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| Guidance
in safely and effectively using
thyroid
hormone...
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One of the
most important topics I educate people about is how to recognize the
signs and symptoms of taking an excessive dosage of thyroid hormone.
You may already know that the TSH and thyroid hormone levels are not
effective ways to determine adequate dosing. Learning what signs and
symptoms to watch for is effective.
For the past seven years patients have been using my form titled "Are
you overstimulated?" to track any changes that could be problematic. I
created the form to facilitate communications between us and
to document their consideration of the possiblity of having any
overstimulation symptoms.
I ask people to fill out the "Are
you overstimulated?" form even before they start using thyroid hormone
so we can get a baseline set of data to use as a reference point. Mo
st people
have some of the signs or symptoms even before they start using thyroid
hormone. I recently revised the form so be sure that you have the
current version.
One glimmer of
change I have seen over the passage of time is that more and
more physicians are contacting me to get permission to use my form.
It's copyrighted, but I'm glad to share the form with anyone who wants
to use it. Feel free to download it from my website and share it with
whomever you like. And, please share this and your other monitoring
forms with your other physicians. When he or she realizes that you are
complying well with my metabolic rehab protocol you are likely to get
better cooperation from them.
Click here for
"Are you overstimultated?" form
Another way you can
help your prescribing doctor is to suggest safety testing. I encourage
you to get an electrocardiogram or bone densitometry if he or she
suggests that using higher dosages of thyroid hormone might adversely
affect your heart or bones.
And, be sure
to fully engage in all of the components of metabolic rehab. In
addition to the right type and amount of thyroid hormone, take your
nutritional supplements, eat a wholesome diet, exercise to tolerance,
and get physical treatment as needed.
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| Supply vs.
utilization of thyroid hormone |
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As I was reviewing articles for
current thinking in vitamin D requirements I ran across one that got my
attention for a different reason. In addition to questioning how best
to measure the the body's supply of vitamin D, the authors, Prentice,
et al, discuss the need to measure the body's functional and health
outcomes as well. They make the statement "However, a single biomarker
of vitamin D status or threshold value is unlikely to be valid in all
situations." How refreshing to find critical thinking skills alive and
well in that statement!
Another excerpt states, "It draws attention to the importance of
distinguishing between biomarkers of supply, function, and outcome and
of considering the many factors that could influence interpretation,
such as life stage, ethnicity, body mass index, liver and kidney
function, and dietary calcium and phosphorus intake." --American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008 Aug;88(2):500S-506S.
Now, if endocrinologists
would consider TSH, free T4 and free T3 levels with the same clarity of
thought we might move forward in the treatment of people with impaired
thyroid hormoen regulation. At present, their standard of care is only
concerned with the production or supply of thyroid hormone and ignores
the function, or utilization at the tissue level.
Be sure to ask your prescribing
doctors to please consider that changes in your symptoms are better
indicators of tissue utilization of thyroid hormone than are your TSH
or thyroid hormone levels.
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| Updated Vitamin D Recommendation |
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Studies are showing that we need more vitamin D
than previously thought. According to the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, a dosage of vitamin D3 between 1000 - 4000 IU per day can
raise blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D to high normal levels
without causing toxic reactions. Vitamin D3 is the natural form and
has less potential for toxicity. Link to article...
I suggest using 1000 - 2000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and
sitting in the sunlight for 15 minutes daily. Besides dietary intake,
our skin manufactures vitamin D and one hour of sun exposure can
generate up to 10,000 IU. Studies have shown that sunlight/skin
generated vitamin D does not build up to a toxic level. Avoiding the
sun and using sunscreens are partly responsible for our decreasing
vitamin D levels. Elderly (over 74 years of age) people's ability to
make vitamin D in their skin decreases by 50% so supplementation
becomes even more important for them.
Adequate vitamin D intake is important for:
- Bone health
- Immune system function
- Digestive system
- Reproductive system
- Decreased incidence of
colon cancers
- Blood pressure regulation
- Reduced incidence or in relapses in
MS patients who use vitamin D supplement.
If you use the Fruit Antioxidant formula of All-One Vitamin
Powder as part of your metabolic rehab, you're getting 500 IU of
vitamin D2, also called ergocalciferol, per serving. Since you should
be using 2 servings per day you will get 1000 IU. This should be
adequate along with your 15 minutes in the sun. Vitamin D2, the
synthetic form, has a greater risk of toxicity from excess dosing so
it's best not to push it over 1000 - 1200 IU per day. If you do decide
to add more vitamin D for a total of 2000 IU per day, please use the D3
form.
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