Low Thyroid Symptoms
By Dr. Greg Fors

Many people live their lives suffering with low thyroid symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, depression, digestive problems, sugar cravings even cold hands and feet.
It is especially experienced by women. Your thyroid produces hormones that control cellular metabolism, so if it is not working properly the cells of your body and brain can slow down. This can create many of these symptoms and more.

The usual approach in identifying low thyroid function 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 within 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, doctors many times will prescribe a thyroid hormone such as Synthroid.

The problem with this simple approach to a complex syndrome is that many people continue to suffer from their symptoms even when they are taking thyroid medication, moreover, even after their doctor tells them their thyroid tests are “in the normal range. To find the underlying causes and possible solutions for common symptoms associated with low thyroid function doctors need only to look deeper

First, many times a clinician does not run a comprehensive enough thyroid test panel so even though the individual may test just within the normal / safe range this barely “normal” is not good enough to run their cellular metabolism properly. Second, there are actually six patterns of thyroid dysfunction that must be properly diagnosed and only one of them really responds well to thyroid medication.

One of these six patterns of thyroid dysfunction, which I will explain in an upcoming seminar is the most common cause of low thyroid function in the United States! This pattern involves an autoimmune reaction that causes an individual’s body to attack its own tissues. This specific autoimmune disorder, called Hashimoto's disease is one of the most common autoimmune disorders, which are growing at an alarming rate.

Common causes of Hashimoto's disease are allergic reactions to foods, molds or bacteria, any of which can trigger the autoimmune reaction. For example, gluten sensitivity, often undiagnosed, is a very common cause of Hashimoto's autoimmune reaction and thyroid dysfunction. People also can develop an immune response affecting the thyroid and other tissues from exposure to certain environmental chemicals and heavy metals.

To completely conquer the underlying cause of these debilitating symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, depression, and brain fog it is vital to address more than just the thyroid gland. Often it is necessary to go to the heart of cellular function not only in your thyroid, but in your muscles and your brain. At the center of these organs cells are hundreds of throbbing engines; the much unappreciated mitochondria. They are the power plants of your cells and crank out massive amounts of life’s energy (ATP). These organelles take calories from your food, break them down and then literally burn or oxidize it for energy. It’s a process called cellular respiration.

When mitochondria are efficiently humming along like well-tuned little engines, you have all the energy you need throughout the day. Energy to use your muscles, think with your brain and not the least, to allow your thyroid to function properly. When they are not working efficiently, it can lead to those very symptoms described in this article. Once the key metabolic factors causing mitochondrial dysfunction have been identified and properly diagnosed, an effective and specific biomedical program can be started to normalize the thyroid and general cellular function, thus allowing many individuals to live a life they once only dreamed of!

The reasons for the tremendous growth in autoimmune disorders, specifically Hashimoto's disease are manifold and beyond the scope of this one article. Please feel free to attend my upcoming seminar on Monday, October 18, 6:30 PM at the Northtown library. There I will help to explain more about the origin of these disabling symptoms of low thyroid, the six patterns of thyroid dysfunction, Hashimoto's disease, lab tests to properly diagnose these conditions, and natural solutions.