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[Do you have symptoms of estrogen dominance?]

This is from a book that sounds frivolous but isn't: From Belly Fat to belly flat: how your hormones are adding inches to your waistline and subtracting years from your life. by CW Randolph, Jr MD and Genie James.


Here is an excerpt, I'll be posting more info on this as I can:

Do you have symptoms of estrogen dominance?

Weight gain is only one symptom of an underlying hormone imbalance. Because hormone receptors are located throughout the body and in the brain, estrogen dominance can manifest in a host of physical, emotional, and mental ailments. These include anxiety, depression, fatigue, breast tenderness, headaches (including migraines), digestive disorders, fuzzy thinking and/or memory loss, and low libido. Look at the box on page 15. If two or more of these symptoms apply to you, and if these symptoms have been present for more than three months, it is likely a signal that you are suffering from an underlying condition of estrogen dominance.

If you've read through the other threads on detoxing the body from pollutants and are following an anti inflammatory diet, watching your blood type foods, and making as many changes as you can, yet still feel icky....or you can't seem to lose any of the bad fat....estrogen dominance might be a factor.

If you're detoxing or going through measures to get rid of candida, many of these symptoms will be similar to the ones below. Once you are clear of candida, and still have some of the same symptoms, then it might be a good time to look at estrogen dominance.


From the box on page 15: Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

Women:                    Men
_________________________________________________ ___

Mood Swings                       Burned out feeling

Hot Flashes                         Abdominal fat

Night Sweats                       Prostate problems

Fatigue                               Decreased mental activity

Headaches                          Increased urinary urge

Depressed                          Decreased strength

Anxious                              Decreased stamina

Nervous                              Difficulty sleeping

Irritable                              Decreased urine flow

Tearful                               Irritable

Memory lapse                     Depressed

Weight Gain                        Erectile dysfunction

Premature Aging                  Night sweats

Vaginal Dryness                  Poor concentration

Heavy menses

Bleeding changes

Incontinence

Fibrocystic breasts

Decreased sex drive

Tender breasts

Osteoporosis

Water retention

[Common sources of Xeno estrogens (Enviromental)]

Common sources of Xeno estrogens (Enviromental):

Meat and dairy products: milk and meat that has been dosed with hormones to promote growth

Pesticides and plastics (especially when the plastic is heated in a microwave, and produce that isn't rewashed)

Petrochemicals and solvents: air fresheners, deodorizers, cleaning products, fingernail polish, fiberboard, carpeting etc

Synthetic hormone replacement drugs and birth control pills



Foods that reduce estrogen dominance

In the book these are termed "non-negotiable" 

Cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, insoluble fiber, lignans(flaxseed)
protein, calcium, fruit, healthy oils, beverages(mostly water)



Foods that increase estrogen levels

Foods high in saturated fat: processed meats, butter, margarine, chips and other junk foods, most commercial salad dressings etc.

Simple carbohydrates: white foods, sugar, any refined food.

Caffeine.  I guess drinking two cups of coffee a day can increase estrogen levels.

"Those who consume at least 500mg of caffeine a day, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee, had nearly 70 percent more estrogen than women who consumed less than 100mg daily."

Alcohol: mainly for the reason that its broken down in the liver and the liver is often overtaxed.

Phytoestrogens: soy products consumed in moderation can be ok for some people. For those overweight eating soy can compound the problem by suppressing
thyroid function and leading to hypothyroidism.


 

[so]

Caffeine.   I guess drinking two cups of coffee a day can increase estrogen levels.
Quote
"Those who consume at least 500mg of caffeine a day, the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee, had nearly 70 percent more estrogen than women who consumed less than 100mg daily."

Oh wow.. I never thought caffeine could affect estrogen in the body, guess it can! I better stick with the green tea

I'm not rid of my candida yet, and I probably won't be for some time. I do suffer alot from breast tenderness, and I don't think the candida is causing that, sounds more like estrogen to me.

Common sources of Xenoestrogen  (Enviromental):

Meat and dairy products: milk and meat that has been dosed with hormones to promote growth

Pesticides and plastics (especially when the plastic is heated in a microwave, and produce that isn't rewashed)

Petrochemicals and solvents: air fresheners, deodorizers, cleaning products, fingernail polish, fiberboard, carpeting etc

Synthetic hormone replacement drugs and birth control pills

I read in a magazine, that excess Xeno estrogen is what's causing that lovely cellulite on women's thighs 
I know I have a personal problem with using too many chemicals, I'll have to think more Green!

Foods that increase estrogen levels

Foods high in saturated fat: processed meats, butter, margarine, chips and other junk foods, most commercial salad dressings etc.

Simple carbohydrates: white foods, sugar, any refined food.

So .. There's so many reasons to not eat what's described above.

Thanks Gimpy 

Oh wow.. I never thought caffeine could affect estrogen in the body, guess it can! I better stick with the green tea

Sorry to disturb you, but have you check this thread: http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=9192.msg67494#msg67494

Seems that green tea contains fluoride and all what goes with it. I was green tea fan, but after discovering fact that its loaded with fluoride I've deleted it from my food list! Got' to keep my neurons firing!  There's still big list of other tasty herbal teas thou.
Regards.   

Yes, "Belly Fat to Belly Flat" is quite a revelation, isn't it?  I was sure I had mentioned it but apparently not.  I did see that the topic of progesterone/estrogen balance was mentioned in a couple of places on the forum like:
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=10573.msg79124#msg79124

where it is implicated in candida overgrowth...

and here:
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=12247.msg87725#msg87725

where a lot of women's health issues are related to estrogen dominance....

and here:
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=12266.msg87864#msg87864

where I mentioned I was using the plant based progesterone cream with good results...

here:
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=488.msg67683#msg67683

where it is mentioned in the context of adrenal fatigue...

and here
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=11513.msg81514#msg81514

where I made a comment about HRT vs plant based progesterone.

My own experiences with using it and making sure I eliminate the estrogen loading foods and eat foods that help to move the bad estrogen out of the body just supports what is being said about it by so many other women.  It really does seem to work.  I now keep my progesterone cream next to my toothbrush so I won't forget it.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been making changes to my diet for a while (cutting out gluten, dairy, coffee, soy, etc.) and I’m happy with that. I had cut out sugar as well but I fell off the bandwagon. I’m weaning myself out again now, though (when I go cold turkey, I feel really bad and my mood is even worse).

Although this is not the reason why I changed my diet, I was surprised not to experience some weight loss with the change of diet, as others have experienced. Everybody is different, I know, but it made me wonder. I don’t eat that much (I need to eat several little meals instead of fewer large ones) and keep carbs (except fruit and veggies) to a minimum because they make me gain weight really fast (I’m type B and buckwheat for example is not OK).
I don’t seem to be able to follow any type of diet for more than a week. Something always 'happens’ (I forgot to buy the right kind of snack, I’m away from home and have to eat what I can find, I’m invited by friends, whatever). I’m I am aware that I’m responsible (or my predator’s mind) for falling in all these traps, but for the moment it’s like no matter how hard I try, I keep on falling). If I’m ill and almost cannot eat at all, I gain weight! It’s like my body is on survival mode all the time and is scared to lose a gram because there is a famine!

Then I re-read the threads about estrogen dominance, adrenal fatigue and progesterone, and this time, it rang a bell.
I do experience some of the symptoms listed (not so much about my cycle, which has always been super precise, but the rest: thinning of scalp hair, fat mainly located around the middle, fatigue, etc.).
I think that several things may have contributed to my hormonal system being out of balance: being vegetarian for 15 years and eating soy/wheat in large doses, etc., my pregnancy, chemicals of all kinds, stress, etc.
I have made positive changes in these areas as well (EE, stopped being a vegetarian, reduced my exposure to chemicals to a minimum, etc.).
I had my thyroid checked and did a detailed check-up and my doctor (who is also homeopath) assured me that everything is perfect. I suspect he thinks I'm lying about what I really eat 

I haven’t been in a hurry to start the Ultra Simple because I don’t look forward to eat mainly turkey for weeks. I cannot have most beans, cannot have chicken (because of their lectins) and I cannot stand fish. It’s the funniest thing: 15 years ago, I ate fish several times a week, now I get all nauseous just by the smell of it. But I know I should do it anyway, and I will.

Also, I have noticed that usually supplements do not have much of effect on me. I suspected a leaky gut and I have just started to take L-glutamine (800 mg for the moment, will build up more). Other than that, 100 mg of 5-htp (still building up to reach 300 mg) and 2 g of melatonin at night. I used to take fish oil capsules (10 to 15 g a day) for my dry skin, etc. but it was not making any difference so i stopped (For the time being, I cannot afford all these supplements in high doses at the same time, so I have to choose the most important for me).

I just ordered progesterone cream, and will try it, to see what it does. I'm also considering digestive enzymes, as my liver seems to be sluggish (the sides of my tongue show teeth marks). I must also say that I have cleansed my bowels several times these last two years (with Oxypowder).
Now you know everything about me 

I would be super grateful for any input on my ‘case’.

 For a while I couldn't figure out why I couldn't lose weight even though I ate very little and walked at least  two miles daily. Then  I learned I had estrogen dominance. Stress makes it worse because of the steroid hormone gene expression it induces. So make sure you get a couple of weekly EE sessions in as you go about the dietary changes.

My changes in diet, supplements and the progesterone creme  resulted in dramatically reduced side effects of estrogen dominance -fibrocystic breast and uterine fibroids and debilitating premenstrual symptoms. Coffee, dairy and my beloved chocolate had to go.   I've also lost weight.  I eat very small meals often. I started on the creme long before the ultra simple diet and began to notice the difference then. However, the addition of the diet really did it. Before that I was facing an invasive surgery to remove the fibroids and they managed to shrink over the year of eating differently. I would suggest strongly that you try the ultra simple diet. If it seems daunting, start with a goal of one week, and take it one day at a time from there.  When you start reintroducing foods, if it's anything like it was for me, you will see how violently ill certain things make you feel and you will welcome the simplicity. 

 If you feel the diet is limiting, experiment with how you cook the chicken and turkey. Actually they say chicken isn't good for type B either but it's best to try the ultra simple and then reintroduce it  slowly and see.  Turkey is good, and you can do  stews, stir-fry,  baked,  in soups with different herbs etc. Personally I normally don't eat meat or poultry and many beans and legumes also leave me bloated and gassy.  I am also a type B who initially used a lot of  buckwheat until I did an extended ultra simple diet. As I reintroduced it there was no doubt that it doesn't agree with me.  So, when you do the diet you will be able to see whether beans and other things are just not for you either.  What works best for me is small oily fish and green leafy veggies,  boiled green bananas, plantain  flour (it's a Caribbean thing) quinoa and occasional brown rice.      I know brown rice has its substances that may not be good for most but so far it seem ok for me, especially with soaking.  I experiment with different ways of making the few things that don't make me feel ill to avoid getting bored with food.

I'm still trying to find a way to make rice cheese or some other non-dairy, non-soy substitute. Experimenting is part of the fun.

The issue I am now working on remedying is low iron which became a problem after starting the DMSA protocol.
It may mean introducing some meat which I am very reluctant to do. So, I understand your reluctance about the ultra simple diet.  But if you want to be relatively healthy and comfortable physically and emotionally,  so you have the energy to do other things, it's worth a try. If you get moody while on the diet, take more magnesium  and 5-htp

For the sluggish liver I would suggest NAC, milk thistle and reduced glutathione.

Gook luck with the progesterone creme, Mrs Tigersoap. Let us know how it goes. It did wonders for me but the diet really pushed things over the top.

brainwave.

Hi Brainwave!
Thank you for your input, it is much appreciated!
I'm going to follow your advice and I'll keep you posted.

 

Mrs T, have you done the UltraMind Solution quizzes?

They might help you see where you have imbalances.

Hi Galahad,

Yes, I took the quizzes several times over a period of several months, before and after having changed my diet (gluten free, etc.).
According to the quizz, I was not doing very well thyroid-wise (if that's a word...), so I had a blood test done, but everything was fine.
But luckily I re-read the different hormone/progesterone/estrogen threads (which i had found interesting at the time but, funnily enough, had completely forgotten about) and ordered the progesterone cream.
I've also just ordered rice protein powder to be able to make shakes in the morning and I should be up and running soon to begin the Ultra Simple diet. I know rice lectins can be a problem, but up until now, I've been OK with it. I'll switch to hemp if that changes. I've also ordered digestive enzymes. So, hopefully I will be all set.
Thanks for your input, Galahad!

Mrs.T.

According to the quizz, I was not doing very well thyroid-wise (if that's a word...), so I had a blood test done, but everything was fine.

The other thing is that when it comes to thyroid tests, they are often inaccurate for hypothyroid function (low thyroid function). So a normal test does not rule out thyroid problems. The good news is that the diet can make the whole difference and help heal the thyroid.  There are several interesting articles about the topic, but I recently read this one which brings the gluten issue:

http://thehealthyskeptic.org/the-gluten-thyroid-connection



In the first article in this series, I showed that hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease in 90% of cases. In this article we’re going to discuss the connection between autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and gluten intolerance.

Several studies show a strong link between AITD (both Hashimoto’s and Graves’) and gluten intolerance. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] The link is so well-established that researchers suggest all people with AITD be screened for gluten intolerance, and vice versa.

What explains the connection? It’s a case of mistaken identity. The molecular structure of gliadin, the protein portion of gluten, closely resembles that of the thyroid gland. When gliadin breaches the protective barrier of the gut, and enters the bloodstream, the immune system tags it for destruction. These antibodies to gliadin also cause the body to attack thyroid tissue. This means if you have AITD and you eat foods containing gluten, your immune system will attack your thyroid.

Even worse, the immune response to gluten can last up to 6 months each time you eat it. This explains why it is critical to eliminate gluten completely from your diet if you have AITD. There’s no “80/20″ rule when it comes to gluten. Being “mostly” gluten-free isn’t going to cut it. If you’re gluten intolerant, you have to be 100% gluten-free to prevent immune destruction of your thyroid.

So how do you find out if you’re gluten intolerant? Unfortunately, standard lab tests aren’t very accurate. They test for antibodies to gluten in the bloodstream. But antibodies in the blood will only be found in cases where the gut has become so permeable that gluten can pass through. This is a relatively advanced stage of disease. Blood tests will miss the many milder cases of gluten intolerance that haven’t yet progressed to that stage.

Stool analysis is far more sensitive, because it detects antibodies produced in the digestive tract that aren’t yet escaping into the bloodstream. Using this method at Entero Lab, Dr. Kenneth Fine, a pioneer in the field, has found that up to 35% of Americans are gluten intolerant.

In addition to the stool analysis, Dr. Fine’s lab uses a cheek swab to test for the genes connected with gluten intolerance and celiac disease. People with HLA DQ genes are more likely than the general population to have autoimmune disease, celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Dr. Fine’s research shows that more than 80% of Americans have one of these gene types.

When I first read Dr. Fine’s research, I was astounded by the implications. It suggests that 1 in 3 Americans are gluten intolerant, and that 8 in 10 are genetically predisposed to gluten intolerance. This is nothing short of a public health catastrophe in a nation where the #1 source of calories is refined flour. But while most are at least aware of the dangers of sugar, trans-fat and other unhealthy foods, fewer than 1 in 8 people with celiac disease are aware of their condition. I would guess that an even lower proportion of people are aware they are gluten intolerant.

One reason gluten intolerance goes undetected in so many cases is that both doctors and patients mistakenly believe it only causes digestive problems. But gluten intolerance can also present with inflammation in the joints, skin, respiratory tract and brain – without any obvious gut symptoms.

As much improved as Dr. Fine’s methods are, they aren’t perfect. In some patients with autoimmune disease, their immune system is so worn out they can no longer produce many antibodies.

Hashmioto’s, the most common autoimmune thyroid condition, is primarily a Th1 dominant condition. I’ll explain what this means in further detail in a future article. For now, what you need to understand is that in Th1-dominant conditions, the Th2 system is suppressed. The Th2 system is the part of the immune system responsible for producing antibodies. When the Th2 system is severely depressed, the body’s ability to produce antibodies is impaired. The levels may be so low that they won’t show up on a test. So, even if you have gluten intolerance, your test for gluten antibodies may be falsely negative if you have Th1-dominant Hashimoto’s.

This is why I recommend that you avoid gluten if you have AITD, regardless of whether tests show an active antibody response. This is especially true if you have one of the genes (HLA DQ1,2, or 3) that predisposes you to developing gluten intolerance. In my opinion continuing to eat gluten when you have a confirmed autoimmune condition simply isn’t worth risking the immune destruction it could cause.

In fact, the more I learn about gluten and its effects on the body, the more I think we’d all probably be better off not eating it. Mark Sisson has written extensively about the dangers of gluten and gluten-containing grains, so head over there and have a look if this is new to you. The short version: foods that contain gluten (both whole grains and flours) contain substances that inhibit nutrient absorption, damage our intestinal lining, and – as I’ve described in this article – activate a potentially destructive autoimmune response. What’s more, there are no nutrients in gluten-containing foods that you can’t get more easily and efficiently from foods that don’t contain gluten.

The good news is that if you have AITD and are gluten intolerant removing gluten completely from your diet will dramatically improve your health. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

[5 thyroid patterns that won’t show up on standard lab tests]

Here is another thyroid related article which brings the problems of lab testing:

5 thyroid patterns that won’t show up on standard lab tests

http://thehealthyskeptic.org/5-thyroid-patterns-that-wont-show-up-on-standard-lab-tests

In medicine, the key to choosing the best treatment is an accurate diagnosis. If the diagnosis isn’t correct, the treatment will be ineffective – or even cause harm.

Unfortunately misdiagnosis is common in the management of hypothyroidism. If you go to a doctor with hypothyroid symptoms, you’ll simply be given replacement hormones without any further inquiry into the cause of your condition.

Even worse, if you have hypothyroid symptoms but your lab tests are normal, you’ll be told you’re “fine”. If you insist you’re not, you might be sent home with an antidepressant, but no further clue about the cause of your symptoms.

The problem with this approach is that thyroid physiology is complex. The production, conversion and uptake of thyroid hormone in the body involves several steps. A malfunction in any of these steps can cause hypothyroid symptoms, but may not show up on standard lab tests. It’s incorrect and even negligent to assume that all cases of hypothyroidism share the same cause and require the same treatment. Yet that’s exactly what the standard of care for hypothyroidism delivers.

In this article I’ll present five patterns of thyroid dysfunction that won’t show up on standard lab tests. If you have one of these patterns, your thyroid isn’t functioning properly and you will have symptoms. But if you go to your conventional doctor, you’ll be told there’s nothing wrong with your thyroid.

A standard thyroid panel usually includes TSH and T4 only. The ranges for these markers vary from lab to lab, which is one of two main problems with standard lab ranges. The other problem is that lab ranges are not based on research that tells us what a healthy range might be, but on a bell curve of values obtained from people who come to the labs for testing.

Now, follow me on this. Who goes to labs to get tested? Sick people. If a lab creates its “normal” range based on test results from sick people, is that really a normal range? Does that tell us anything about what the range should be for health? (For more on the problems with standard lab ranges, watch this great presentation by Dr. Bryan Walsh)

The five thyroid patterns

   1. Hypothyroidism caused by pituitary dysfunction

This pattern is caused by elevated cortisol, which is in turn caused by active infection, blood sugar imbalances, chronic stress, pregnancy, hypoglycemia or insulin resistance. These stressors fatigue the pituitary gland at the base of the brain so that it can no longer signal the thyroid to release enough thyroid hormone. There may be nothing wrong with the thyroid gland itself. The pituitary isn’t sending it the right messages.

With this pattern, you’ll have hypothyroid symptoms and a TSH below the functional range (1.8 – 3.0) but within the standard range (0.5 – 5.0).

  2. Under-conversion of T4 to T3

T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone. It must be converted to T3 before the body can use it. More than 90% of thyroid hormone produced is T4.

This common pattern is caused by inflammation and elevated cortisol levels. T4 to T3 conversion happens in cell membranes. Inflammatory cytokines damage cell membranes and impair the body’s ability to convert T4 to T3. High cortisol also suppresses the conversion of T4 to T3.

With this pattern you’ll have hypothyroid symptoms, but your TSH and T4 will be normal. If you have your T3 tested, which it rarely is in conventional settings, it will be low.

  3. Hypothyroidism caused by elevated TBG

Thyroid binding globulin (TBG) is the protein that transports thyroid hormone through the blood. When thyroid hormone is bound to TBG, it is inactive and unavailable to the tissues. When TBG levels are high, levels of unbound (free) thyroid hormone will be low, leading to hypothyroid symptoms.

With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be low, and T3 uptake and TBG will be high.

Elevated TBG is caused by high estrogen levels, which are often often associated with birth control pills or estrogen replacement (i.e. Premarin or estrogen creams). To treat this pattern, excess estrogen must be cleared from the body.

   4. Hypothyroidism caused by decreased TBG

This is the mirror image of the pattern above. When TBG levels are low, levels of free thyroid hormone will be high. You might think this would cause hyperthyroid symptoms. But too much free thyroid hormone in the bloodstream causes the cells to develop resistance to it. So, even though there’s more than enough thyroid hormone, the cells can’t use it and you’ll have hypothyroid – not hyperthyroid – symptoms.

With this pattern, TSH and T4 will be normal. If tested, T3 will be high, and T3 uptake and TBG will be low.

Decreased TBG is caused by high testosterone levels. In women, it is commonly associated with PCOS (polycistic ovary syndrome) and insulin resistance. Reversing insulin resistance and restoring blood sugar balance is the key to treating this pattern.

  5. Thyroid resistance

In this pattern, both the thyroid and pituitary glands are functioning normally, but the hormones aren’t getting into the cells where they’re needed. This causes hypothyroid symptoms.

Note that all lab test markers will be normal in this pattern, because we don’t have a way to test the function of cellular receptors directly.

Thyroid resistance is usually caused by chronic stress and high cortisol levels. It can also be caused by high homocysteine and genetic factors.

Conclusion

The five patterns above are only a partial list. Several others also cause hypothyroid symptoms and don’t show up on standard lab tests. If you have hypothyroid symptoms, but your lab tests are normal, it’s likely you have one of them.

Not only do these patterns fail to show up on standard lab work, they don’t respond well to conventional thyroid hormone replacement. If your body can’t convert T4 to T3, or you have too much thyroid binding protein, or your cells are resistant, it doesn’t matter how much T4 you take; you won’t be able to use it.

Unfortunately, if you have one of these patterns and tell your doctor your medication isn’t working, all too often the doctor’s response is to simply increase the dose. When that doesn’t work, the doctor increases it yet again.

As I said at the beginning of this article, the key to a successful treatment is an accurate diagnosis. The reason the conventional approach fails is that it skips this step and gives the same treatment to everyone, regardless of the cause of their problem.

The good news is that, once the correct diagnosis is made, patients respond very well to treatment.

[The most important thing you may not know about hypothyroidism]

The good news is that the diet can make the whole difference and help heal the thyroid.

The EE program is also very helpful as it reduces stress!

Here is another interesting article related to thyroid problems:

The most important thing you may not know about hypothyroidism

An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. Up to 60 percent of these people are unaware of their condition. One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime. Levothyroxine, a synthetic form of thyroid hormone, is the 4th highest selling drug in the U.S. 13 of the top 50 selling drugs are either directly or indirectly related to hypothyroidism. The number of people suffering from thyroid disorders continues to rise each year.

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common thyroid disorders. One recent analysis suggested up to 10% of women over 60 have clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism. It is characterized by mental slowing, depression, dementia, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, cold intolerance, hoarse voice, irregular menstruation, infertility, muscle stiffness and pain, and a wide range of other not-so-fun symptoms.

Every cell in the body has receptors for thyroid hormone. These hormones are responsible for the most basic aspects of body function, impacting all major systems of the body.

Thyroid hormone directly acts on the brain, the G.I. tract, the cardiovascular system, bone metabolism, red blood cell metabolism, gall bladder and liver function, steroid hormone production, glucose metabolism, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, protein metabolism and body temperature regulation. For starters.

You can think of the thyroid as the central gear in a sophisticated engine. If that gear breaks, the entire engine goes down with it.

That’s why people with hypothyroidism experience everything from weight gain and depression to infertility, bone fractures and hair loss.

One of the biggest challenges facing those with hypothyroidism is that the standard of care for thyroid disorders in both conventional and alternative medicine is hopelessly inadequate.

The dream of patients with thyroid disorders and the practitioners who treat them is to find that single substance that will magically reverse the course of the disease. For doctors, this is either synthetic or bio-identical thyroid hormone. For the alternative types, this is iodine.

Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases neither approach is effective. Patients may get relief for a short period of time, but inevitably symptoms return or the disease progresses.

So what’s the problem? Why have replacement hormones and supplemental iodine been such dismal failures?

Because hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease.

Studies show that 90% of people with hypothyroidism are producing antibodies to thyroid tissue. This causes the immune system to attack and destroy the thyroid, which over time causes a decline in thyroid hormone levels.

This autoimmune form of hypothyroidism is called Hashimoto’s disease. Hashimoto’s is the most common autoimmune disorder in the U.S., affecting between 7-8% of the population. While not all people with Hashimoto’s have hypothyroid symptoms, thyroid antibodies have been found to be a marker for future thyroid disease.

Most doctors know hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease. But most patients don’t. The reason doctors don’t tell their patients is simple: it doesn’t affect their treatment plan.

Conventional medicine doesn’t have effective treatments for autoimmune disease. They use steroids and other medications to suppress the immune system in certain conditions with more potentially damaging effects, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease.

But in the case of Hashimoto’s, the consequences – i.e. side effects and complications – of using immunosuppressive drugs are believed to outweigh the potential benefits. (Thanks to conventional medicine for a relative moment of sanity here.)

So the standard of care for a Hashimoto’s patient is to simply wait until the immune system has destroyed enough thyroid tissue to classify them as hypothyroid, and then give them thyroid hormone replacement. If they start to exhibit other symptoms commonly associated with their condition, like depression or insulin resistance, they’ll get additional drugs for those problems.

The obvious shortcoming of this approach is that it doesn’t address the underlying cause of the problem, which is the immune system attacking the thyroid gland. And if the underlying cause isn’t addressed, the treatment isn’t going to work very well – or for very long.

If you’re in a leaky rowboat, bailing water will only get you so far. If you want to stop the boat from sinking, you’ve got to plug the leaks.

Extending this metaphor to Hashimoto’s disease, thyroid hormones are like bailing water. They may be a necessary part of the treatment. But unless the immune dysregulation is addressed (plugging the leaks), whoever is in that boat will be fighting a losing battle to keep it from sinking.

What the vast majority of hypothyroidism patients need to understand is that they don’t have a problem with their thyroid, they have a problem with their immune system attacking the thyroid. This is crucial to understand, because when the immune system is out of control, it’s not only the thyroid that will be affected.

Hashimoto’s often manifests as a “polyendocrine autoimmune pattern”. This means that in addition to having antibodies to thyroid tissue, it’s not uncommon for Hashimoto’s patients to have antibodies to other tissues or enzymes as well. The most common are transglutaminase (Celiac disease), the cerebellum (neurological disorders), intrinsic factor (pernicious anemia), glutamic acid decarboxylase (anxiety/panic attacks and late onset type 1 diabetes).

In the next post we’ll look more closely at why Hashimoto’s can’t be treated successfully without addressing the autoimmune component, and why both the conventional and alternative approaches to treating hypothyroidism are destined to fail from the start.

And that is when he talks about the gluten connection. The blog is interesting, there are other relevant articles about the topic.

Thank you Psyche!

The other thing is that when it comes to thyroid tests, they are often inaccurate for hypothyroid function (low thyroid function)

I knew it! As I was astonished about the blood results and insisted a bit to know more, I could see my doctor thinking 'Stop trying to find yourself excuses about your thyroid not functioning properly and just make an effort to eat properly"! That was so frustrating. And then I read in Detoxification and Healing that sometimes tests cannot detect 'lighter' conditions, etc. and it encouraged me to look further into the matter. And as usual, the forum had the answer.

Even worse, the immune response to gluten can last up to 6 months each time you eat it.

Oh jeez. Maybe that's the reason why even months after having stopped gluten, there is still no improvement in that area for me, then.

What the vast majority of hypothyroidism patients need to understand is that they don’t have a problem with their thyroid, they have a problem with their immune system attacking the thyroid. This is crucial to understand, because when the immune system is out of control, it’s not only the thyroid that will be affected.

Oh my. That's the bit I have trouble with: I'm in good health and I am rarely sick. So my immune system must not be that much out of control, or am I missing something? Apart from the Ultra Simple (which I start next week), the progesterone cream, the supplements, some light exercice and the EE, is there something I should take/do? Thank you for your help Psyche!

Oh my. That's the bit I have trouble with: I'm in good health and I am rarely sick. So my immune system must not be that much out of control, or am I missing something? Apart from the Ultra Simple (which I start next week), the progesterone cream, the supplements, some light exercice and the EE, is there something I should take/do? Thank you for your help Psyche!

Sounds like a good plan   Also, it is to say that we often not notice certain symptoms, we get used to them. But once we start clearing out evil foods and/or foods which we have a sensitivity from our systems, we feel much better and then we notice the difference if we bring something that is bad for ourselves. Sometimes it takes more experience with testing to track down a symptom with a particular food. But in other cases, symptoms may appear way down the road, and it is difficult to connect them with a particular food, i.e. gluten. Which is why it's best to stay away from it:

http://www.informationtoinspirechange.com/page/wheat-gluten-education-center

 ‎"Despite popular opinion wheat consumption is not beneficial to health. These two published articles make a strong argument against perceiving wheat intolerance as simply a matter of allergy/genetic intolerance in a minority subset of the human population, but rather as a species-specific intolerance, applicable to all. [referring to the articles of The Dark Side of Wheat]

Some simply don't have symptoms, but there are also silent diseases and/or silent immune reactions. Also, is interesting that gluten and casein not only are evil, but as opioids they may be seen as "buffers" for symptoms or reactions to other culprits that can be creating damage.

If you don't want to lose weight, just use the elimination diet as a guide, eating more portions of everything. Here is a guide of the elimination diet and how to transition from it:

http://eiriu-eolas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14

Happy testing