Thyroid Health Affected by Nutritional Status and Stress Hormones

I recently had the privilege of hearing Dr. Chris Meletis at an Advanced Hormone Module sponsored by the Institute for Functional Medicine, According to Dr. Meletis, "the clinical evidence is clear that prior to offering thyroid replacement, identifying underlying triggers for thyroid dysfunction is a must. The First Approach ideally incorporates ensuring that the adrenal function is sufficient as defined by adequate cortisol levels, along with DHEA sulfate and pregnenolone levels. Relative to specific nutritional supplements ensuring that there are sufficient ferritin levels of at least 70 to 100 is a must, along with adequate serum selenium of at least 90 mcg/L. In addition making sure that zinc status is optimal is foundational, as low zinc can also lower both T4/T3 levels. Iodine is certainly a must as well, with a minimum of 150 mcg daily, with at least 1000 mcg per day a common initial therapeutic dosing. It has also been noted that 40% of hypothyroid patients are B12 deficient."

It is essential to ask the clinical question of why a tissue or gland has become insufficient. Optimizing nutritional status is always the first step, while making sure that an acute or chronic adrenal stress response has not down-regulated the TSH and Free T4 and Free T3 is an absolute consideration. In addition, thyroid hormone levels are dynamic as reflected in the 2007 survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,which showed that values spontaneously returned to normal in more than 50% of patients with abnormal TSH levels when the test was repeated at a later date.

So the bottom line is have your physician check adrenal functioning and nutritional status first before putting you on thyroid replacement hormone. Once on a replacement hormone, such as Synthroid, the thyroid may shut down, which necessitates being on thyroid replacement therapy for life.