• How To Make Thyroid Hormone Replacement Work For You

    Posted February 4, 2013: by Bill Sardi

    So many take thyroid hormone replacement – an estimated 13 million Americans, and so many are unable to achieve satisfactory control of their thyroid gland.  Even switching from Levothyroxine, a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone T4, to the full spectrum Armour thyroid may not result in successful replacement of this gland that is essentially the thermostat for the body.  Levothyroxine may vary from batch to batch from the same manufacturer or from between different manufacturers, which is another reason for unsuccessful use of this hormone.

    A report published in the Federal Register says: “no currently marketed orally administered levothyroxine sodium product has been shown to demonstrate consistent potency and stability and, thus, no currently marketed orally administered levothyroxine sodium product is generally recognized as safe and effective.”  So there are obvious quality and consistency problems with thyroid hormone replacement.”

    Furthermore, so many low-thyroid (hypothyroid) patients are told they do not have a low thyroid condition.  But the blood test for this is often misleading.  You can read more about that here.

    The best way to determine if you have a low thyroid condition is to obtain a thermometer and place it at your bedside table.  When you awaken in the morning, immediately place the thermometer under your arm for 5 minutes and remain still or activity may raise your body temperature.  If your axillary temperature is 96-F or below, you are likely hypothyroid.   More precise instructions are available online here.

    Even if synthetic T4 is biologically potent and accurately dosed, it must be converted to T3, which requires the trace mineral selenium.  This may be the reason why you needed to go on thyroid hormone replacement in the first place.  So thyroid hormone replacement users might think of supplementing their diet with selenium.  Organically bound seleno-methionine or SelenoExcel are preferred.

    With all this said, the prevalent problem that is interfering with thyroid hormone replacement is gastric infection with H. pylori, a very common bacterium that is found in a third to half of the American populationH. pylori infection impairs the absorption of thyroid hormone and is often overlooked as a reason why hormone replacement fails.  Furthermore, if you are a woman also taking estrogen replacement, it also increases the dose of thyroid you need to achieve metabolic normalization.

    Another common problem is that H. pylori reduces the production of stomach acid required to absorb vitamin B12, which then results in fatigue, short-term memory loss, sore tongue, burning feet and backaches.  Most hypothyroid individuals mistakenly believe their fatigue is due to low thyroid, when in fact it is due to low B12.  The concomitant use of acid-blocker drugs to treat heartburn would also be contraindicated as these medications would also reduce absorption of thyroid hormone. Alcohol is another B12 destroyer.

    Take special note, the very existence of H. pylori can induce an autoimmune problem that attacks the thyroid, again, resulting in the very problem patients face who have chronic thyroiditis.

    Also be mindful that consumption of calcium carbonate, an alkaline mineral, has also been found to inhibit the absorption of thyroid hormone.  Probably consumption of all alkaline minerals should be avoided at the same time thyroid hormone is taken.

    H. pylori sufferers may want to read my report entitled EVERY MAN’S DISEASE which lists natural remedies that quell H. pylori.

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