Why Do I still have Thyroid Symptoms?
When my Lab Tests are Normal?
A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Hashimotos Disease and Hypothyroidism.
By Datis Kharrazian, DHSc , DC
A Book Review
“A revolutionary breakthrough in understanding Hashimoto’s
Disease and Hypothyroidism”, as described in the Forward by, Aristo Vojdani,
PhD, MSc, MT. Dr. Vojdani is the author of, “Antibodies as predictors of
autoimmune disease and cancer”-Expert
Opinion on Medical Diagnostics (
June 2008 p.593-605).
Autoimmune Destruction
of the Thyroid Gland:
Datis Kharrazian notes “ when the immune system
flares up it destroys thyroid tissue and releases a flood of
metabolism-stimulating thyroid hormone in the bloodstream which causes a
racing, pounding heart and anxiety. ”“Wheat and other gluten containing foods
only make Hashimoto’s worse.” Kharrazian states that the gluten molecule is
very similar to the thyroid molecule which causes a damaging autoimmune
response against the thyroid while producing antibodies to the gluten.
“Antibiotic use, which knocks out all gut floras, good and
bad, can dampen the thyroid function” P.4 per Kharrazian.
“T3 enters the nucleus of each cell, where it turns genes on
or off, directing the cells activities.”
Birth Control Pills/
Estrogen:
Estrogen via the pituitary gland “will create too many
thyroid binding proteins.” P.5 Estrogen in the pill, environmental estrogens,
even cosmetics can be culprits by the creation of too many thyroid binding
hormones.
Signs of Low Thyroid
Function:
The most common symptoms of low thyroid function are: Fatigue;
Morning Headaches; Weight Gain; Depression; Constipation; Hypersensitivity to cold weather; poor circulation, numbness in hands and feet; muscle cramps while at rest; increase susceptibility to colds and other
viral/bacterial infections; slow wound healing; chronic digestive problems; lack of stomach acid; itchy, dry skin; dry/brittle
hair; hair falls out easily; low auxiliary
(body-heat) temperature; edema, facial swelling ( myxedema) ; loss of the outer most portion of the eyebrows,
P.6.
Other signs of autoimmune Hashimoto's disease: “Heart
Palpitations; inward trembling; increased pulse rate, even at rest: Feelings of nervousness and emotional distress;
insomnia; night sweats; difficulty losing weight.”
T3 is the only active form of the thyroid hormone (T3
becomes reverse( r)T3 a useless form). Only if there are helpful bacteria in
the intestinal track can T4- is converted to useful T-3.
Levels of useless reverse T3 (rT3) can be raised
during times of, “major trauma, surgery or severe chronic stress.”
Growth Hormones Still
Needed at Any Age:
GH is needed to regenerate cells and tissues, “ GH
then stimulates the synthesis of insulin-like growth factor (IAF1) in the liver
in order to complete the job.”
Fat Burning:
Low thyroid function makes it harder for the body to burn
fat, “by shutting down the cells that respond to lipase, an enzyme that
metabolizes fat.”
The adrenal hormones epinephrine, nora-epinephrine that
enhance fat burning lose power when the thyroid” is not working correctly.
Insulin and Glucose
Metabolism:
“The fuzzy, foggy brain and poor memory are common in
hypothyroidism because the brain cannot absorb glucose. “ Hypothyroidism also
makes it harder to break down insulin medication, so the diabetics need to take less than they
normally might”, p13.
High Cholesterol and
Triglycerides is the Result of Low Thyroid:
The author considers high triglycerides and cholesterol a
possible symptom of low thyroid disease.
Body Heat and Hot
Flashes:
Hot Flashes may or may not be related to low thyroid
disease. A Female Hormone panel may be the best way to determine if the hot
flashes are caused by female hormone fluctuations or adrenal glands affected by
the underactive thyroid glands. Adrenal gland malfunction tend to “prompt
sweating without feeling hot.”
Brain Chemistry:
Failure of the adrenal glands to perform the same energizing
effect on the brain which leads to: depression, mood disorders, lethargy and
weight gain.”
Estrogen Metabolism
and Breast Cancers:
“Estrogen must first be made water soluble in the liver in
order to be eliminated from the body…..Hypothyroidism appears to hinder
pathways in the liver that makes this possible… the result is too much co
called “proliferative” estrogen which may lead to breast cancer, uterine
fibroids, ovarian cysts p. 9”.
The author prefers salivary adrenal tests for a better
indication of hormonal clearance through the kidneys.
Liver Detoxification:
Low thyroid function is directly related to the liver’s inability
to remove toxins per Datis Kharrazian.
Stomach Acid
Production:
Hypothyroidism and low stomach acid are direct cause and
effect. Low stomach acid cannot prevent
food poisoning, parasites nor encourage the gallbladder and pancreas to
complete digestion. Hypothyroidism reduces the production of the hormone gastrin
upon which the stomach acid depends to be produced.
It is the rotting food in the stomach without sufficient
stomach acid that causes gastric reflux NOT excess stomach acid, as
commonly thought per the Author.
Protein Metabolism:
The right levels of stomach acid are necessary for protein
metabolism.
Progesterone Production:
Symptoms of low progesterone are, “heavy periods,
depression, headaches and other symptoms in the middle of her cycle.”
According to Kharrazian, thyroid hormone sensitizes the
body’s cells to progesterone. Without
adequate thyroid hormone a women will manifest symptoms of progesterone
deficiency.
(“Topical progesterone maybe stored in body fat” , as noted
by the author.)
Thyroid Hormones and
Anemia:
Low thyroid Hormones cause anemia in 3 different ways.
A) Anemia
can result from a B12 and Folic Acid Deficiency combined with a lack of stomach
acid and low stomach acid can cause anemia.
B) Over
12% of people with low hypothyroidism have pernicious anemia.
Pernicious anemia is another autoimmune
disease that destroys the stomach’s ability to absorb B12, therefore the
production of healthy red blood cells is thwarted.
C) “Lastly,
since hypothyroidism leads to a deficiency in stomach acid, iron absorption is
(among other things is poor) and remember how hypothyroidism makes it hard for
progesterone to enter the cells? That
effect causes excessive bleeding during menstruation and poor iron absorption
from low stomach acid coupled with excessive bleeding bring on anemia of iron
deficiency.”
Protein Binding:
Research shows that an under
active thyroid reduces the “taxis” of binding proteins produced by the liver.
Heart:
Too much of an amino acid, homocysteine
increases the “risk of Heart disease, as well as dementia and neurodegenerative
disease. Low thyroid hormone levels increase the level of homocysteine” in
one’s body.
Adrenal Hormones Metabolism:
This author prefers salivary an
adrenal test for a better indicator of hormonal clearance through the kidneys.
Liver Detoxification:
“Low thyroid function is directly
related to the liver’s ability to remove toxins.”
Removal to the Thyroid Gland and Autoimmune Disease:
“In removing the thyroid gland
some tissue is left behind to serve as a site for autoimmune attacks.”
“Iodine has the potential to
actually speed up the inflammation and destruction of the thyroid gland.” P22.
“ In the United State autoimmune disease
accounts for approximately 90 percent of adult hypothyroidism, mostly
due to Hashimotos.”
The Roller Coaster of “Normal” TSH:
Fluctuations of thyroid hormones of
persons with Hashimotos; can be
misdiagnosed as an “ anxiety disorder”.
Gluten Intolerance:
Gluten may increase the immune
response. Iodine – appears to trigger the autoimmune response.
Autoimmune Response creates surges
of autoimmune disease gluten intolerance, estrogen surges, POS ovary syndrome, Vitamin
D deficiency, environmental toxicity, chronic infection and inflammation.
Stress:
Stress atrophies the thyroid and
thins the protective barriers of the gut, lungs and brain. This lab maybe
helpful in testing for stress related and other hormone imbalances ( Enterolab)
www.enterolab.com.
Auto immune response to gluten may also attack the thyroid gland:
The over response to the immune
system to gluten can last up to 6 months after each time gluten is
consumed . Readers may want to check out the author’s notes about the role of
dismutase liposomal cream in mitigating some of the immune response to gluten
ingestion. The author also details other remedies for these autoimmune
reactions.
Estrogen Fluctuations:
“When an autoimmune attack
destroys thyroid tissue, excess thyroid hormone enters the blood stream
increasing the metabolic rate and producing symptoms such as hot flashes,
nervousness, insomnia and irritability--- all of which appear to women and her
doctors as signs of per menopause.”
Insulin Resistance:
Insulin resistance leads to excess
testosterone production. As testosterone levels rise, the cells becomes
more insulin resistant, which in turn promotes testosterone elevations,
thus creating a vicious cycle.
Women with insulin resistance
usually have facial hair and large bellies. Insulin escorts glucose from the blood stream
then it is circulated round and round in the blood stream, damaging arterial
walls.
Insulin resistance affects fat
storage. This process also raise serotonin levels of this brain chemical
that can induce drowsiness.
Thyroid Cytokines and Hormones:
TH-1 and TH-2 cytokines affect
thyroid function beyond powering Hashimotos Disease
TH-1 and TH 2 cytokines also
affect other aspects of the body’s immune system. This complex information is very
informative as noted in Datis Kharrazian’s book. A reader with Hashimotos might consider the
testing and remedies for these immune system responses of great interest.
Hashimotos Disease and Vitamin D:
If you have Hashimotos you may
need additional vitamin D for another reason. Studies have found that more 90 percent of
people with autoimmune thyroid disease a have a genetic defect affecting their
ability to process this nutrient….. Therefore, these people need higher amounts
of the vitamin D to maintain health.” Reviewers Note: Serum Blood Vitamin D levels need to be
checked as too little Blood Serum Levels of Vitamin D 3 increase a person’ risk
of solid tumors and autoimmune disease too much Vitamin D can cause kidney damage.
Dr. Terry Wahls, who herself
almost died from an autoimmune disease,
multiple sclerosis determined from reading the European Medical Journals that good Vitamin D3 Blood Levels to be between
50-80 ng/mL to prevent and reverse
autoimmune disease ( See her 17 minute YouTube Video TEDX - Iowa City ) is well
worth viewing. Dr. Wahls is quoted in
her, YouTube Video , “ I have the best American Medicine and I am dying”. Her
research in the European Medical Journals produced the important information of
the right blood levels of vitamin D3 in boosting the immune system to optimum
function.
You can order your own vitamin D3
online without a doctors order from one of many patient direct labs like Direct
Labs etc.
Thyroid Disease and Autoimmune Reactions:
Autoimmune reactions to brain and
nerve tissue; “Some
people develop autoimmune reactions to brain and nerve tissue, such as muscular dystrophy and
autism.”
“Taming the Blood Sugar Beast” for Thyroid Health is covered in Chapter
5:
The author refers to, “
Dysglycemia whereby the body has unstable blood sugar either to high or too
low… as a National American condition”.
This chapter covers the symptoms
of low blood sugar and insulin resistance which the author views that it is
possible for the same person to have both issues at the same time.
In detection of the status of blood
sugar a person is in encouraged to determine if their AM blood sugar is below
or above 80-100 ng/mL.
Kharrazaian covers the role of
insulin resistance in making a person fat and for women it can cause facial hair.
Pages 108 and 109 note the role of sugar in damaging the arterial walls.
The author details various sugar mitigation
suggestions; “ always have high sugar foods with fiber, fat and protein”, to
slow down the absorption of the blood sugar spiking effects of sugar. “No sugar
before bed is recommended or a person will wake at 3AM with anxiety.”
Gastric Inflammation-Stress and High Cortisone Levels:
With gastric inflammation T4 is
not controverted to the active thyroid hormone of T3. Gastric Inflammation from
dysbiosis or an infection reduces the most important thyroid hormone of T3.
This inflammation creates an alarm reaction causing the body to produce
cortisol thus decreasing the active T-3 and increasing the levels of the
inactive reverse T-3.
Dandelion root, milk thistle, taurine
and ginger can help delete the negatives effects of gastric inflammation.
Other negative impacts of high
cortisone levels include lowered progesterone and testosterone levels and
reduction in the liver’s ability to eliminate estrogen.
Kharrazian notes
that poor gut health may also triggers autoimmune reaction. This is also
cited in Wikepedia: Hashimotos
Thyroiditis
Healthy Gut Bacteria: We all
have 4 pounds of healthy gut bacteria which is important to produce human
growth hormone, thyroid hormone, serotonin etc…
Fat digestion is reduced in the
bowel decreasing liver detoxification when one takes antibiotics without
probiotics.
High Cholesterol and Hypothyroidism:
Page 120 notes the relationship
between low thyroid and high cholesterol.
This reviewer has often heard of Hashimotos Disease referred to as the “wild
card”, of Thyroid
Disease as one may have a low TSH with
low Free T 3 and Free T4. People with an autoimmune form of thyroid disease would be best served
by the complete panel of thyroid tests at the very least : Free T3 , Free T4, Reverse Free T3 and
testing autoimmune response.
In review of this book I found it most
interesting, covering many topic not covered in other books on Thyroid Diseases.
Other books you might find of interest
along these lines are:
Feeling
, Fat, Fuzzy or Frazzled by Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames
