Sea Vegetables, Essential Fatty Acids in Regards to Thyroid Function

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Sea vegetables, Essential Fatty Acids in Regards to Thyroid Function

JoAnn Guest

Jun 12, 2004 13:21 PDT

 

The thyroid gland, situated in the front of the neck,

is responsible for producing hormones which control our metabolism.

Toxins from the environs may alter the thyroid function.

 

Eduardo Gaitan from Univ Mississipi found that drinking water

contaminated with petrochemicals results in blocked activity of thyroid

hormones.

( Ref Jounal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 1983 Vol. 56)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) can alter thyroxine levels and result in

symptoms of thyroid disorders (Science, vol.267)

 

It is now understood that the environment, diet and nutrition influence thyroid

function in a number of ways and may relate to thyroid disorders of non specific

origin (Annual Review of Nutrition -1995 Vol 15)

 

The good news is that correcting the underlying thyroid deficiency can

have dramatic effects on energy, mood, and cognitive function in the

over-60 population.

 

Kelp and other seaweeds (such as arame, wakame, nori etc.), are an

excellent source of iodine and other trace minerals to support thyroid

function. Sea salt contains optimal amounts of micro and macro minerals.

 

In our era of processed foods and iodine-poor soils, sea greens and sea

foods stand alone as potent sources of natural, balanced iodine.

 

Iodine is essential to life; the thyroid gland cannot make thyrozin,

the enzyme that regulates metabolism, without it. Iodine is an

important element of alertness and rapid brain activity, and a prime

deterrent to arterial plaque.

Thyroid hormones are made from iodine and the amino acid tyrosine.

 

Thyroglobulin, the mixture of tyrosine and iodine stored in the

thyroid gland, is transformed into hormones that regulate our

metabolism, protein, carbohydrate and carotene use, and cholesterol

(sea greens help lower cholesterol).

 

The amount of thyroid hormone released into the bloodstream

determines the body's basic energy level and along with the adrenal

glands, the rate that sex hormones are made.

 

Sea plants nourish an underactive thyroid and normalize adrenal

functions to trigger increased libido.

 

Goiter, a thyroid disorder, develops when the pituitary gland

stimulates the thyroid to make more hormones but the thyroid can't

do it because of an iodine deficiency.

 

It enlarges in the attempt and goiter develops. The rate of goiter

in the U.S. is still relatively high - 6% of the population in some

areas. It's a strange situation, because few people in the U. S. are

iodine deficient (the average American intake of iodine is estimated

at over 600 micrograms daily from iodized salt).

 

Since the recommended adult allowance for iodine is quite small,

150 micrograms, experts believe that at least some of the high rates

of goiter are really connected to too much refined sugar, alcohol, fats

and

caffeine, or to eating a lot of goitrogen foods, which block iodine

absorption.

 

Goitrogen foods are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower or

cabbage, legumes like peas and peanuts, which may cause a mild

hypothyroid state when eaten raw.

 

Cooking neutralizes the thyroid-blocking components. If you have a

tendency to goiter or hypothyroidism, cook these healthy

foods lightly.

 

Some foods, especially cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, kale, Brussels

sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower), contain natural goitrogens,

chemicals that cause the thyroid gland to enlarge by interfering with

thyroid hormone synthesis. Cooking has been reported to inactivate this

effect in Brussels sprouts.

 

Cassava, a starchy root that is the source of tapioca, can also have

this effect.

 

Other goitrogens include corn, sweet potatoes and lima beans. Some

practitioners recommend that people with hypothyroidism (an underactive

thyroid gland) avoid these foods, even though most have not been proved

to cause hypothyroidism in humans.

 

Because of the thyroid's effect on insulin secretion, prolonged

intake of refined carbohydrates and sweets can cause the overtaxing

of your thyroid gland and lead to dysfunction. Our bodies were not

designed to handle large amounts of refined products and

physiologically we pay the consequences when overindulging.

 

The liver is the major detoxifying organ of the body. Thyrotoxic patients should

avoid stimulants like caffeine, coffee, amphetamines and nicotine.

 

Chocolates are high in copper. It does not seem to be a good food for

hypers which the high copper content would suggest. Because of this and other

reasons, I developed a suspicion that chocolate is high in cadmium. Searching

for medical studies on cadmium

and chocolate led me to only two studies.

 

The first study below is very suggestive that my suspicion is correct

and that cocoa beans may be high in both cadmium and lead.

 

The second study confirms that chocolate is high in cadmium (and also

nickel). It's possible that the cadmium is introduced to the cocoa

during processing, possibly by contact with galvanized containers, and

is not natural to the food. Nahrung 1987;31(5-6):635-6

 

Because of the resultant change in endocrine output taking birth

control pills, epinephrine and cortisone, can lead to thyroid

dysfunction.

 

Taking synthetic thyroid hormone for an inactive thyroid gland

will tend to make your thyroid rely more on this outside source and

will thus lead to further inactivity.

 

It makes so much more sense to the author to find out and correct the

cause of the dysfunction thus allowing the thyroid to heal and return to

normal functioning.

 

Overeating, especially fats and sugars over prolonged periods will make

the body produce more thyroid hormones (to increase fat burning and

glucose uptake) than it can comfortably produce.

 

Due to a decrease in the burning of fats, they may tend to build

up cholesterol deposits and be more prone to heart troubles. The

sluggish circulation will also manifest in having cold hands and feet.

 

Another stage of life at which thyroid disorders are more common is at

menopause. Many women who experience depression and " brain fog " during

menopause are told that these symptoms are caused by plummeting levels of

estrogen.

 

Yet low levels of thyroid hormone can produce identical symptoms.

 

(Other common signs of low thyroid function — at any age — include hair

loss, weight gain, dry skin, slow heartbeat, and cold hands and feet.)

If you're going through menopause and are suffering from depression,

it's crucial to rule out hypothyroidism, because left untreated,

hypothyroidism can cause dangerously high cholesterol levels.

 

An imbalance in the amount of estrogen in the body (be it due to

pituitary, liver, ovary, or adrenal malfunction) can alter thyroid

function.

 

Too little thyroid hormone production can lead to an imbalanced

output of estrogen and progesterone by the ovaries, leading to

prolonged and painful periods in women, with an increased tendency

toward water retention.

 

 

Thyroid Hormone Receptors

 

According to Dr. Erasmus, essential fatty acids are critical to thyroid

function because, first, they are required for the integrity of the

structure for every membrane of every cell. Second, they increase energy levels

in the cell.

 

And third, there is some evidence that essential fatty acids,

especially Omega 3s, improve the efficiency of the hormones on the

receptor sites.

 

To understand the importance of the receptor issue, think about the

situation of diabetes. Pre-diabetes, the condition that is considered a

marker for future diabetes, is also known as insulin resistance. Insulin

is in the body, but it isn't being utilized because saturated fats block

insulin receptor function, and ultimately receptors become desensitized

-- and ultimately immune to and unable to receive -- insulin.

 

Essential fatty acids are required for receptor function and can make

diabetics more insulin sensitive. So diabetics taking essential fatty

acids may need less receptors, and ultimately, less insulin.

 

Dr. Erasmus believes that this same mechanism takes place with other

hormonal functions, such as the androgens, pineal glands, adrenal glands

--

and specifically, the thyroid.

 

There are practitioners who believe that thyroid hormone resistance is

not a rare occurrence, and is actually a more common sign of impending

thyroid disease, much like insulin resistance is a precursor to

diabetes.

 

This issue of receptors is critical, because according to Dr. Erasmus,

" With proper essential fatty acid nutrition, what will sometime happen

is that you get fewer receptors but they work better. "

 

This would mean that proper levels of essential fatty acids might make

the thyroid hormone receptors work better, so that thyroid hormone

actually accomplishes its mission.

 

Omega 3 fatty acids come from foods like flaxseeds, green leafy

vegetables, and high fat, cold water fish such as albacore tuna,

sardines, and alaskan salmon, coho, Pacific and Atlantic herring,

Atlantic mackerel, and lake trout.

 

Omega 6 fatty acids are found in sesame and sunflower seeds and other

seeds and nuts. Some fish and animal meats also provide a derivative

form of Omega 6.

 

When it comes to fish, Dr. Erasmus always prefers the fish themselves

to fish oil supplements - which he claims can easily become ineffective

or even toxic.

 

According to Dr. Erasmus, since 1900,

 

Omega 6 consumption has increased by about 20 times the previous levels,

primarily because of increased use of certain refined vegetable oils in

food preparation, while Omega 3s are now only 1/6 of previous levels.

This means that we get too much Omega 6 and too little Omega 3 fatty

acids.

 

www.udoerasmus.com

 

While animal studies dating back to the 1950s suggest a link between soy

and thyroid enlargement (goiter), the evidence that soy impairs thyroid

function in humans is largely theoretical. In other words, we know that

compounds in soy can affect thyroid tissue in laboratory studies, but

what this means for living, breathing humans is less clear.

 

Population studies do not show a greater prevalence of thyroid disease

in countries with a high intake of soy, and while some clinical studies

have found that soy depresses thyroid function in adults, other research

has shown it actually enhances it. That debate aside, most researchers

agree that consuming soy at the level needed to get its heart protecting

benefits (about 25 grams per day) is unlikely to impair thyroid

function.

 

However, if you have a thyroid disorder such as hypothyroidism, a bit of

caution may be in order. Try to keep your soy intake fairly constant,

have your thyroid hormone levels monitored periodically, and if your

levels fall below normal, consider reducing or eliminating soy from your

diet. Also be aware that taking thyroid medication at the same time as

soy foods or soy supplements may decrease the drug's absorption, so

avoid taking the two together.

 

It's true that excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function,

but this is of concern only if you have a thyroid problem to begin with.

All told, I find the epidemiological data on soy foods very reassuring.

 

 

I do not recommend soy *supplements* because of their high isoflavone

content and the lack of epidemiological evidence for their long-term

safety, especially if taken on top of soy foods and isoflavone -spiked

nutraceuticals.

The only people who might need soy isoflavone supplements are those who

are allergic to soy, but they should first try eating tiny amounts of

soy foods on a regular basis, then gradually increase the amount of soy

to try to develop a tolerance.

 

Excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function, but is usually

only a problem in those taking synthroid or other thyroid replacement

medication.

www.drwhitaker.com

 

L-Tyrosine-

is a direct precursor to Thyroxine, a primary thyroid hormone, as well

as Adrenaline and Nor-adrenaline. Thyroxine has been found to increase

metabolic rate and control growth rate.

Patients with a Thyroxine deficiency have symptoms including excess

weight gain, cold hands and feet, and decreased basal metabolism.

 

L-Tyrosine has been found to assist in optimizing thyroid hormone

levels, increased mood, concentration, and productivity.

 

L-Tyrosine is used to treat conditions including depression or mood

disorder, poor coping ability, fatigue, low sex drive, low metabolism,

and drug abuse (when combined with Tryptophan). It can also improve

endurance under stress and is effective as an appetite suppressant.

 

When taken properly, L-Tyrosine can assist a sluggish thyroid and aid

the dieter in losing excess, unwanted pounds.

The suggested dosage for healthy adults ranges from 500 to 1500 mg per

day.

 

Also beneficial:

Magnesium - 400-600 mgs on a daily basis

Flaxseed & evening primrose oils – 2 capsules twice daily with food.

 

Selenium Complete tablets -xcellent source of trace minerals including

selenium for those with a thyroid condition.

 

Selenium is vital for the conversion of thyroxine (T4) thyroid hormone

to its more active T3 form. The conversion of thyroxine to T 3 is

controlled by the essential trace mineral selenium (Ref Am J. Clinical

Nutrition 1993, Vol. 57) We recommend Selenomune as a highly absorbable form of

selenium and its synergistic trace minerals.

www.weightcontroldoctor.com

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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