Natural Support for Thyroid Health

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/news.asp?Id=8191

 

Natural Support for Thyroid Health

 

 

Provided by Total Health on 12/28/2003

by Murray, Michael T

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally Published:20031001.

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 ?) 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. These individuals 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. 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.

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.

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 the 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 meg 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.

* Tyrostne. The other key ingredient in thyroid hormones is the amino acid

tyrosine. Taking L-tyrosine alone or as a component as 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, 62, B3, B(,, 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 somnifem (ashwaganda) and

Commiphom 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 a significant

increase in the level of thyroid hormone (T^sub 4^) while commiphora extract

enhances the conversion of '\\to the more potent T^sub 3^ 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 pituitary. The problem is with the thyroid gland

itself and an impaired conversion of T^sub 4^ into the more potent T^sub 3^ in

tissues outside the thyroid gland. The recommended dosages for thyroid

support for the two herbs are:

* Withania somnifem root extract (standardized to contain 1.5 percent

withanolides) 150mg

* Commiphora mukul extract (standardized to contain 2.5 percent guggulsterones)

100 mg.

 

 

© 2003 Total Health. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights

Reserved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find out what made the Top Searches of 2003