Nenah Sylver, PhD - Rife Frequency Therapy Healing Specialist and Author

Why people might have low thyroid function...and suggested remedies for it.

The Thyroid Gland:
Low Function and Remedies
Copyright 2005 by Nenah Sylver, PhD

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical doctor and do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. This article is designed to provide a brief introductory overview of certain aspects of thyroid function so you can begin to seek out alternatives to what you are already doing. Do not ask me medical questions. For more information, see the resources listed at the end of this article. And make sure to consult with your doctor if you have a medical problem.

Introduction

The thyroid—a butterfly-shaped gland in the throat with most of its mass on either side of the central Adam’s apple—is absolutely critical to how well we function. Proper thyroid performance is essential for the normal functioning of cells, the nervous system, muscles, brain development, oxygen utilization, the metabolism, and the immune system—to name just several body areas and systems. The thyroid gland regulates all metabolic activity of the body. This means that a person’s growth and development, and the speed and efficiency with which the body takes in nourishment and eliminates waste products, are all under the guidance of the thyroid. It’s easy to see, then, that when the thyroid gland does not function, a person will not feel well. Indeed, some people say that they feel as though their lives are literally falling apart.

The thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxin, also known as T4. Thyroxin production depends on a complex feedback loop involving other parts of the endocrine system. The process starts in the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain. The hypothalamus releases TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone) to stimulate the pituitary gland, located in the brain’s center. The pituitary monitors blood levels of T4 (thyroxin). If there is not enough T4 in the blood, the pituitary secretes TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to induce the thyroid gland to produce more T4. When the thyroid produces more T4, the T4 levels in the bloodstream rise. Should the pituitary gland detect too much thyroid hormone in the blood, it decreases production of TSH; so the thyroid is stimulated less to produce T4, and there is less T4 in the bloodstream. In addition to the pituitary and hypothalamus, the thyroid influences and is influenced by other endocrine glands, especially the adrenals, parathyroid, and sex glands.

When the thyroid is sluggish, it is said to be underactive. The medical term for this is hypothyroidism. Sometimes the thyroid can be in a hyperactive or overactive state. The medical term for this is hyperthyroidism. This article, however, will focus on hypothyroidism. Stephen E. Langer and James F. Scheer, authors of the definitive thyroid book, Solved: The Riddle of Illness, state that an amazingly high percentage of Americans suffers from hypothyroidism. Some sources estimate that in the United States alone, nearly 8 million are affected—while according to energetic medicine studies, this is a drastically conservative estimate. Whatever the actual number, it is clear that hypothyroidism is a serious problem in the U.S.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

The thyroid is a tiny gland. However, because it governs metabolic functioning, the lack of thyroxin production, or the inability of the tissues to absorb thyroxin, can cause many—and serious—problems. A person need not have all of the following symptoms in order to have an underfunctioning thyroid; but this list will give you an idea of the scope and severity of hypothyroidism. The symptoms include:

• allergies
• anxiety, depression, irritability, memory problems, mental sluggishness, mood swings, and panic attacks
• asthma
• blood sugar disorders (diabetes and hypoglycemia)
• blood pressure problems (low)
• breathing difficulty (shortness of breath with even light walking)
• calcium metabolism problems
• carbohydrate intolerance
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• cholesterol levels, high
• circulation that’s slow, with resultant cold hands and feet and/or cold or heat intolerance
• deafness
• digestive disturbances, including constipation, diarrhea, and gas
• eyebrows: the outer third of each eyebrow is either sparse, or missing entirely
• fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome)
• fibromyalgia
• fluid retention
• hair loss and hair brittleness
• heart enlargement
• heart rate (pulse) slow, even in non-athletes
• hoarseness
• infections that are recurrent
• infertility
• insomnia
• menstrual problems
• muscle and joint aches and pains or weakness
• nails that are brittle
• skin problems (dry or flaky)
• sweating disturbance (lack of)
• tumors of all kinds
• weight gain