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Underactive
Thyroid--Have it and Not Know it?
Do you have hypothyroidism and not know it? The symptoms include; fatigue,
weight gain, numbness and tingling in hands, constipation, dry skin and
hair, and increased sensitivity to cold.
Once you have been diagnosed by a physician, here is what the medical and
scientific literature have to say about it...
"Several minerals and trace elements are essential for normal thyroid
hormone metabolism, e. g., iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc...deficiencies
of these elements can impair thyroid function. Iron deficiency impairs
thyroid hormone synthesis by reducing activity of 'iron] -dependent thyroid
peroxidase. Iron-deficiency anemia blunts and iron supplementation
improves the efficacy of iodine supplementation. Combined selenium
and iodine deficiency leads to 'a condition of dry, waxy type of swelling,
with abnormal deposits of mucus in the skin and other tissues--myxedematous
cretinism.] Emphases added.
"The normal thyroid gland retains high selenium concentrations even
under conditions of inadequate selenium supply and expresses many
'selenium-containing] proteins...In regions of combined severe iodine and
selenium deficiency, normalization of iodine supply is mandatory before
initiation of selenium supplementation in order to prevent hypothyroidism.
"Selenium deficiency and disturbed thyroid 'activity] may develop under
conditions of special dietary regimens such as long-term 'feeding not by the
alimentary canal but rather by injection, intravenous or otherwise,]
phenylketonuria diet 'associated with certain psychiatric drugs,] cystic
fibrosis, or may be the result of imbalanced nutrition in children, elderly
people, or sick patients."...Zimmermann & Kohrle, Laboratory for Human
Nutrition, Zurich, Switz., in Thyroid, vol. 12, 2002.
***********************
"Screening for congenital hypothyroidism 'not related to autoimmune disease,
drug treatment or goiter] exists and its use prevents mental retardation.
The prevalence of spontaneous hypothyroidism is between 1% and 2% and is
more common in older women and 10 times more common in women than in men.
"Approximately
one third of patients with newly diagnosed overt hypothyroidism have
received destructive therapy for hyperthyroidism 'over-active thyroid] and
indefinite surveillance is required. 'emphasis added.]" Vanderpump &
Tunbridge, Dept. of Endocrinology, Royal Free Hospital, London, United
Kingdom. In Thyroid, vol. 12, 2002.
DETAILS: What could be wrong with, as a preventative, using iodized salt
and a 150 milligram tablet of kelp?
back to Thyroid index

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