THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT

Thyroid imbalances occur when your thyroid produces too few or too many of these hormones. An overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism, occurs when the thyroid glands produce too many hormones. This can result in symptoms of anxiety, rapid heart rate/heart palpitations, weight loss, muscle weakness, and heat intolerance.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, is by far more common and often undetected. In fact, some estimate that as many as 1 in 7 adults suffer from hypothyroidism.Hypothyroidism has several causes which can be related to your thyroid, your liver or your actual cells. Upon treating the liver or cells first, we see a majority of the hypothyroid symptoms dissipate. The liver is in charge of converting T4 to T3. If the liver is malfunctioning, which occurs quite frequently in our modern society, then T4 is not converted effectively to T3. The other problem is thyroid resistance caused by malfunctioning thyroid receptor sites.

Iodine is the key to a healthy thyroid and metabolism.  It is best known for being a part of thyroid hormones, which are used in every cell of our bodies to regulate metabolism and weight by controlling the burning of fat for energy and heat.  Over 100 years ago iodine was shown to prevent and reverse goiter (swelling of the thyroid) and hypothyroid.  Iodine deficiency may also be involved in autoimmune disorders such as Grave’s and Hashimoto’s diseases; as studies have shown iodine-deficient patients have a higher rate of anti-thyroid antibodies.

There is an epidemic of Iodine deficiency in this country, one that affects every man, woman and child and especially vegetarians.  Over the last 30 years our Iodine intake has declined 50% primarily because it has been removed from our food supply while the ingestion of toxic competing halogens (bromine, fluorine, chlorine, perchlorate) has dramatically increased in food, water, medicines and the environment.  For example: Iodine in wheat has been replaced with Bromine, the gas used to fumigate your house for termites!  Simultaneously there has been a related increase in the rates of thyroid disease, breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, prostate cancer, and obesity. Meanwhile in Japan Iodine intake is up to 100 times higher, while all of these same diseases are significantly lower.

When the thyroid gland is under-active, your metabolism slows down and you suffer from symptoms such as, but not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Moodiness
• Unexplained Weight Gain
• Unable to Lose Weight
• Cold Hand and Feet
• Depression
• Heavy Menstrual Periods
• Cold Intolerance
• Muscle Aches and Weaknesses
• Constipation
• Hair Loss
• Puffiness or Swelling of The Face
• Brittle Hair and Nails
• Dry Skin and Hair

Numerous men and women of all ages have symptoms of low thyroid hormones but are not properly diagnosed because conventional medicine often limits testing to a few thyroid tests evaluating results based on out-of-date ranges. In 2002, the Society of Endocrinologists announced that the standard testing ranges for TSH were inaccurate and many people with hypothyroidism were undiagnosed. Even today many thyroid lab tests have not been corrected to test for the accurate range of thyroid hormone levels.

Unlike most doctors, the physicians at K3 NOW take a more targeted and comprehensive approach of testing your thyroid by measuring free T3, free T4, reverse T3, T3 uptake and TSH. We also check for thyroid antibodies (TPO), which can help determine the presence of an autoimmune thyroid disorder. If such a disorder is diagnosed quickly, treatment may be able to prevent permanent damage to your thyroid gland. Our physicians at K3 NOW also take into account your symptoms and realize patients react differently at different levels and try to optimize your thyroid not only to lab values but to correct your symptoms.

At K3 NOW, our physicians take a more thorough and comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating thyroid disorders. We do not just look for “adequate” or “normal” ranges, but aim to keep your thyroid hormone levels in an optimal range, so you can feel and be at your best. Our physicians use the most effective combination of thyroid hormones to fit your needs, symptoms and not depend just on the lab results for a more customized treatment plan.

With traditional medicine, hypothyroidism is typically treated with synthetic T4, which can correct your T4 and TSH levels or totally throw them off. However, most people cannot efficiently convert T4 to T3. This is an issue due to the fact that T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone. Even if your T4 and TSH levels are optimal, if your T3 levels are too high, low or imbalanced, you may still experience symptoms.

Once we analyze and review the current levels of all your thyroid hormones, we can then customize and tailor a thyroid treatment plan designed specifically for all your needs. The K3 NOW strategy of thyroid treatment frequently focuses on a combination of T3 and/or T4 hormone replacement, as well as vitamin and mineral supplication so that all your levels are brought into an optimal range and we correct all of your symptoms.