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Hidden Danger of Treating Hypothyroidism: the Subtle Importance of Iodine

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The following Guest Blog post is from Dr. Malcolm Maclean of the UK. It’s a timely topic as there has been sporadic mention on the internet of a connection between even the best of thyroid treatments and certain potential risks! He feels the risk between a good thyroid treatment and an increased risk of breast cancer may be very real, and he suggests what you need to do about it. 

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For some people who experience symptoms of hypothyroidism, achieving a diagnosis of “Hypothyroidism” from a practitioner may be difficult. Even for those who are so diagnosed, the standard Thyroid Hormone for treatment tends to be Thyroxine, also known as T4-only (Trade names: Synthroid/Eltroxin).

For others, Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) tablets are necessary to achieve any improvement and for others T3 may be the treatment of choice, with or without NDT.

However, the point of this text is not to dwell on such difficulties, which can include:

  • ** Is adrenal function adequate for initiation of thyroid hormone replacement?
  • ** Is the iron level right?
  • ** Have the levels of estradiol and progesterone been rectified? …and so on.

Rather, this blog article picks up at the point where thyroid hormone replacement therapy is in place and the patient has started to feel better.

In other words, if you are feeling great with your thyroid treatment, does that mean everything is alright?? Maybe not when it comes to breast cancer risk and some other conditions.

It has to be said that although many people do feel better once diagnosed properly and treated appropriately with Natural Desiccated Thyroid, there are the  prima facie puzzling reports of an association between “thyroid treatment and breast cancer risk” (as well as the risk of other cancers, lupus and of diabetes which have been associated with those who are taking thyroid hormone replacement) .[1-6]

Indeed the risk of breast cancer has been stated to be doubled in this situation and trebled for women in this situation who have not given birth.

The hazards of breast cancer is counter-intuitive. A person may say: “I feel so much better now that my symptoms of hypothyroidism have been improved, so why should I face the hazard of greater risk of breast cancer?”

A possible answer is that estrogen dominance, (a common predisposing factor in the development of hypothyroidism for some) down-regulates the IODINE PUMP, the active transport system of iodine. And this effect with down-regulation of the iodine bump has been produced experimentally, as well.[5]

It seems that whatever thyroid hormone preparation used, in the situation of this estrogen effect (i.e. estrogen dominance), thyroid treatment is liable to conceal a continuing hazard of Iodine-deficiency-induced breast cancer. This is because:

a) The cause of the original Iodine Pump down-regulation (estrogen effect) has not been addressed.

b) The thyroid hormone replacement used in therapy is liable to down regulate the Iodine pump further.

Apart from estrogen, the following agents are also said to down-regulate the Iodine Pump:

  1. T3
  2. T4
  3. Fluoride
  4. Perchlorate
  5. Interferon
  6. Interleukin [5,7]

This line of thought supports the mainstream view that, in thyroid hormone replacement, the TSH level should remain in the middle of the normal range. However that dosage does not always relieve symptoms. There’s a paradox and a therapeutic difficulty! What might/can be done to address that therapeutic difficulty?

The question is: in the situation of Estrogen Dominance, treated by thyroid hormone replacement, does Iodine supplementation overcome this hazard? (Together with the “Companion Nutrients” as advocated by the “Iodine Research” group). [8] .

The evidence suggests that the answer is “Yes”. The implication is that most females who are being treated with thyroid hormone replacement should be on the “Iodine Protocol” to overcome the cancer hazard, caused by impaired Iodine absorption.

Unfortunately, the standard test for Iodine status in the human body (the urine iodine test) tells us nothing about the state of Iodine absorption and therefore the true state of the body’s Iodine status. Saliva Iodine level (after Iodine loading, 50 mg) appears to be a more reliable test of the body’s true Iodine status. [9]

It is also appears that exposure to Fluoride, by depressing Iodine uptake, potentiates the cancer risk here.

Unfortunately, when Thyroid Hormone Replacement is used in the treatment of symptoms of hypothyroidism, iodine supplementation is not always used together with the “Companion Nutrients“. The evidence suggests that this supplementation of iodine should be in place to lower your risk of breast cancer, even if you are feeling great on your thyroid treatment.

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1. Turken O, Narin Y, Demirbas S, Onde ME, Sayan O, Kandemir EG, Yalaci M, Ozturk A: Breast cancer in association with thyroid disorders.

Breast Cancer Res 2003, 5:R110-R113. PubMed   Abstract | BioMed   Central   Full   Text

2. Eur Thyroid J. 2013 Jun;2(2):83-92. doi: 10.1159/000351249. Epub 2013 May 28.

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3765368/

4. //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/2013/08/12/t4-only-lung-cancer/

  1. 5. http://www.hormones.gr/1/article/article.html
  2. 6. http://www.icjpir.com/sites/default/files/articles/ICJPIR%20-%2014-104%20Atta%20Abbas.pdf

7. Daniel H.Y. Shen,1 Richard T. Kloos,2,3 Ernest L. Mazzaferri,2 and Sissy M. Jhiang1,2 Sodium Iodide Symporter in Health and Disease THYROID Volume 11, Number 5, 2001 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

8.  http://iodineresearch.com/supplementation.html

9. http://optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Research_I.shtml

To read more on iodine plus groups you can discuss this in, go to the Iodine page on STTM.

About Dr. Maclean:

Screen Shot 2015-05-10 at 9.59.39 AMThe following text was kindly provided by Dr Malcolm Maclean, a Scottish doctor, who himself was diagnosed as having symptoms of hypothyroidism in his mid-fifties. He writes:
“Hypothyroidism evidently runs in my family. Looking back on my school days, I now realize that my mum had a royal flush of symptoms of hypothyroidism. Despite consulting an eminent specialist, the diagnosis was not made and she ended up with a diagnosis of “Narcolepsy” (Episodic sleepiness, not otherwise specified) and, as treatment, a prescription of long-acting amphetamine (Durophet).
It is clear that even in the 1950s there was a bias against proper diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. 
My own diagnosis of hypothyroidism was not made until I started falling asleep at my desk in the mid afternoon. Starting Natural Desiccated Thyroid treatment, and I had the wonderful experience of mental fog lifting, which many, similarly affected and treated, will recognize.
As a medical advisor to the UK charity: Thyroid Patient Advocacy, I press (With others) for better diagnosis and treatment of symptoms of hypothyroidism as well as better education of doctors. The present unsatisfactory state of medical education concerning endocrinology, cannot last much longer, seeing that many patients now know more endocrinology than their doctors.
My particular interest lies in the management of those who make an incomplete recovery, having embarked on thyroid hormone replacement therapy and the attached text attests to that.

 

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THYROID CANCER IS AN EASY CANCER?? Patients are appalled!

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“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” ~ Nelson Mandela

It’s not uncommon when perusing the internet to see the word “easy” associated with “thyroid cancer”, or described as “the best kind of cancer to get”… as if of all cancers, this one is somehow less difficult, less arduous, a walk in the park or a piece of cake cancer.

Nor is it uncommon for thyroid cancer patients to be told something in a similar vein by their doctors. And of course, many of those doctors will use the “one little pill” pronouncement about the treatment afterwards. Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy!!

So where is the truth? Do you have reason to be nervous about your surgery? About your cancer? Is it that easy? What will your life be like after surgery?

One side of the story

Many thyroid cancer patients do report that all went well in many ways. They caught it early enough. It didn’t spread to their lymph nodes. Some didn’t even have to use pain medications after their surgery. If some did, it was short-lived. Others moved over to Tylenol after going home. Or ice packs. Drains were removed smoothly. Recovery went smoothly. Energy returned in several weeks. And they report that the cancer remained gone.

But here’s the other side of the story which completely dispels the myth that thyroid cancer is easy or the “best” cancer to get.

1) No matter where the cancer is, the emotional reaction is the same.

Many a thyroid cancer patient will tell you about their fears, depression, aloneness or anxiety when they were told. Or the denial, anguish, anger and stress they feel. Or the numbness. Or the fears of it returning. Or the unknown.

2) No surgery is fun, and that includes thyroid removal

Who wants to endure the pre-op or the aftereffects of surgery. No matter if some do better than others, it’s not fun to be in a hospital, be put to sleep, the waking up, the drains, the recovery, the discomfort, the time away, and the cost.

3) Many thyroid cancer patients have to endure RAI treatment after surgery and the side effects

RAI stands for Radioactive Iodine Ablation, also called I-131, given in either in liquid or capsule form. Since the thyroid easily absorbs iodine, and the radiation is strong, it serves to destroy any remaining tissue or cells that might still have thyroid cancer in them.

And side effects are far from pleasant and can include isolation, stomach problems, heart palps, neck tenderness, all over achiness, changes in taste, salivary inflammation and parotitis, facial or neck redness or “sunburns”, peeling skin, fatigue, fogginess, nausea, dry eyes, irregular period or other reported problems.

Then comes the reported risks that can come later in life due to having RAI, which include “bladder, breast, central nervous system, colon and rectum, digestive tract, stomach, pancreas, kidney (and renal pelvis), lung, or melanoma of skin”. Keep in mind this is about “risk” rather than a definite outcome, but it’s not fun to consider.

You can read of one patient’s opinion and experience with RAI titled Why have million of patients been treated with RAI?

4) The fear of recurrence always lingers!

Life-long monitoring is a sure bet when one has had thyroid cancer. The itchy reminder that it “could” come back never goes away when one has to have neck examinations, certain thyroid blood tests or neck ultrasounds.

5) The “one little pill” mantra of easiness is foolhardy

That one little pill is a reference to T4-only, aka thyroxine or levothyroxine, also commonly known as Synthroid or other brand names. And reported patient experiences for all too many reveal continual problems, sooner or later.  Equally as silly, that one little pill leads to the use of many other pills to treat the symptoms of continued hypothyroidism that many report finding themselves with while on the T4-only, one little pill. Those include statins, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety or pain meds, to name a few.

The conclusion?

You are not alone. Thyroid patients know that thyroid cancer is not as “easy” as they make it sound, nor is it the “better” cancer!  We are with you! Join the group below for camaraderie, wisdom and support!

This page was brilliantly updated July, 2015 to reflect even better information. Enjoy!

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Why iron is so important, milk thistle for RT3, and send the revised STTM book as a Christmas present!

NOTE: though this post was originally written in 2012, it has been updated to the present day and time! Enjoy!

IRON AND ITS IMPORTANCE 

It all too common with hypothyroid patients: finding themselves with low iron levels.   I probably had insufficient iron my entire adult life, remembering that my doctors always told me I was borderline, yet nothing was done about it. So when I finally got on desiccated thyroid, and my iron needs increased due to better health, I finally fell into true anemia, and twice.  Miserable, let me tell you. I was breathless, achy, depressed and had horrific fatigue.

And why is iron so important?

  • Iron carries oxygen from your tissues to your lungs (so if iron is low, you can be breathless and your heartrate has to go up in response to less oxygen. Link here.)
  • Iron helps raise dopamine and serotonin in your brain (so if iron is low, you can feel depression or hyperactive i.e. attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Link here.)
  • Iron assists with the cortisol secretion after ACTH stimulation (so if your iron is low, the cortisol secretion is decreased, lowering glucose in your cells, and that might cause the pooling of T3 in your blood. Link here.)
  • Iron promotes good conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3 (so if iron is low, your storage iron T4 will build too high. Link here.)
  • Iron balances your autonomic nervous sytem (so if your iron is low, you can end up in a frequent state of fight-or-flight with accompanying adrenaline surges and nervousness due to heightened sympathic activity. Link here.)
  • Iron protects women from breast tumor growth (so if your iron is low, a benign tumor can become a malignant cancer tumor. Link here.) 
  • Iron improves your immune system (so if your iron is low, you are most susceptible to infections and illness. Link here.)
  • Iron supports brain cell health (so if your iron is low, you can have brain cell death contributing to dementia and possibly Alzheimers. Link here.)

How to discern if your iron is too low

We used to think testing one’s storage iron, ferritin, was enough. But it’s not. Your storage iron can look normal because of an ongoing inflammation, which tends to thrust iron into storage. So we learned that we need four labs at the minimum : ferritin, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC.  Even low ferritin along with optimal results in the other labs have caused problems with T3 pooling in the blood.  Go here to read what we look for in our iron results.

Raising poor iron levels

Hypothyroid patients tend to “dry up” and that also causes lowered levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which lowers absorption. For better absorption, try adding 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to each large glass of water or juice you use to swallow your iron pills, or use Betaine, which is an OTC hydrochloric acid supplement.

To learn more, go to the following page. And for even more details, read the Odds and Ends chapter in the revised STTM book.

CAN LIVER CLEANSES/SUPPORTS HELP IMPROVE YOUR RT3 RATIO??

Because of low iron or adrenal dysfunction, many thyroid patients have found themselves with high levels of Reverse T3…or more common, a poor RT3 ratio. And too much RT3 can mean the thyroid hormone T3 won’t adequately work in your cells, and you can feel miserable. The solution for most has been to switch to T3-only, but that can have a host of difficulties.  It’s not easy to dose with T3 alone.

Recently, though, patients are discovering an alternative way to lower one’s excess RT3: the use of a good liver cleanse/support product, and most especially those with the herb called Milk Thistle. It’s an herb which, for hundreds of years, has been used as a liver tonic.  In supplements, it’s the milk thistle seeds which are used because they contain silymarin–the powerful part of the herb which does the trick.  And doses in the 400 mg’s of milk thistle extract supplements seem to be doing the trick, say patients who are reporting on it, taking it twice a day at 200 and 200 minimum. Some studies state you can go higher, if needed. Be careful with its use, as it can lower ferritin levels to some degree. But as long as you keep your serum iron levels up, you can get by with the lowering of ferritin for the short while you may be on Milk Thistle to lower RT3.

HO! HO! HO! SEND THE REVISED STTM BOOK TO A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE FOR CHRISTMAS OR THE NEW YEAR!  It can be the BEST gift they will ever receive!  Go to the following page, and put in the name and address of the recipient, YOUR email, and the publishing company will get the book out to your special someone:  //www.laughinggrapepublishing.com/

 LISTEN TO ONE OF SEVERAL INTERVIEWS I’VE DONE LATELY…AND BOSTON IS NEXT! My next interview will be aired on WBZ-AM 1030 (Boston & New England) on the program called “Women’s Watch” with host Ellen Sherman. You can also listen live here: http://boston.cbslocal.com/station/wbz-news-radio/ No specific time as I am posting this, but it may happen next week. Watch the NTH Yahoo group, STTM Twitter and STTM Facebook groups for an announcement. And there are more to come thanks to a great publicist representing Stop the Thyroid Madness. Want to donate so she can continue helping us spread the word? Go here.  Janie can’t do it without you…and this is specifically to reach millions still on T4-only meds!

 STTM NOW HAS MANY FACEBOOK GROUPS!  See what Facebook has to offer you on top of already great Yahoo groups, here.

 

NOTE: if you are reading this via the email notification, and you want to comment on it, you’ll need to click on the title of this blog post to take you directly to the blog post. Then scroll down to comment.  For those reading this on the actual blog, sign up to the left under the links. 

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Iodine–thyroid patients figure things out again!

Iodine

(Though this post was originally written in 2008, it has been updated to the current date and time. Enjoy!)

The topic of iodine supplementation for your overall health has been growing the past few years among thyroid patients, especially in light that many of us may be low in iodine, that thyroid hormones are composed of iodine, or just the fact that iodine has anti-cancer qualities.

I became interested in the topic after reading Dr. David Derry’s book Breast Cancer and Iodine. I’ve also seen the testimony of several women with Fibrocystic Breast Disease who saw it disappear once they started iodine supplementation. Impressive! And it’s true for me!

And since thyroid hormones are primarily composed of iodine, thyroid patients are listening to and questioning the use of iodine supplementation.

But thyroid patient Mike Lawson came up with some very interesting facts this week about iodine in desiccated thyroid–just one more reason to consider using WP Thyroid, Naturethroid, Westhroid or other desiccated thyroid products! He figured out the below:

T3 = C15H12I3NO4 = molar mass of 650.9776
T4 = C15H11I4NO4 = molar mass of 776.87

Iodine has a molar mass of 126.90

Iodine content of T3 = (3 * 126.9)/650.9776. T3 is 59.725 % iodine.
Iodine content of T4 = (4 * 126.9)/776.87. T4 is 65.339 % iodine.

NDT has 38 mcg T4 & 9 mcg T3.
.65339 * 38 mcg = 24.828 mcg iodine
.59725 * 9 mcg = 5.37525mcg iodine

So, each grain of NDT has 30.20325 mcg iodine. In other words, each grain of NDT has 1/5 the RDA of iodine (150 mcg).

Very interesting facts, Mike! Sure, most thyroid patients feel they need more than what desiccated thyroid offers. But it’s a good start when so many individuals feel their own iodine levels are too low and need help, especially those who have had to deal with thyroid or breast cancer, or have a family history of it.

Want to read more??

– Check out Dr. Maclean’s STTM Guest Blog post with excellent information concerning high doses of iodine supplementation: //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/2016/01/14/iodine-effects-at-different-doses/

– And this information is important concerning companion nutrients you would want to already be on when you start iodine supplementation: //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/2013/12/29/companion-nutrients-the-key-to-iodine-protocol/

– Here is a compilation of good information concerning iodine: //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/iodine12345/

– Facebook has two iodine groups worth exploring: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iodine4health/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/IodineWorkshop/

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