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CHAPTER 1
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE THYROID
Thyroid conditions are something that many Americans suffer from. In fact, it is estimated that 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease and nearly 60 percent of those with a thyroid condition are not even aware that they have one according to the American Thyroid Association. Here is just one reason why it's so important to understand how our thyroid functions. Why is our thyroid important and what does it do? Let's dive deeper into that.
You have probably been told that the thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland, that it is part of the endocrine system, and that it is located at the base of the neck, but what about what the thyroid does? The thyroid plays a very important role in metabolism. It's responsible for releasing hormones that control the metabolism, which is the way that the body uses energy. Not only that, but the thyroid controls a number of other bodily functions through producing, storing, and releasing hormones into our bloodstream.
Here are some of the body functions the thyroid controls:
• Heart rate
• Breathing
• The central and peripheral nervous system
• Weight
• Menstrual cycles
• Muscle strength
• Body temperature
• Cholesterol
These hormones then enter into our body's cells. The thyroid uses the iodine we consume from foods to create the two primary thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). For optimal health, these two hormones must be carefully balanced. It is critical that T3 and T4 do not become too high or too low. So, what controls this balance? The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, two glands located in the brain, communicate with one another to help keep these two hormones in check. The hypothalamus produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which then alerts the pituitary gland to let the thyroid know it should be making either more or less T3 and T4. This is done by increasing or decreasing thyroid-stimulating hormone. For example, when T3 and T4 levels are too low, more TSH will be released to alert the thyroid that it needs to make more thyroid hormones.
This can seem complicated, and it truly is an intricate and delicate balance, but don't worry about memorizing exactly how your thyroid works. Just know that an imbalance in T3 or T4 can cause a thyroid imbalance and that your thyroid is in charge of maintaining the balance of a number of different body processes. Without your thyroid, your health would suffer in more ways than one. T3 and T4 reach nearly every cell in the body and regulate things like heart rate as well as metabolism and how quickly your intestines process food. With an imbalance, your heart rate could be too fast or too slow, you could have joint pain or heavy periods, or you could suffer from constipation or diarrhea.
Let's take a look at what happens to the body when there is an imbalance in thyroid hormones. This will give you a clearer picture as to just how important thyroid hormone levels are and why your symptoms may appear to be very random and affect nearly every part of your body.
TOO LITTLE T3 AND T4 IN THE BODY
Hypothyroidism (hypo means "below") is too little T3 and T4 present. Symptoms include:
• Fatigue
• Dry skin
• Depression
• Sensitivity to cold
• Joint and/or muscle pain
• Heavy periods
TOO MUCH T3 AND T4 IN THE BODY
Hyperthyroidism (hyper means "over") is too much T3 and T4 present. Symptoms include:
• Hair loss
• Absent or light menstrual cycles
• Anxiety
• Nervousness
• Shakiness
• Irritability
THE THYROID AND THE BODY'S SYSTEMS
Thyroid disease affects every part of the body. The following is an overview of its effects on the various systems.
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
As previously mentioned, heart rate can be affected by changes in thyroid hormones, and the rest of the cardiovascular system can be affected as well. In cases where there is too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), you may notice a faster heart rate, higher blood pressure, and lower exercise performance. In cases where there is too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), there is often a slower heart rate and lower blood pressure. With hypothyroidism, there is also a higher risk of atherosclerosis as well as heart attack, which is why it is so important to get your thyroid health under control as soon as possible.
Anemia is also something that can result from Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In fact, people with Hashimoto's disease are more likely to develop other autoimmune conditions, including pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia is caused by not having enough B12 in the body. When anemia is present, the number of red blood cells is lower than normal, which can ultimately lead to less oxygen transport to body cells and cause terrible fatigue.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Another common symptom of hypothyroidism is constipation, while the opposite is true for hyperthyroidism. When dealing with a thyroid condition, your metabolism is altered, which is one of the reasons your digestive system is affected. In cases of hypothyroidism, stomach acid production may be halted as hypothyroidism commonly affects the hormone gastrin. When there's not sufficient gastrin being produced, there's not enough stomach acid, which can lead to symptoms like heartburn because too little stomach acid is as problematic as too much stomach acid. We need stomach acid for proper digestion, and so, without enough, digestion will be compromised.
Malabsorption can also result from thyroid disease. Malabsorption occurs when the small intestine does not absorb the vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. Malabsorption of vitamin B12, which can ultimately lead to anemia, is an example.
Another common issue with the thyroid and digestive connection is food allergies and sensitivities. Most people with autoimmune conditions also suffer from leaky gut, so focusing on gut health is a crucial step in addressing thyroid health as well. Diet choices are also incredibly important. If you are consuming inflammatory or reactive foods, you could be doing daily harm to your overall health. Addressing all of this at its root is a huge step in getting onto a path of remission.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
The central nervous system can be affected by either too little or too much thyroid hormone. A common symptom of hypothyroidism is brain fog — the feeling of being slightly disconnected or unable to think clearly. This is due to the lack of thyroid hormones circulating that in turn affects the central nervous system. Depression is also a common symptom of hypothyroidism. Too much thyroid hormone also affects the central nervous system, typically in the form of anxiety or excessive irritability.
The central nervous system is impacted so significantly by our thyroid hormones that recent studies have come out stating that hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's disease are linked to the development of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease. This just proves the effect thyroid hormones play in every aspect of our health, including our brain.
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Many women who suffer from thyroid conditions also suffer from reproductive issues. Hypothyroidism is often linked with heavy periods and even infertility. One of the reasons for this is that hypothyroidism can cause a reduction in progesterone. Not having enough progesterone affects the menstrual cycle.
ADRENAL GLANDS
Adrenal health and thyroid health are truly intertwined. The adrenal glands produce and secrete numerous hormones. Stress plays an important role in the health of our adrenal glands and can throw our hormones out of whack. With chronic stress, the body can eventually get to the point where the adrenal glands are not producing enough, which is called adrenal fatigue.
Adrenal fatigue occurs in different stages. You may start out dealing with a stressor, such as a job interview. Your body makes the hormones that it needs in order to properly respond to this stress — cortisol and epinephrine, which you likely know as adrenaline. The next stage is when this stress doesn't go away — you get the job, but your boss is difficult, the commute is long, and you have many new responsibilities. As the stress continues, your body continues to react to it.
Your adrenal glands will start to become stressed if you are not dealing with all the new stressors in a healthy way. You may begin to notice symptoms, like feeling wired at certain points of the day, and then exhausted at others. The next stage is when adrenal-produced hormones like DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) start to drop. You may notice you feel tired and are getting sick more often. This stage can occur for a long time, and in some people it lasts for years. Finally is the phase where your body stops effectively producing hormones. Not only is cortisol low, but other sex hormones are at an all-time low as well. This is when adrenal fatigue kicks in and you may notice irritability, anxiety, weight loss, and chronic fatigue.
So how are the adrenals linked to thyroid health? Having adrenal fatigue puts you at a greater risk of losing sensitivity to thyroid hormones. Having adrenal fatigue can also cause your body to decrease the conversion of T4 to T3 in usable form, can disrupt the immune system barriers in the body, and can even prevent the thyroid hormones from being absorbed into the cells of the body.
WHAT IS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE?
Now that you know the function of your thyroid, it's important to talk about autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases may affect nearly 50 million Americans, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA).
An autoimmune disease occurs when your immune system attacks healthy cells. Your immune system is responsible for defending your body against harmful disease, but with autoimmune conditions, your immune system is hypersensitive and starts going after your body's cells. This can occur anywhere in the body — the thyroid, kidneys, or gastrointestinal tract, for example. Depending on what autoimmune condition is present, the disease could even attack more than one area at a time, while also causing changes in organ function.
Autoimmune diseases are so difficult to diagnose because there are at least 80 different types, many of them have similar symptoms, and it's even possible to have more than one at one time. These diseases can also go into remission for periods of time, making diagnosis more of a challenge. While there is no cure for autoimmune diseases, there is a lot you can do with dietary, supplemental, and lifestyle changes to send the disease into remission and maintain remission. It's about getting to the root cause, identifying triggers, and keeping triggers to a minimum to allow the body to heal and stay in remission for longer periods of time.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THYROID DISEASES
HYPERTHYROIDISM: When the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone, it is referred to as hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid is overactive.
GRAVES' DISEASE: Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Graves' disease is an autoimmune condition where the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone. While the actual cause of this autoimmune disease is unknown, it's thought that this condition often runs in families, so you could be genetically predisposed if a family member suffers from this condition. You may also be more likely to develop this autoimmune condition if you suffer from poor gut health or any one of the seven triggers we will be focusing on in this book. So, what happens when you have Graves' disease? Your immune system starts to create antibodies that will trigger the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone than it needs. Some of the symptoms of Graves' disease include anxiety, weight loss, insomnia, chest pain and/or palpitations, shortness of breath, increased bowel movements, goiter, irregular menstrual periods, and vision problems.
HYPOTHYROIDISM: Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid gland. This is a condition where the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone and therefore there is not enough thyroid hormone in the blood. There are different causes of hypothyroidism, but Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a pituitary disorder where the pituitary gland does not make enough TSH, is the most common cause. Hypothyroidism can occur during or after pregnancy, as a result of thyroid damage from radiation treatment, or as a side effect of some medications.
HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common thyroid condition in the United States today and affects nearly 14 million people. Treating Hashimoto's is what I specialize in, which is why this thyroid condition is the focus of this book. Do keep in mind that all of this information in this book is valuable for any type of health condition, as it's all about a holistic approach to health.
As you now know, an autoimmune disease is when the body starts to attack its own tissue. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the body attacks the thyroid by marking the thyroid as foreign. The attack on the thyroid leads to a depletion of T4 and T3 or can even go on to completely destroy the thyroid. This can ultimately lead to hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid does not produce enough hormones and can lead to the need for additional medication. Hashimoto's thyroiditis may be caused by genetic, dietary, hormonal, or environmental factors.
One of the most common signs of this autoimmune disease is swelling in the front of the throat, which is known as a goiter. Hashimoto's generally progresses slowly over the course of years, but can cause significant damage to the thyroid.
SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM: A condition that is subclinical is a disease that is in the early stages and there may not be any noticeable clinical symptoms. Subclinical hypothyroidism occurs when thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are elevated, but thyroid hormone levels are still normal. Elevated TSH normally means that your thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone, but in the case of subclinical hypothyroidism the TSH is elevated and the thyroid hormones are still in normal ranges. This condition is actually fairly common, and according to an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES III) data, it can occur in 4.3 percent of the American adult population.
The problem with subclinical hypothyroidism is that there is some controversy surrounding whether or not it indicates a true problem that needs to be treated. There have been some studies that have found that some patients who have been diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism have higher cholesterol levels, as well as elevated C-reactive protein. Subclinical hypothyroidism has also been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Treating this condition has been shown to help improve certain cardiovascular markers, which is why subclinical hypothyroidism should be examined and taken seriously.
WHY YOUR DOCTOR'S BLOOD TESTS MAY NOT BE UNCOVERING YOUR THYROID CONDITION
How many times have you had your thyroid levels checked, only to be told everything is normal, yet you suffer from all the classic symptoms? You probably wonder why you suffer from chronic fatigue, thinning hair, and even memory issues, but your doctor still claims that everything is exactly where it needs to be regarding your thyroid health. Frustrating, I know!
I can't tell you how many times I have patients come to see me who have all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism but test after test, their doctor tells them that their thyroid levels are within the normal range. Not only is this incredibly frustrating for patients, but the way hypothyroidism is also being tested for can halt the recovery process. When I have patients come to me with all of the classic symptoms who are at their wits' end yet have normal blood tests, I always retest them using a different approach. More often than not, their labs are out of the functional range, and they have positive antibody tests. These antibodies develop when the immune system starts to target the thyroid gland. The test for thyroid antibodies is called the thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody test.
The issue with the lab tests used today is that the thyroid ranges are too wide, and physicians are performing incomplete testing. This is the primary reason why people aren't being diagnosed with thyroid issues early on. Most physicians will only test for TSH or TSH and T4 free levels, but in reality, we need a complete thyroid panel to really make an appropriate diagnosis.
In fact, without the proper testing, it's very likely that your thyroid condition will go undetected. Why? Because 95 percent of hypothyroidism is due to Hashimoto's disease, which starts out with inflammation of the thyroid. This condition could take years to develop into hypothyroidism, and early indicators of this condition include high levels of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg) antibodies. But antibody testing is not standard practice.
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Excerpted from "The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Becky Campbell.
Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
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