Low Thyroid in Women!

By Dr. Greg Fors

Your thyroid hormones control cellular metabolism, therefore if the thyroid is not working properly the cells of your body and brain can slow down. This can create symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, depression, digestive problems, sugar cravings and cold hands and feet. Numerous individuals suffer from these symptoms even though their doctor tells them their thyroid tests are “in the normal range.” Also many people continue to suffer from these hypothyroid symptoms even when they are taking synthetic thyroid medication. However, there are solutions for these very common symptoms associated with low thyroid function and a slow metabolism, the doctor need only look deeper to find the underlying causes.

One very common problem is that doctors do not run comprehensive enough thyroid testing. The usual approach is to measure a hormone from the pituitary gland called TSH and possibly a hormone from the thyroid gland called T4. If the results are with in the labs “normal” range the individual is told their thyroid is fine. If the person’s TSH is high and/or their T4 levels are low, the doctor will many times prescribed a synthetic thyroid hormone such as levothyroxine. But, there are many problems with this simple approach to this complex syndrome. First, the individual may be just within the normal range but for them this barely “normal” is not good enough to run their cellular metabolism. Second, and most importantly there are actually six patterns of thyroid dysfunction that must be properly diagnosed and treated for optimal health to return. Only one of these six patterns of thyroid dysfunction responds to synthetic thyroid medication.

One of these six patterns of thyroid dysfunction, which I will explain in my upcoming seminar (See Below), is the most common cause of low thyroid function in the United States! This pattern of thyroid dysfunction involves an autoimmune reaction causing individual to attack their own tissues including their thyroid. Today autoimmune disorders are growing at an alarming rate and this specific disorder called Hashimoto's disease is now one of the most common autoimmune disorders. Hashimoto's disease is commonly caused by specific triggers for individual such as a certain foods, a mold, bacteria, or chronic virus that produces the autoimmune reaction. For example, undiagnosed gluten sensitivity is a very common cause of Hashimoto's autoimmune reaction and thyroid dysfunction. People can also develop an immune response that affects the thyroid from environmental chemicals and heavy metals.

Furthermore, to completely conquer the underlying cause of fatigue, weight gain, depression, and brain fog it is vital to address more than just the thyroid gland. Many times it is vital to go to the heart of cellular function for your thyroid, muscles and brain to conquer these symptoms. At the center of all your cells are hundreds of throbbing engines cranking out massive energy (ATP), something called mitochondria. These organelles are the power plants of your cells and body. They take calories from your food, break it down and literally burn it for usable energy.

When these little mitochondria are efficiently humming along, like well-tuned engines, you have all the energy you need throughout the day to run your muscles, brain and allow your thyroid to function properly. When your mitochondria are not working efficiently, this can lead to these very common symptoms. Once the key metabolic factors causing mitochondrial dysfunction have been identified, through proper laboratory test called an Organic Acid Profile, an effective patient specific nutritional program can be designed to normalize cellular function. This allows your cells mitochondria to begin producing massive amounts of energy they were designed to create allowing you to live a life you have always dreamed of!