypothyroidism may coexist with other Autoimmune Diseases, such as Vitiligo, Systemic or Cutaneous Lupus Erythematous, and Rheumatoid Arthritis among others. Primary Hypothyroidism may also be caused following thyroid gland damage, either due to radioactive radiation for therapeutic purposes, as in the case of hyperthyroidism treatment with Radioiodine (131I), or radiation of the neck area for malignancies, or in case of nuclear accident. Finally, Primary Hypothyroidism, which is permanent, is caused following total thyroidectomy for the treatment of Hyperthyroidism.
Secondary Hypothyroidism (5%), where the Pituitary gland does not produce enough thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which provides the “signal” to the thyroid gland to produce and secrete the thyroid hormones. Secondary Hypothyroidism is usually caused by a Pituitary gland lesion, which may be due to a tumor (such as Pituitary gland adenoma), radiation or a surgical operation.
Tertiary Hypothyroidism (5%), where the Hypothalamus does not produce enough Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH), which provides the “signal” to the Pituitary gland to produce and secrete TSH, which will then stimulate the thyroid gland to secrete its hormones. Tertiary Hypothyroidism is usually caused by a lesion of the Hypothalamus due to tumors, infections or vascular anomalies in that area.
When the thyroid gland is underactive (Hypothyroidism), all body functions are slower due to thyroid hormones deficiency. And since thyroid hormones act in all parts of our body, it will disrupt the functions of many tissues and systems of the body.
This is why the thyroid gland is characterized as a “mime organ”. Because it mimics the signs and symptoms of other diseases, in multiple systems and organs of our body, which are often attributed incorrectly to other diseases, leading to misdiagnoses.
Hypothyroidism Symptoms
Fatigue, catatonia, drowsiness and weakness. Poor memory and concentration. Significant reduction of the body’s “combustions” resulting in weight gain. Increase in blood cholesterol. Constipation and fluid retention. Hail loss and thinning hair. Bad circulation, hypersensitivity – cold intolerance. Menstruation disorders, menorrhagia and infertility in women. Dry and friable skin with itchy sensation (pruritus). Fragile and thin nails. Edematous (swollen) face and eyelids. Puffiness around the eyes despite sleeping well. Edema (swelling) of the arms and legs. Joint pain (arthralgia) and muscle cramps. Muscle weakness, insomnia and depression. Low body temperature. Bradycardia, shortness of breath and low blood pressure. Anemia and hoarseness. Poor hearing or even deafness .Reactive hypoglycemia, dysphagia and difficulty swallowing. Gynecomastia and decrease libido in men, even the typical goiter etc.
These may be present all together or in subgroups.
To date, hypothyroidism is mainly treated using drugs. The patient should be receiving drugs throughout his or her life. Quality of life deteriorates. The problem is never restored, while at the same time there is a risk of side effects from the chemical substances.
Hypothyroidism: Types of thyroid hormones
The thyroid gland produces three hormones: Τ3 (triiodothyronine), Τ4 (thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine) and calcitonin (thyrocalcitonin).
T3 hormone (triiodothyronine) is thyroid gland’s active hormone and it regulates the metabolism of all tissues of the body. It is responsible for all the above mentioned symptoms and with their corresponding functions.
Τ4 hormone (thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine) is the inactive thyroid hormone It does not function on its own, it just waits to be converted to Τ3.
Calcitonin is an entirely separate hormone from both Τ3 and Τ4, and its action focuses on blood calcium levels regulation, preventing it from reaching pathological high values.
Reverse Τ3 (RT3). Instead of reverting Τ4 to Τ3, sometimes our body transforms T4 hormone to a reverse T3 hormone. This is an inactive hormone, and it is increased in cases such as the “euthyroid sick syndrome”, a dysfunction of the thyroid gland’s negative feedback control, which can actually limit the conversion of Τ4 to Τ3.
Hormones of our body may be in two states, free or bound. A free hormone means that it is active and it can do what it is supposed to do, i.e. deliver oxygen and energy in the case of T3 or be converted to Τ3 in the case of Τ4.
Hypothyroidism: Possible Causes
Insufficient free T4 – FT4 (active hormone) May be due to zinc, copper, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and vitamin C deficiencies.
Insufficient free Τ3 – FT3 (active hormone) or too much reverse Τ3 – RT3. This may be due to increased levels of adrenaline, aging, low intake of calories and nutrients (starvation or fasting), diabetes, exposure to toxic metals, malignancies, pneumonia, extreme stress, prolonged disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis and stress. Too much reverse Τ3 is also present due to yo- yo dieting or fibromyalgia.
Lack of Τ4 to be converted to Τ3. Many drugs may affect this conversion mechanism, including beta-agonists, contraceptives and orally administered synthetic estrogen.
Furthermore, it may be influenced by nutrients deficiencies, such as Iron, zinc, selenium and vitamins A, B2, B6 and B12 deficiencies. T4 to T3 conversion may be also affected by diet habits, Diabetes Mellitus, fluorine, aging, radiation and stress.
All the above causes lead to thyroid gland biochemical aberration, leading to the hormonal chaos that follows.
Hypothyroidism – Treatment
The general view that there is no permanent treatment for the thyroid gland is false.
The usual administration of pharmaceutical products aims mainly at providing to the organism its missing hormones. That the organism cannot produce anymore. This is achieved through the administration of synthetic thyroid hormones for many decades. However, in clinical practice, the patient is constantly deregulated. It is all the time necessary to change the dose of hormones in order to treat the symptoms. Moreover, this cycle is perpetual, with unfavorable results, both in everyday life and in term of health and psychological burden of patients, who do not see their health being restored again.
A blood sample is collected during the first appointment, and it is sent to our collaborating specialized microbiology laboratories, thus we can identify the factors and the causes of the Disease. The total duration of the first visit is about one and a half hours, and it includes a special multi-page Personal Medical History, while your eating habits and preferences are also discussed.
Following biochemical, hormonal or specialized metabolic exams, dysfunctions are detected, as well as any deficiencies.
The combination of treatment regimens to regulate thyroid gland’s function at optimal levels may include:
– Micro-Macronutrients treatments
– Molecular nutrition and
– Hormonal Replacement Therapies with Biomimetic Hormones only.
Treatments are specified based on algorithms related to laboratory findings, the detailed personal medical history, the lesions and the presence of additional chronic or other diseases, and they are strictly individualized.
Patients should not change their everyday life. To the contrary, they see their health improving gradually, together with their overall physical condition.
These therapies are systematically used in clinical practice since 1997, and the country of departure was the United States of America. They are notcontradictory to any other concurrent pharmaceutical or homeopathic treatment.
The appropriate treatment is that which ultimately provides the best possible benefit, according to the clinical outcomes and the relevant exam markers.
Also Read:
References:
Heindal JJ, Endocrine disruptors and the obesity epidemic, Toxicol Sci 76; 2:247-49, 2003
Baillie and Hamilton PF, Chemical toxins – a hypothesis to explain the global obesity epidemic, Jalt Complement Med 8 ; 2:185-92, 2002
Alonso-Magdalena P, et al, The estrogenic effect of bisphenol A disrupts pancreatic B-cell function in vivo and induces insulin resistance, Environ Health Perspect 114:106-12, 2006
The Hundred Year Diet in the Wall Street (May 10, 2010, A I5)
Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Large effects from small exposures. II. The importance of positive controls in low-dose research on bisphenol A, Environ Res, 100;1:50-76, Jan. 2006
Feige JN, et al, The endocrine disruptor monoethyl-hexyl phthalate is a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma modulator that promotes adipogenesis, JBiol Chem 282:19152-66, 2007
Hatch EE, et al., Association of urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations with a body mass index and waist circumference: a cross-sectional study of NHANES data, 1999-2002, Environ Health 7:27, 2008
Altschul R, Hoffer A. The effect of nicotinic acid on hypercholesterolaemia.
Can Med Assoc J 1960; 82: 783-5. Bandmann O, Vaughan J, Holmans P, et al. Association of slow acetylator genotype for Nacetyltransferase 2 with familial Parkinson’s disease. Lancet 1997;350:1136-1139.
Berge KG, Canner PL. Coronary drug project: experience with niacin. Coronary Drug Project Research Group. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1991; 40 Suppl 1: S49-51.
Birjmohun RS, Hutten BA, Kastelein JJ, Stroes ES. Efficacy and safety of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol-increasing compounds: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Coll Cardiol 2005; 45: 185-97.
Biro S, Masuda A, Kihara T, and Tei C. Clinical implications of thermal therapy in lifestyle-related diseases. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2003 Nov; 228(10):1245-9.
Schedule an Online Medical Consultation
1. Create your Personal Profile
2. Fill your Medical History Online
3. Schedule an Appointment
Latest News