Supplementing the Thyroid for Optimal Function
Supplementing the Thyroid for Optimal Function Written by Emily Edmonds, L.Ac There’s a hummingbird in the garden in front of the office. She has in the space of a week created a nest and laid two eggs. I’ve never seen such tiny eggs! She watches carefully for intruders that would disturb her babies, and flies away every time the door opens. But she comes back, determined to make it work and take care of her responsibility as a new mom. I admire her tenacity, and am filled with so much gratitude to be able to witness this miracle of nature. Now, I was puzzled as to how could I possibly segway this into an article about thyroid nutrition. Maybe she was trying to tell me that humming and chanting are said to activate the throat chakra, at the center of which is the human thyroid gland. Until this hummingbird came into the garden, I knew already that the humming sound came from the rapid flapping of their wings. What I did not know is that they could also sing. And it’s beautiful to listen to! But I was already writing this article, and this hummingbird and her nest came into presence. The hummingbird doesn’t need medications, supplements or surgeries to tell it what to do. There is an intelligence there, an evolutionary process that tells the hummingbird it’s time to make a nest. To lay an egg. To keep the egg warm until it hatches. The hummingbird has no awareness of this. Like our glands and our endocrine system, it has an intelligence that tells it what to do without our conscious awareness or effort. We talked previously about thyroid hormones and their importance in human metabolic function. (Previous Article) Today, we are going to discuss nutrients for the thyroid to be at its optimal function. The thyroid gland utilizes several key nutrients that are needed for healthy thyroid function. These nutrients are selenium, zinc, iodine, iron, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, and Essential Fatty Acids. These nutrients are needed not just for good thyroid function, but for proper absorption, conversion and assimilation of thyroid hormone and also to protect the thyroid gland from damage. Selenium Selenium is a very key nutrient for healthy thyroid function. Selenium plays a role in conversion of thyroid hormone from its inactive form to its active form. Selenium also contributes to glutathione formation, which protects the thyroid from damage and inflammation. Selenium also has been shown to reduce thyroid peroxidase antibodies, which contribute to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. One of the best sources of selenium is Brazil nuts. But in most cases, I recommend supplementing with selenium b/c the amount of selenium in Brazil nuts can be inconsistent. Zinc Zinc is also needed for thyroid hormone conversion from T4 to T3, as it is a component of the enzyme deiodinase. Zinc is also needed for healthy hair, skin and nails. If you have a thyroid condition and you have alopecia (hair loss), hair breakage, or thin, brittle nails, you may need an increase in zinc intake. Good sources of zinc include shellfish, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, flaxseeds and pine nuts. I typically recommend taking a zinc and selenium supplement. I really like this product because it contains the recommended doses of both zinc and selenium as well as other minerals and nutrients. Iodine Iodine is needed for the thyroid to produce thyroid hormone, as thyroid hormone has iodine as part of its molecular structure. The inactive form of thyroid hormone, T4, thyroxine has four iodine molecules and the active form, T3, has three. But the thyroid needs a specific amount of iodine for proper function. Unfortunately, it is possible to get too much of it and many of us are getting far more than we actually need. Iodine is in many of our foods, products and cosmetics in prolific amounts. So while it is important to be aware that iodine is important for thyroid function, too much of it or too little of it is going to cause problems with thyroid function. If you have an autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s or Grave’s disease, I would recommend avoiding iodine. Excessive amounts of iodine contribute to free radical formation in the thyroid and trigger an immune response in the thyroid that will cause more inflammation and worsen the progress of the disease. We will talk more about iodine and how it actually compromises thyroid function when we get too much of it in a future article. Sources of iodine include iodized salts, sea vegetables, Himalayan salt, egg yolks, seaweed, seafood and dairy products. Iron Iron is used as a catalyst in the formation of thyroid hormone T4, and it also plays a role in converting T4 to T3 through the enzyme deiodinase. Iron also plays a role in making heme proteins such as thyroid peroxidase, which is needed to bond iodine to thyroglobulin proteins to make thyroid hormone. If your iron levels are low, you may not be producing enough thyroid hormone and may not be able to convert thyroid hormone to its active form. Symptoms of low iron levels include pallor, shortness of breath, dry hair or skin, swollen tongue, brittle nails, palpitations, dizziness, and restless leg syndrome. I do not recommend supplementing with iron without consulting a practitioner first. Most practitioners are going to order a CBC panel and a ferritin test to measure of how much iron is being stored. Iron can accumulate in the body to toxic levels if supplemented inappropriately, so if you have normal iron and ferritin levels it is not safe to supplement with iron. For getting adequate stores of iron, I recommend focusing on dietary sources. If you do have to supplement with iron, ensure your supplement also contains Vitamin C or take it with a food rich in Vitamin C (oranges, kiwis, berries) so that you will be able to absorb the iron. Good sources of iron include red
Demystifying the Thyroid: Breakdown of the Basics
Demystifying the Thyroid: Breakdown of the Basics Written by Emily Edmonds In today’s fast pace and stressful world, thyroid disease is becoming more common and more problematic than ever before. The function of our thyroid impacts so many biochemical and physiological processes in our body that support our health. In this series, we are going to talk about the thyroid, how it affects our health, how it impacts fertility, and how we can improve our health so that our thyroid works the way it was designed. We are going to talk about what can cause thyroid disease, lab tests, supplementation and dietary measures to support thyroid health. We are also going to talk about some common culprits that you may not be aware of that could be causing your thyroid to be out of balance. The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland located near the base of your throat. The thyroid is an endocrine gland that secretes thyroid hormones which influence metabolic rate, protein synthesis, and growth and development. The thyroid produces three hormones – triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) and calcitonin. Most thyroid diseases involve the production of T3 and T4, but some less common thyroid conditions can be caused by disruptions of hormones produced in the brain which influence the production of these hormones. Thyroid hormones govern the function of many processes in our bodies. The most well-known function of thyroid hormones is in regulation of our basal metabolic rate. They stimulate the breakdown of fats, glucose, regulate appetite, gut motility and the absorption of nutrients. On a cardiovascular level, thyroid hormones increase the rate and strength of the heart. Thyroid hormones also influence the rate of breathing, oxygen intake, and activity of the mitochondria (cellular function which produces ATP and energetic function). These factors influence blood flow and body temperature. Thyroid hormones also play a role in reproductive health, growth and development. They play a major role in brain maturation during fetal development and for the first few years of post-natal life. Thyroid hormones also influence sexual function, the menstrual cycle, sleep and cognition. With the numerous important functions in our bodies the thyroid influences, it is certainly understandable why thyroid disease can make patients feel terrible! Thyroid hormone production is regulated by a closed loop cycle. The hypothalamus produces a hormone called Thyroid Releasing Hormone (TRH) which reaches the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland receives TRH and releases Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). Most physicians will diagnose more common diseases by testing for TSH, and I will explain more on this later. TSH stimulates the thyroid to release T4 and some T3. This mechanism is tightly regulated by a negative feedback loop, meaning that when T4/T3 are low, TSH will rise to stimulate the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone. When T4/T3 are high, TSH will be reduced so the thyroid doesn’t make too much. Many hormonal glands operate in a similar fashion, including our adrenal glands and our reproductive system. T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. It needs to be converted to T3 to be considered metabolically active. When these are released into the bloodstream, T4 is converted into its active form T3. Conversion of T4 to T3 is influenced by a number of different ways, mostly by liver function but also by gut bacteria, kidneys, brain, and skeletal tissue. Thyroid hormone conversion is very important and is at the root of a lot of common thyroid diseases and requires certain key nutrients and healthy organ function. Since there are a number of organs and processes in the body that require thyroid hormone conversion, uptake, and metabolism – diseases of the thyroid are sometimes thought to be more of a canary in the coal mine rather than a problem of the thyroid alone. But if you have a thyroid condition, it is very important that you get treatment with a physician to help with the thyroid itself, and with a holistic practitioner with some knowledge of thyroid disease who can help with the entire body so that the cause of the thyroid condition can be healed. There are many different types of thyroid disease. Thyroid diseases fall into two main categories – hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism results when there are too few thyroid hormones in production and circulation. Hyperthyroidism results when there are too many thyroid hormones in production and circulation. There is acute thyroiditis, which usually results from a viral infection and typically resolves on its own. Postpartum thyroiditis, which occurs in women after childbirth and also is a temporary condition. Some of the most common thyroid diseases are autoimmune in nature. These include Hashimoto’s disease and Grave’s disease. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease where the thyroid gland is being targeted by the immune system. This results in hypothyroidism, which is a condition that develops where there are not enough thyroid hormones in circulation. In the US at this time, Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disease which results in hyperthyroidism, which is when thyroid hormone levels are too high. In poorer countries, hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by iodine deficiency. But excessive iodine can also significantly worsen thyroid conditions, most especially hyperthyroidism but in many cases of hypothyroidism as well. We will talk about iodine and why it’s not actually a great solution to treating hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune illness such as Hashimoto’s disease in a future article. There are also thyroid conditions that are congenital. Many of these diseases are caused by problems with the pituitary gland secreting TSH, or it can be a problem with the hypothalamus producing sufficient TRH. The thyroid will have a problem with producing adequate amounts of thyroid hormone due to not receiving these signals from these glands in our brain to produce adequate thyroid hormone. This is called secondary hypothyroidism. These conditions are rare though so we will not be discussing those as much for the purpose of this series. Traditional Chinese
