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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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As a hypothyroid patient, you might want to think twice about drinking water out of plastic bottles

(This page has been updated to the present. Enjoy!)

As a hypothyroid patient, do you think you are fine drinking that purely fine mineral water from a plastic bottle?

Think that fluoride and chlorine are the only substances we need to worry about when it comes to our thyroid health?? Think again.

Thyroid patient Amy McMullen, who has contributed before on STTM’s blog as a GUEST POSTER (Confessions of a Undercover Thyroid Advocate) and has a passion about human rights, has written another important article below which should be of keen interest to all of you.

BPA–A POWERFUL ENDOCRINE DISRUPTER THAT AFFECTS YOUR THYROID

Perhaps you have read recently about how the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) is found to be prevalent in our food and water. As a hypothyroid patient, I was surprised to see that not all articles about this harmful substance adequately describe the connection between thyroid function and BPA. This is an oversight that should be addressed since hypothyroidism is estimated to affect over ten million people in the US and this number is growing. It makes perfect sense to look to environmental toxins as a likely culprit in this serious health epidemic.

BPA is a synthetic estrogen and an endocrine disrupter that causes multiple health problems.

There are over 200 studies linking it to breast cancer, obesity, attention deficit disorder, early puberty in girls, genital abnormalities in boys and girls alike, polycystic ovary disease and infertility in women and prostate cancer in men. Studies indicate that up to 92% of Americans have BPA in their urine. Also BPA doesn’t leave the body quickly; fasting adults still had BPA levels in their bodies after 24 hours.

BPA comes from many plastic sources. It’s used as a hardener in plastic manufacturing. Many tin cans have plastic linings that contain BPA including soup and tomatoes, and it’s also in plastic water bottles, some infant formulas and canned juices. BPA is also found in PVC water supply piping.

How does BPA relate to thyroid disease?

According to a several good studies, BPA is a thyroid receptor antagonist. This means that BPA will interfere with the binding of the thyroid hormone T3 with cell receptor sites. This will cause hypothyroidism, not only with people with under-functioning thyroids but also for those who are currently taking medications for hypothyroidism or even those who have normally functioning thyroids. BPA was found to accumulate in many organs when injected into rats including the lung, kidneys, thyroid, stomach, heart, spleen, testes, liver, and brain. In this way, BPA has the potential to interfere with thyroid hormones in each organ that has accumulated the substance. A study also indicates that the levels of BPA that are considered safe (upper limit of emission is set to 2.5 ppm [µg/liter], which is more than 90 µM) are high enough to inhibit thyroid hormone receptors. Yet another study shows that BPA appears to accumulate in rat fetuses in significantly high levels and disrupts thyroid function in baby rats.

There’s also evidence that BPA may influence the metabolism of endogenous steroids, which may be a factor in adrenal fatigue and its treatment, as well as and its treatment, as well as dysautonomia stemming from adrenal problems. Many with hypothyroidism also suffer from co-morbid adrenal fatigue and BPA may be a contributing factor in this.

What this means for everyone, but especially for thyroid patients, is every effort should be made to remove BPA from food and water supplies.

For those who are not able to get properly optimized on their thyroid meds or who are finding they are suffering from hypothyroid symptoms despite normal levels of TSH, free T3 and free T4, consider BPA as a possible source of the problem.

Steps you can take to minimize you exposure include:

  • Avoid all canned foods with plastic liners and avoid bottled water. Buy your canned tomatoes in glass jars, not metal cans or stick to using fresh ingredients. Most other canned foods use BPA as well, especially green beans (Here is a list of BPA-free canned foods).
  • Drink water out of glass or stainless steel containers (and make sure there’s no plastic liner or lids that have BPA) or BPA-free plastic. Low density polyethylene bike bottles contain BPA.
  • Do not microwave foods in plastics or use plastic wraps when microwaving. Avoid polycarbonate (“PC” or #7 and #3) plastic food containers altogether.
  • Since most municipal water piping is PVC and some houses have it as water supply lines, consider installing a reverse osmosis system for your drinking water. This will also remove fluoride and chlorine (other thyroid disrupters) and many other harmful substances from drinking water.

Most importantly we need to make our voices heard that BPA is not an acceptable substance and that its use in our food and water supply must cease. Recently Senator Feinstein introduced a ban on BPA to the Food Safety Modernization Act but this was modified to remove the ban due to pressure by industry groups. Senator Feinstein still has an effort underway to ban BPA from child drink bottles and toys and several states have enacted such bans but this does not go far enough.

Contact your representatives today and let them know that a national ban on BPA must be enacted. If they don’t listen then I suggest you make yourself heard at the ballot box this November.

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  • Have you cut down on your exposure to Fluoride? Buy non-fluoridated toothpaste as a first step.
  • Cut down on more chemicals by using baking soda under your arms rather than commercially-made underarm deodorants. Note that the baking soda may at first cause redness, but it will go away within days and is a great way to kill odors.
  • Have a pounding heartrate that you can’t explain? You may be making too much RT3 or have an adrenal issue.
  • Check out typical Questions and Answers about thyroid treatment and related issues.
  • Want to write a GUEST BLOG POST on STTM? Go here.
  • Join the STTM Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. 
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Tips on how to do desiccated thyroid sublingually

Though this was originally posted in 2009, it’s been updated to the present day and time!

The brand of Natural Desiccated Thyroid called Armour used to be easy to do sublingually, even if the official line was they didn’t make it that way. That means letting it dissolve under the tongue which can potentially make its way to the sublingual gland under the bottom of the mouth and more directly to the cells.

And patients liked that sublingual ability with Armour.  It allowed them to work around the problem of swallowing desiccated thyroid several hours from having swallowed iron, estrogen or calcium–all which can bind ‘some’ of the thyroid hormones in your stomach.

It also helped those with digestive issues, since some of it may be bypassing the stomach.

But with the first newly formulated Armour in 2009, it became difficult. The pill became harder with less dextrose and more cellulose.  It now fell into the ranks of all other desiccated thyroid pills, including Naturethroid and other good brands, as a more dense tablet.

Tips from patients on how to do sublingual

Even for those NDT brands which are made quite hard, below are tips from patients on how to continue doing  desiccated thyroid sublingually. Let your doc know, too.

1) Some are adding a tiny touch of the contents of a Pixie Stix under their tongue. It’s flavored sugar in a straw, and the sugar seems to help the tablet dissolve sublingually through tissues under the tongue.

2) If you are using sublingual B12 lozenges to treat low B12, try adding it under the tongue with your desiccated thyroid. The action of the sublingual lozenge seems to move over to the thyroid tablet, say some.

3) Swish warm water in your mouth before you place the tablet under your tongue.

4) Crunch up the desiccated thyroid tablet before any of the above and before placing it all under your tongue.

Can’t I just swallow my NDT?

Definitely. You’ll just have to make sure you don’t also have a stomach full of iron rich foods, calcium or estrogen. Generally, it’s best to take your tablet away from any of the former, such as a two hour difference at the minimum.

*Have more sublingual ideas or experiences? Share it in the Comments section.

*Want to be informed of my blog posts? Curious what’s on my mind? Just use the Notifications to the bottom right of the links.

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Thyroid patients say PHOOEY to new Armour formulation and Forest Pharmaceuticals

armourtabletsugh1 As the “newly” formulated Armour desiccated thyroid pills, made by Forest Pharmaceuticals/Laboratories, have been hitting the market, so are comments coming out from some thyroid patients…and they are not in the least complimentary.

The reason that Armour had been favored by so many thyroid patients among all the desiccated thyroid brands is the ability to take it sublingually.  Sure, Armour was never officially made to be taken sublingually, but it worked.

Sublingual refers to the administration of a medication via the millions of tiny capillaries that line your mouth and mucous membrane. The pill was placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve–most of it entering the body directly via your sublingual glands, and only a small amount swallowed.

Some patients who switched from swallowing to sublingual noticed the difference, too.

But the beauty of sublingual has gone even farther than noticing anything different. First, it was always a known “baddy” to swallow any pills that might contain iron, estrogen or calcium at the same time we swallowed Armour or any other desiccated thyroid brand. Why? All three interfere with and bind a certain percentage of the thyroid hormones in our stomachs.  We were forced to take any of those hours apart from swallowing our pill. So doing the Armour sublingually allowed us to swallow the above pills, or drink milk, or eat high iron foods, at our own timing and not hours away.

Second, the old formula was usually gone in our mouths within 30 minutes give or take. Now, patients who take their newly formulated pills sublingually (which now has less dextrose and more cellulose) despise the “chalky, pasty, gritty residue” left in one’s mouth.  It also results in Armour taking far too long to be properly absorbed.

Third, those with adrenal fatigue can find themselves waking up with nausea due to the morning low cortisol. And being able to take Armour sublingually bypassed the need to swallow a liquid to take a pill and promote more nausea.

Fourth, those with Celiac disease, and even those with standard low thyroid digestive issues, found sublingual administration to help their absorption of what desiccated thyroid offers, which they didn’t get well if they swallowed the pill.

All in all, the buzz around patient groups or on comments here  about the newly formulated Armour is not complimentary.  It doesn’t work well sublingually. It’s too chalky. It leaves a gritty paste in your mouth.  And patients are highly disappointed.  Let’s hope that one of the pharmaceuticals takes the ball and runs to create a sublingual desiccated thyroid.

What is your experience with the new formulation? Are you still trying to do it sublingually?  Have you found doing Naturethroid sublingually works? Are you switching to Naturethroid or Westhroid out of principal, as many are stating they are doing? Use the comment section and let’s talk.

*Express your opinion to Forest here: 1-800-678-1605, ext. 66297.

*Want to know what’s on Janie’s mind? Want to read the latest about desiccated thyroid and better treatment? Use the Notifications on the left at the bottom of the links.

108 replies

Ten reasons you may still feel bad: health is like a chocolate cake

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(This post has been updated to the present date and time! Enjoy!)

I frequently bake chocolate cake for birthdays in my family. Of course, part of it is so I can lick the beaters and bowl. **blush** But in my family, we are chocolate lovers. So any cake I bake is THE BEST cake in world.

Why? Because of the combination and/or amounts of several important ingredients that make any cake “great”… by anyone. Leaving out any of those specific ingredients, or putting in too little or too much, could result in a cake less than great.

And your health and feel-goods as a thyroid patient are like a good cake: the combination of ingredients and amounts that you have to get right.

Below are ten healthy “ingredients” to investigate to make sure the “chocolate cake of your life” is great!

1) INGREDIENT: The right amount of thyroid hormone medication

One of the most common mistakes made by patients and their doctors is simply not raising high enough to find the right amount. I have a friend who was stuck on 3 grains of Natural Desiccated Thyroid out of habit. Now 3 grains might be right for some, but it wasn’t for her–she continued to have hypothyroid symptoms out of habit. I finally convinced her to talk to her doctor. Labs showed her free T3 was just a few points over mid-range, and having a free T3 towards the top seems to work better for most. That will also push the TSH very low…and without a problem. So she did raise, and it finally did the trick. She now had the perfect chocolate cake of health!

2) INGREDIENT: Optimal B12

Sammy felt like she was doing great on her thyroid meds, but something was off. She had occasionally weakness, a tingling in her fingers, fatigue, and sometimes walking problems. Turns out her B12 levels were not optimal, which can be common for those undiagnosed hypothyroid or on T4-only. She got a B12 test, learned where patients are optimal, and corrected it.

3) INGREDIENT: Optimal iron

Did you know that like most nutrients, being “in range” has nothing to do with anything?? It’s “where” you fall that counts. And thyroid patients who’ve been undiagnosed, undertreated due to being held hostage to the TSH, or treated with T4-only, tend to acquire inadequate levels of iron. Symptoms can include fatigue, depression, weakness, achiness, breathlessness or others.  Learn all about iron and where iron is optimal.

4) INGREDIENT:  The right amount of stomach acid via ACV or lemon juice

Hypothyroid patients can have low hydrochloric (HCL) stomach acid levels. That not only contributes to acid reflux (yes, reflux can be because of LOW iron), it means you don’t absorb nutrients well (including low B12 and iron mentioned above). As a result, it’s crucial to give that acid back to yourself.  A tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice mixed in water and taken twice day helps many. Or try taking Betaine, which is HCL in pill form, or any other quality HCL or digestive product.

5) INGREDIENT: Optimal levels of B-vitamins

Did you know that when you become healthier due to the right thyroid treatment, your demand for B-vitamins can increase? Yessiree. B-vitamins along with CoQ10, help drive the production of your internal cellular energy. Though a variety of foods give B-vitamins, patients will often supplement with a good whole food B-vitamin or one brand or kind of their choice.

6) INGREDIENT: Avoidance of gluten

Now, patient experiences have revealed that not everyone needs to remove gluten from their diet. But a very high percentage of Hashimoto’s patients (the autoimmune version of thyroid disease) find they do a great deal better if they do. Why? Gluten can raise one’s antibodies, as well as damage your stomach lining and intestines, thus reducing absorption of many key nutrients. If you have Celiac disease, removal of gluten is also important.

7) INGREDIENT: Sex Hormone balance

When your thyroid or adrenals get out of balance, your sex hormones can follow suit, from estrogen dominance to low testosterone.  When estrogen dominance occurs, you can feel depression, fatigue, and sore breasts.  Low testosterone can equal lower energy and mood. That’s why many thyroid patients also treat their hormonal levels, if needed, to feel better.

8) INGREDIENT: Iodine plus other minerals

Turns out that not only are your thyroid hormones in need of iodine to even exist, patients have reported iodine supplementation to help them feel better. Women like using it to rid themselves of fibrocystic breast disease. We do recommend doing on Iodine Loading Test to first see if you need it, though. Most do, but some may not. Other minerals are important too, like magnesium, potassium, sodium and more.

9) INGREDIENT: A good doctor

Yes, we certainly know how hard it can be to find an informed and open-minded doctor. And because of that, some patients are forced to self-treat, and we don’t begrudge that choice at all. If you do want to find a better doctor, here’s a page to help you do so. It may not always be easy where you live, but can be possible.

10) INGREDIENT: Knowledge

This is where Stop the Thyroid Madness (STTM) comes into play. STTM is the flagship of patient experiences and wisdom, ready for you to absorb all its excellent information and regain your health and well-being again, besides help teach your doctor. There are now TWO STTM books to learn from, too.

P.S. My real chocolate cake: I think cake mixes are just as good as homemade. I use Devils Food Cake a lot, but have used all the varieties for fun. But the icing is ALWAYS homemade: cream one stick butter, add about 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, then cream or half-n-half.  Shake in a liberal amount of sea salt. Add two tsp. vanilla.  Beat, beat.  Taste. Modify as needed. YUM. There are other great icings you can make! 

JanieSignature SEIZE THE WISDOM

** Come join the STTM Facebook page for daily inspiration and wisdom!

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