Scorpio,
If you want to get the thyroid working without Armour, then I think the only way to try is to first get rid of everything that could be negatively affecting the thyroid and then supplement with the minerals that are essential for optimum performance of the thyroid.
The two main minerals(apart from fluoride), adversely affecting the thyroid are cadmium and mercury. Whilst most people are aware of the dangers of mercury, cadmium seems to have been mostly ignored, but its probably more widespread in the environment than mercury and its effect on the thyroid is probably more insidious.
Cadmium can come from many sources that we are exposed to: tobacco smoke, burning oil, automobile tire dust, cadmium batteries, canned foods, dried foods, cola drinks, processed coffee, decaffeinated coffee, milk (from galvanized dairy cans, butter, olive oil, lipstick, silver polish residue on eating utensils, metal ice trays, processed meats, pottery, plastic wrappings, wheat gluten, the electric elements that are put directly into containers to heat water for soups, teas, and coffees, and many other sources. Many of these foods have come under scrutiny and perhaps the reason that they bother people is the cadmium content.
Cadmium is also plentiful in chocolate unfortunately!
One of the greatest effects of cadmium is that it depletes selenium in the body because selenium is essential for cadmium removal. Selenium atoms combine with cadmium atoms and are escorted out of the body via the bile system. When selenium is depleted by cadmium, there is less selenium to form the deiodinase enzymes which convert T4 to T3, resulting in low T3 and hypothyroidism.
Selenium also acts as a chelator of mercury so both cadmium and mercury can be used up in chelation by the body leaving the thyroid depleted of selenium.
Once thyroid antagonists are dealt with you can try increasing zinc and potassium(besides selenium), low levels of which are associated with hypo symptoms.
I assume you are not taking any prescription drugs?
After a year of orthoiodosupplementation with Iodoral, scorpio should not have to worry about the other 3 halogens.
That's interesting about the heavy metals. I knew how important it was to supplement with selenium while doing iodine therapy. I did not realize that selenium was depleted as it does its job. Make sense now.
I also like the Jarrow detox formula; but it is more expensive than the Swanson's. I'll have to try that one.
Cadmium can come from many sources that we are exposed to: tobacco smoke, burning oil, automobile tire dust, cadmium batteries, canned foods, dried foods, cola drinks, processed coffee, decaffeinated coffee, milk (from galvanized dairy cans, butter, olive oil, lipstick, silver polish residue on eating utensils, metal ice trays, processed meats, pottery, plastic wrappings, wheat gluten, the electric elements that are put directly into containers to heat water for soups, teas, and coffees, and many other sources. Many of these foods have come under scrutiny and perhaps the reason that they bother people is the cadmium content.[/quote]I probably am exposed to much less of these than most people. I might put a tablespoon of dried cranberries on my salad. I do use olive oil (although I switched to sesame oil for salads lately).
but, to be realistic, to avoid all of these is unrealistic. How do I know whether the milk I drank came from galvanized cans? I live in a populated area. Should I quit taking walks because I might be exposed to automobile tire dust? do I quit eating butter and olive oil? How am I supposed to cook if I don't put heated elements close enough to my cooking pans to heat them?
I think a better solution would be to find sources of cadmium to add to your daily diet... and I will look for that, now that I know this. So, I do appreciate you telling me this.
I just have a tendency to think there has to be more to this, considering everyone is exposed to these things day in and day out, and a lot of people don't have thyroid problems. and.. it is mostly women that end up hypothyroid. so, I wonder if hormones might be a factor.
for that matter, why doesn't everyone in America have cadmium depletion and a worse thyroid problem than me? I live a pretty clean life compared to most people I know.
I will look at the metal detox vitamin. certainly couldn't hurt (I would like to know the source of algae, though), and might help.
as for prescription drugs.. other than armour, no. I was taking a very small dose of atenelol for a small heart murmur that was causing me night sweats years ago. but, I think my exercise program has strengthened my heart, because I quit taking it and no longer seem to have problems. I probably still have a small heart murmur (from what I understand that doesn't go away), but.. I don't seem to have any ill effects from it anymore. I do take magnesium regularly, so I think that helps a lot to correct heart rhythms.
Cadmium can come from many sources that we are exposed to: tobacco smoke, burning oil, automobile tire dust, cadmium batteries, canned foods, dried foods, cola drinks, processed coffee, decaffeinated coffee, milk (from galvanized dairy cans, butter, olive oil, lipstick, silver polish residue on eating utensils, metal ice trays, processed meats, pottery, plastic wrappings, wheat gluten, the electric elements that are put directly into containers to heat water for soups, teas, and coffees, and many other sources. Many of these foods have come under scrutiny and perhaps the reason that they bother people is the cadmium content.
I probably am exposed to much less of these than most people. I might put a tablespoon of dried cranberries on my salad. I do use olive oil (although I switched to sesame oil for salads lately).
but, to be realistic, to avoid all of these is unrealistic. How do I know whether the milk I drank came from galvanized cans? I live in a populated area. Should I quit taking walks because I might be exposed to automobile tire dust? do I quit eating butter and olive oil? How am I supposed to cook if I don't put heated elements close enough to my cooking pans to heat them?
I think a better solution would be to add more metal detoxing agents to my daily diet... and I will look for that, now that I know this. So, I do appreciate you telling me this. Perhaps something in my genetic makeup indicates that I need help eliminating metals..
I just have a tendency to think there has to be more to this, considering everyone is exposed to these things day in and day out, and a lot of people don't have thyroid problems. and.. it is mostly women that end up hypothyroid. so, I wonder if hormones might be a factor.
for that matter, why doesn't everyone in America have cadmium depletion and a worse thyroid problem than me? I live a pretty clean life compared to most people I know.
I will look at the metal detox vitamin. certainly couldn't hurt (I would like to know the source of algae, though), and might help.
as for prescription drugs.. other than armour, no. I was taking a very small dose of atenelol for a small heart murmur that was causing me night sweats years ago. but, I think my exercise program has strengthened my heart, because I quit taking it and no longer seem to have problems. I probably still have a small heart murmur (from what I understand that doesn't go away), but.. I don't seem to have any ill effects from it anymore. I do take magnesium regularly, so I think that helps a lot to correct heart rhythms.
Last edited by scorpiotiger; 08-07-2008 at 02:02 PM.
Reason: umm.. don't need to ADD cadmium. need to get rid of it! I am typo queen
also, I want to note that I first started taking synthroid 19 years ago, when the doctor noticed a small goiter and diagnosed me with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is where the body starts attacking the thyroid when the thyroid is trying to produce hormone. the hormone level in the blood drops, and the body signals the thyroid to produce more hormone. When the thyroid attempts to do that, it is attacked again (with antibodies).. and it becomes a vicious cycle, with the thyroid enlarging because of the attacks and trying to produce more and more thyroid hormones and not being able to.
by taking thyroid hormone orally, the blood level of hormone goes back to normal, and the body quits signalling the thyroid that it needs to make more thyroid. so.. it is a sidestep bypass kind of solution. It doesn't really fix the problem, but it keeps the body from continuously attacking the thyroid by introducing another supply of thyroid hormone.
The goiter disappeared with the synthroid. The thing is.. I have been on the same dose (or the equivalent dose for armour) for 19 years. not up, not down.. I'm always the same with the blood tests (including this last year with iodoral supplementation). And a year ago, I had the doctor test my blood for antibodies. there were none.
so.. I think whatever happened, happened 19 years ago, perhaps a virus, and I've had no damage since then. It just stays.. the same. so, I don't know.. maybe the damaged part isn't recoverable. but.. to be honest, I don't think modern medicine knows whether it is recoverable.
I think thyroid hormone is like insulin. Once a solution was found that saved lives (and your body needs thyroid hormone to function correctly).. then.. the need to research further isn't as urgent. unfortunately.
Once thyroid antagonists are dealt with you can try increasing zinc and potassium(besides selenium), low levels of which are associated with hypo symptoms.
I just have a tendency to think there has to be more to this, considering everyone is exposed to these things day in and day out, and a lot of people don't have thyroid problems.
Cadmium builds up in the body over a long time, we start of with zero at birth and most research estimates that by middle age we have 30/40mg, mostly located in the liver,kidneys and smaller organs like the thyroid.
Some people are more sensitive to cadmium than others. Just as some people are more sensitive to mercury in amalgams, whilst others can have a mouthful of fillings and have no problems.
Quote:
but, to be realistic, to avoid all of these is unrealistic. How do I know whether the milk I drank came from galvanized cans? I live in a populated area. Should I quit taking walks because I might be exposed to automobile tire dust? do I quit eating butter and olive oil? How am I supposed to cook if I don't put heated elements close enough to my cooking pans to heat them?
All these things will only bring minute increases in cadmium levels and as you say you cant avoid them.
Cadmium is in the food chain as well, mainly through the use of superphosphates and contaminated sewerage sludge as a fertiliser,so unless you become totally organic and go to live on a desert island you cant avoid it.
Quote:
it is mostly women that end up hypothyroid. so, I wonder if hormones might be a factor.
Cadmium also appears to act as yet another(sigh...is there no end to them) estrogen mimic, which may well be another way it can act in lowering thyroid hormones. https://www.innovations-report.com/ht...ort-19973.html
I am not suggesting that cadmium (and mercury) are the only possible reasons for hypo symptoms,but they are a very good place to start looking in an attempt to find the cause, which would be necessary in order to get off medication.
hi new here ...I have been reading about iodine in the treatment of thyroid issues here & had to jump in to tell you about my experience
I have a multi nodular goitre & have been diagnosed as having sub clinical hyperthyroidism ..traditional doctors have refused treatment as they do not consider this state to be bad enough to warrant the dangerous drugs they use to treat this state.......so I went to an integrative medical practioner who after testing with 24 urine test found I was iodine deficient she put me on 4 drops of lugols iodine daily
within days my symptoms became much much worse when I told her about this ...she insisted I continue anyway.....I discontinued both lugols & doc
on further reading about iodine & multi nodular goitre/hyperthyroidism I found that people with multi nodular goitres cannot properly synthesise iodine (henc the deficiency) also iodine can drive susceptable people (hyperthyroid) into a dangerous thyroid storm this confirmed by the news that two people died from thyroid storm after eating bread supplemented with iodine .
I speak from years of experience on the medical merry go round
Equilibrium, did the doctor use iodine loading for the 24 hour test? If so, how much was used in dose?
The Lugol's is not a high dose but could trigger problems if loading dose was 50 mg or more.You may still benefit from iodine at low dose but be certain that the 24 hour test was carried out properly and you were indeed iodine insufficient.
hi doc iodine loading was used for the test but I dont remember the amount .....I have spoken with many people on thyroid boards and it seem that adverse reaction to iodine supplementation is not uncommon in people with thyroid issues particularly hyperthyroidism
My experience has been different. Majority of reactions derive from incompetent practitioners or self-medication. Significant success of iodine therapy in hyperthyroidism is the rule but precise monitoring is essential.
incompetant doctors I have seen many of, they refuse to treat subclincal hyperthyroidism but are happy to treat the side effect 'osteoporosis' (which I have) with dangerous bisphosphonate drugs...and I wont even mention those that prefer to treat the purse before the patient
the reason iodine can induce hyperthyroidism/thyroid storm is an underlying autonomously functioning thyroid gland caused by a nodule, multinodular goitre or graves disease ...another cause for problems with iodine supplementation is selenium , it is necessary for proper metabalism of iodine , the two work together
anyway thats my experience with iodine & docs and I have sworn off both
I speak from years of experience on the medical merry go round
You are right concerning osteoporosis treatment. It's like patching up brittle concrete with new, fresh material.
Also cause of oral malignancies.
For more thyroid information Dr. Brownstein has written much sensible information.
To write off ALL doctors is unwise of course.I married one and she watches over me.
Since you have had such difficulty in this area, if it were me, I would seek out a classical homeopath, one with an excellent reputation and work with that system for about 6 months and see if you make any progress. I have seen many a hormonal issue worked out with homeopathy
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