by Joan Haynes, NMD
The thyroid gland makes hormones that control the basic activity (metabolism) of every cell in the body.
Hypothyroid (too little thyroid) symptoms:
Fatigue, weight gain, depression, coarse and dry hair; hair loss, dry and scaly skin, constipation, frequent infections, hoarse voice, inability to lose weight with diet/exercise, loss of outer edge of eyebrows, low or absent sex drive, sleep apnea, sluggishness, cold intolerance, heat intolerance, irregular menses, infertility, and more.
What are some symptoms of too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroid)?
Anxiety, heart palpitations, weight loss, insomnia. This is a much more rare condition.
Can hypothyroidism be treated naturally?
Sometimes, but not always. At Boise Natural Health Clinic, we look at the big picture. We treat hypothyroid by thorough testing, improving diet and lifestyle, assessing and supporting other hormones such as adrenals and sex hormones. We also encourage appropriate supplementation, and if needed, thyroid hormone replacement options. If you have not already had your thyroid tested, we can order lab work for you as well.
What are some possible causes of hypothyroid?
Age, certain medications, environmental exposure, fluoride, genetic, neck trauma, over consumption of uncooked goitrogenic foods (brassicas, soy), over or under consumption of iodine, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, radiation treatment, radioactive iodine treatment, smoking, surgical treatment for goiters, nodules, or thyroid cancer. Biotin can affect the lab results on thyroid tests.
How is hypothyroidism diagnosed?
With appropriate clinical assessment and blood testing. Even if you’ve been told your thyroid is normal, ask for a copy of the test and let us help you interpret it. Inform yourself about what the different tests mean and the new thinking about normal ranges for these tests. www.thyroid.about.com is a good website to get some basic information. At Boise Natural Health Clinic, we like to run a TSH, Free T3, Reverse T3, Free T4, Anti TPO Ab and Anti TG Ab tests for a full evaluation