Vitamins and minerals that help with hypothyroidism

Can hypothyroidism actually be helped by vitamins as well as other nutrients? Although they have been ignored for years in the medical community, there is mounting evidence that they can not only help with this condition, a deficiency of some nutrients may actually be one of the causes of it. There are millions of people that have this condition, and although it is considered to be quite common, it should never be ignored. If it is left untreated it may cause goiter, heart problems, as well as mental health issues and infertility, just to name a few of the possible complications.

 

What exactly is it?

Hypothyroidism, also referred to as an underactive thyroid, is a condition where your thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain types of hormones. Because of this, it will upset the balance of chemical reactions in your body and if it is not treated, it can very easily lead to a number of very serious health problems. There are some very effective treatments for this condition, but it is also believed that vitamins and other nutrients can also play a major role.

Because this disease can very easily lead to other complications, understanding the signs and symptoms as early as you can will help you identify it so you can seek medical attention to have it treated.

Symptoms:

Hypothyroidism has several real warning signs that you can watch for and if any of these signs persist for any period of time, you need to seek professional help. However, it also important to understand that with this condition these symptoms will not occur suddenly. In fact, they will do the complete opposite, as in most cases they will develop very slowly and can easily be spread out over several years.

The symptoms can vary tremendously depending on how bad the hormone deficiency that you have actually is. By far and away the most common symptoms will be fatigue as well as feeling sluggish, and because it develops very slowly, these signs can very easy be ignored and blamed on the aging process. However, what is really happening is that your metabolism is slowing down as a result of this imbalance, and not all of the symptoms that will begin to surface will be this general in scope.

The next symptom is actually quite unique and it is a gradual increased sensitivity to any type of cold weather. You may also start to develop pale and dry skin, a puffy face for no apparent reason, as well as constipation. Your voice may also start to become hoarse even when you drink a lot of fluids, and you will also start to gain weight without changing your eating habits. All of these symptoms can be directly related to this imbalance and the slowing of your metabolism.

However, the list of symptoms does not end there as you may also begin to have muscle pains and aches, tenderness and swelling, as well as muscle weakness. If you are female, your menstrual periods will gradually begin to become heavier and your fingernails as well as your hair may become very brittle. At this point, if the hypothyroidism is not treated, these symptoms can rapidly increase in severity.

There is also one very large misconception about hypothyroidism; it primarily affects women in middle age. Although this is quite common, it can also affect men, children, as well as infants. Babies can be born without a thyroid gland or have the same problem with it under-preforming. The signs to watch for in infants are yellowing in both the skin as well as the white of the eyes, frequent choking, or an abnormally large and protruding tongue. They can also develop a very puffy face but this symptom is quite hard to pick up on unless it is noticed by a professional.

Children and teenagers can also develop this condition and the symptoms to watch with this age group are a very poor growth pattern, a very slow development of permanent teeth, as well as abnormally slow mental development. As they reach the teenage years, they will also show signs of a very slow or delayed puberty.

Vitamins and Nutrients:

Hypothyroidism has very effective treatments in the form of a synthetic thyroid hormone, but there are also vitamins as well as other nutrients that can help. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding vitamin D, a deficiency of this vitamin, and its role in this condition as well as other thyroid problems. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be obtained in three different ways; exposure to sunlight, obtained from your diet, or supplemented.

However, the vast majority of the population does not get enough exposure to sunlight and does not get enough of this vitamin in their diet. Your body can manufacture this vitamin with sunlight exposure, but the majority of sunscreens that are used to prevent skin cancer can impede this process. Vitamin D has long been associated with bone health in that it helps to active calcium and phosphorous in your body, but it is now being linked to this condition as well.  Dr. Theodore Friedman, an expert on thyroid diseases, recently published several papers after over 20 years of study, and expressed a very common theme with most thyroid patients; low levels of vitamin D.

This research suggests that this vitamin can interact with your body’s biochemistry and can either help with thyroid production, or it can do just the opposite; hinder it. It is suggested that some people may have genetic flaws where the intestines are not able to properly absorb this vitamin or it simply cannot use it as it is intended.  The U.S. National Library of Medicine also has recent studies that suggest that too little vitamin D circulating in your body inhibits its ability to regulate as well as produce thyroid hormones.

Iodine is also a very critical nutrient that has for years been linked to hypothyroidism as it is critical for several thyroid functions. Too much iodine can interfere with this process, but in the vast majority of cases there is not enough iodine in your diet. If you use iodized salt or take a multi-vitamin, this will provide adequate amounts of this nutrient. Vitamin E is also very important as it helps with the absorption of iodine as well as assists with selenium metabolism which is also critical for normal thyroid functions. Selenium is one of the major components of an enzyme that helps to convert the thyroid hormones T4 to T3 and a deficiency of this mineral may impair thyroid functions.

Summary:

Hypothyroidism can take years to develop and you may not recognize the symptoms easily at first. However, the symptoms are the real key to catching this condition and if you make regular visits to a doctor, they can catch it very easily. If you supplement these nutrients in the form of a multi-vitamin, you may never develop it. If you do have, these nutrients may help control it.

References:

Hypothyroidism. The American Thyroid Association.

www.thyroid.org/patients/broch ures/Hypo_brochure.pdf.

www.goodhormonehealth.com

Cracking the Cholesterol Myth - The Role of Eggs in Your Diet

More than 40 Years of Research Supports the Role of Eggs in a Healthy Diet

Many Americans have shied away from eggs – despite their taste, value, convenience and nutrition – for fear of dietary cholesterol. However, more than 40 years of research have shown that healthy adults can eat eggs without significantly impacting their risk of heart disease.

And now, according to new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition data¹ , eggs are lower in cholesterol than previously recorded. The USDA recently reviewed the nutrient composition of standard large eggs and results show the average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, a 14 percent decrease. The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of Vitamin D, an increase of 64 percent.

Studies demonstrate that healthy adults can enjoy an egg a day without increasing their risk for heart disease, particularly if individuals opt for low cholesterol foods throughout the day. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association recommend that individuals consume, on average, less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. A single large egg contains 185 mg cholesterol.

Several international health promotion organizations – including Health Canada, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Australian Heart Foundation and the Irish Heart Foundation – promote eggs as part of a heart-healthy diet, recognizing that they make important nutritional contributions.^{2
REFERENCES1}In 2010, a random sample of regular large shell eggs was collected from locations across the country to analyze the nutrient content of eggs. The testing procedure was last completed with eggs in 2002, and while most nutrients remained similar to those values, cholesterol decreased by 12% and vitamin D increased by 56% from 2002 values.

² Klein CJ. The scientific evidence and approach taken to establish guidelines for cholesterol intake in Australia, Canada, The United Kingdom, and The United States. LSRO. 2006 www.lsro.org. Accessed November 2006.

Why You Need This Vitamin Now

By Health.com

You may already know that vitamin D can help build strong teeth and bones, but wait until you hear what else it can do for the rest of your body. D can keep you trim, boost your mood, ward off sniffles, drastically cut your risk of cancer, and more. "We could prevent 150,000 cases of cancer annually if we could just increase vitamin D to optimal levels," says Cedric Garland, a doctor of public health, a leading vitamin D researcher, and a professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
That's great news, right? Yes, except for one huge problem: A startling report found that more than a third of all women fail to get enough D for healthy bones -- and more than 75 percent of us lack the higher amounts needed for the vitamin to do its disease-fighting best.

Health.com: 11 Foods for Healthy Bones

Downing a daily glass of milk is a smart way to get more D. But the most significant source is sunlight, and that's where the trouble lies. Our bodies produce D with exposure to ultraviolet radiation, but as we've gotten smarter about dodging skin cancer -- staying out of the sun and slathering ourselves with mega-SPF sunblock -- our vitamin D levels have plummeted. Fortunately, there are smart and safe ways to boost your intake while you enjoy all the benefits that vitamin D can deliver.

Lower Your Risk of Cancer
Vitamin D may substantially cut the risk of breast, colon, prostate, and ovarian cancers, according to a growing body of research. In fact, Dr. Garland found that women with D blood levels that were more than double the current national average of 25 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) had a 50 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest blood levels. Scientists believe that D helps regulate genes in a way that protects healthy cells and stops the growth of cancerous ones.

Health.com: 6 Cancer-Fighting Superfoods

There are receptors for vitamin D in virtually all of the body's cells, and to "feed" them you need an adequate blood level of the vitamin. That depends not only on how much time you spend outside and what you eat but also on where you live. People living at higher latitudes, for example, soak up fewer UVB rays from November through March, which means they're more likely to have low blood levels of vitamin D and a higher risk of cancer. In fact, studies have shown twice as many colon cancer deaths and 50 percent more breast cancer deaths in the far North compared with the sunnier South, Dr. Garland says. So how much sun is enough to lower the risk of cancer without upping your risk of skin damage?

Fight Off Winter Weight Gain
Cold weather may seem a long way off right now, but more indoor time and fewer hours of sunlight can lead to a decrease in D production for many women. Researchers think that may explain why some women bulk up a bit when the temps fall: Low levels of D can cause a dip in leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite. When this happens, your brain may not send the signal that you're full and should stop eating.

Overweight women are especially at risk because excess fat can absorb vitamin D, making it unavailable to the body.
Health.com: The Natural Way to Ward Off Winter Weight Gain

Safeguard Your Healthy Heart  
Vitamin D is thought to help lower blood pressure and regulate hormones that affect blood vessels and the muscles of the heart. Studies suggest that people with the highest D levels may have up to a 50 percent lower risk of heart disease. And researchers from Harvard Medical School reported a 62 percent increased risk of heart attacks or strokes among adults with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D, compared with those who have the highest levels of D. "We've also noticed that deaths from cardiovascular events are highest in the winter months, when vitamin D is generally at its lowest," Dr. Garland says.

Say Good-bye to Seasonal Blues
Low vitamin D levels may be linked to yet another winter bummer: seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that is more common in northern states. Researchers believe that vitamin D helps keep the brain flush with the "happy hormone," serotonin, which plays a critical role in regulating mood.

The nutrient also seems to offer a lifetime of brain-health benefits, from aiding development in infants to keeping adults sharp in their later years. "Vitamin D receptors in the brain seem to turn on several genes that are important for normal neurological function,"  says Bruce Hollis, PhD, a vitamin D researcher and professor of molecular biology at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Health.com: 7 Signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Boost Your Defenses Against Colds and Flu
Research shows that colds and the flu are worst when vitamin D levels decline, and they tend to hit hardest in countries at higher latitudes, where D levels tend to be lowest. So should we pitch out the C and hail the "sunshine vitamin" as the cure for the common cold? Experts aren't making that claim just yet, but there's compelling evidence that keeping your D level high may slash your chances of picking up the bug that's going around the office. In one study, women who took 800 IU of vitamin D daily were three times less likely to develop colds or the flu -- and those who popped 2,000 IU reported even fewer symptoms. Small wonder some scientists have started calling D the "antibiotic vitamin."
Health.com: 9 Ways to Stay Sniffle-Free

Prevent Autoimmune Disorders  
Vitamin D seems to interact in a protective way with genes that raise the risk for diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), a debilitating nerve illness that strikes mostly young women. In one Harvard University study, researchers found a 40 percent lower risk of MS in women who took a daily supplement of at least 400 IU of vitamin D. In fact, some studies suggest that vitamin D may help prevent many other autoimmune disorders -- including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and Crohn's disease. Even in healthy women, low levels of vitamin D may lead to increased inflammation, a negative response of the immune system.

Health.com: Can Vitamin D Ease Fibromyalgia Pain?

Build Stronger Bones
The work that D does with calcium to keep bones healthy may be old news, but it's no less important, especially for women. Osteoporosis and fractures due to bone weakness strike up to half of all females, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, and loading up on calcium-rich foods may not help much if you're D-deficient. The nutrient helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, minerals that enhance bone strength. A supplement can help: A recent study found that, regardless of their calcium intake, women who added 482 to 770 IU of vitamn D slashed their risk of fractures by up to 20 percent.