With Dr. Charlie Fagenholz and Lauren Johnson, APRN
Charlie and Lauren discuss the root cause of thyroid issues and considerations from a holistic approach.
First, Charlie mentions in the western medicine model, on average, 100 million people are prescribed Synthroid annually based on lab markers being out of range. He states many providers are not checking T3 and T4 levels. T4 is the active form of thyroid hormone. The endocrine system is a communication system that transmits information through hormones.
Charlie’s opinion is that thyroid is usually a secondary issue behind a detoxification issue. 80% of conversion of T3 to T4 happens in the liver; 20% happens in the kidneys. The rationale is that the thyroid is a symptom of a detox dysfunction in the body. A detox issue can lead to hypothyroidism if the liver does not start working more effectively.
Charlie reminds us that abnormal levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which is secreted by the pituitary gland, is more closely related to an adrenal stress hormone issue. This means the HPA axis is more of the issue. Lauren mentions that many patients are told their labs are normal and then they are placed on anxiety medication to treat their symptoms. Elevated estrogen can stop the conversion of your thyroid hormone and therefore every cell is affected due to the root cause of the liver not detoxing properly.
They share other things that can affect the thyroid.
One of these is fluoride in water. Lauren mentions that the states get money if they add fluoride to their water. Lauren recommends filtering your water and using a fluoride free toothpaste with hydroxyapatite.
Charlie describes how gluten affects the thyroid due to its chemical structure.
Two organs that it largely affects are thyroid and cerebellum. Lauren mentions some of the effects of gluten intolerance for people include depression, stomach discomfort and reduction of cytochrome P450 in the liver. This enzyme helps with phase I and phase II detoxification. If this enzyme is not being produced, the liver cannot detox properly causing “clogging” of the liver. The liver is where your thyroid hormone is converted properly. Therefore, the effect of gluten on the thyroid happens by its negative effect on the liver to impair its normal functioning. He mentions that an ingredient of Synthroid is gluten.
Lauren reminds us that Synthroid is synthetic T4 and that the kidneys must effectively convert T4 to T3 for the thyroid to function properly. She states this makes the issue with the effectiveness of this drug a conversion issue, not a thyroid issue directly.
Charlie shares some signs of a thyroid issue which include the following:
- Weight gain all over the body.
- Pear shaped, which is an estrogen issue
- Apple shaped, which is a cortisol/ insulin issue.
- Cold hands and feet.
Stress also impacts the thyroid in its ability to convert because high cortisol turns down thyroid conversion and stops the pituitary gland from producing TSH. Lauren wants us to understand that a thyroid medication or glandular may help short-term, but underlying issues still need to be addressed.
Charlie further adds that a viral issue like Epstein barr virus can cause thyroid nodules. If you deal with parasites present in your body chronically, your body with hold onto the virus. Your body uses vitamin C to make cortisol. Your immune system can crash when your cortisol is low. The presence of adequate vitamin C impairs viruses from being active.
Charlie educates on tyrosine, an amino acid, which leads to the thyroid being called the “mother of all happiness”. Tyrosine carries thyroid hormone and creates dopamine. Dopamine is the reward neurotransmitter creating happiness. Tyrosine is obtained in a whole foods nutrient dense diet that contains red meat. Lauren suggests that if you are not able to eat meat because you do not digest it, this is something to address and work on by improving your stomach acid. Another nutrient that helps the conversion of thyroid is selenium, which also helps control viruses. In the presence of low selenium in the body, viruses can be more active and attack the thyroid. Iodine creates T4. Tyrosine and selenium are the amino acid and the mineral, respectively, that convert T4 to T3. Without T4, you have iodine deficiency. Clinically, Charlie has seen iodine make Hoshimoto’s disease better is some people and worse in others. Charlie gives a clinical pearl stating that if you wake in the morning with crust in your eyes, this could be a sign of iodine deficiency.
Lauren mentions that intermittent fasting can be good for some people but could be bad for menstruating women because it can cause your cortisol to spike and your blood sugar to drop. This can result in hypothyroidism over time. Charlie mentions that if you experience “hangriness” with your blood sugar, it indicates functional reactive hypoglycemia. He explains the process: when you are hypoglycemic, your body wants to increase your blood sugar so it will secrete adrenaline and cortisol to tell your pancreas to secrete glucagon to tell the liver to dump sugar into your blood. This is another stressor to the liver. This is why the thyroid can be negatively affected - your body will prioritize blood sugar regulation over normal function of the thyroid.
Lauren and Charlie want us to understand that there should not be shame with taking a pharmaceutical for a thyroid issue, but that the longer you are on it, the harder it becomes to get off of it. They recommend a desiccated thyroid form as most effective. Lauren recommends moving to a glandular as a first step and see how you react. Charlie thinks the thyroid gets blame for adrenal dysfunction many times.
Charlie reminds us on the importance of emotional health – how it can be a root cause of thyroid dysfunction. This has to be addressed in thought pattern by changing the response to stressful situations and finding ways to decompress. This can include meditation, prayer, NET (neuro emotional technique), essential oils, music, connecting to nature or other. Overall, helping the body detox efficiently by targeting topics like parasites, heavy metals, yeast, fugus, glyphosate or fluoride is the direction to go.
Charlie reviews the basic lab values (functional ranges):
TSH – between 1.5 and 3 - above 3 is low thyroid, below 1.5 is hyperthyroid
T4 – between 6 and 12 - below 6 indicates you need iodine
Free T4 – between 1 and 1.5 – below 1 indicates you need iodine
T3 - 100 and 180 – below 100, you need to figure out why you are not converting correctly
Free T3 – between 3 and 4 - below 3, you need to look at why you are not converting correctly (look at tyrosine and selenium). Must also look at if you are producing too much cortisol and the function of your liver.
TPO antibodies – below 34 – above is Hoshimoto’s disease
Reverse T3 – between 9.2 and 24 – if this is off, look at cortisol issue
T3 uptake – between 28 and 38 – outside of this range, may indicate an estrogen dominance issue
Charlie reviews what you can do:
- Two nutrients that help autoimmune but do not get to the root cause are turmeric and resveratrol. A consideration for autoimmune issues is nightshades. This may be something you stay off for a while, or forever, depending on your response.
- Two herbs to help with viruses are olive leaf supreme and cats claw supreme. Another is schisandra supreme, which is good for adrenal function. It is important to eat and digest red meat to assist immunity and fight viruses.
- Also consider supporting methylation in the body. Lauren mentions that not everyone will tolerate methylated B vitamins. One supplement to help with methylation is inspiracell. This has tyrosine and selenium in it.
Lauren mentions when under a lot of stress, consider your balance of salt and potassium in your body. Therefore, adrenal cocktails may be helpful.
Finally, she summarizes possible causes of thyroid dysfunction to include: flouride, metals, gluten, dairy (casein), adrenals, chronic infection (viral), and methylation.
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