Drowning in a Sea of "Endocrine Disrupter Toxins"


In my previous post I spoke about the close connection between gut health and thyroid health. Of course, as someone who lives with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis I have a keen interest in anything related to the thyroid.

Just today, I came across an article revealing the 100 most-prescribed drugs in America and was stunned at what drug topped the list with more than 23 million prescriptions in 2013 – levothyroxine – the most commonly prescribed drug for treating hypothyroidism (but not necessarily the best in my opinion).

Some observers have warned about a pending epidemic of thyroid disorders. I believe the revelation of a thyroid drug as the most prescribed drug in America suggests that this epidemic is already a “fait accompli” (that’s French for the more colloquial expression “it’s a done deal!”).

I also believe it is due, in part, to the grim observations of experts like Dr. Davis who warn that we are literally “swimming in a sea” of endocrine disruptors, toxins that disrupt our hormonal glands such as the thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries, and testes. I would go farther to say we are drowning in that sea. Here are just a few examples of how ubiquitous and pervasive these toxins are.

Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic containers has gotten a lot of bad press recently yet it still considered by the FDA to be safe in certain applications even though it has been shown to disrupt the sex glands and bind to thyroid receptors.

Triclosan is commonly used in hand-sanitizers and similar applications. Triclosan is known to decrease circulating levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4).

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) is common used to make flame retardant clothing. PBDEs have been shown to disrupt both estrogen and thyroid hormones. The effects of PBDE exposure both in utero and shortly after birth can persist into adulthood.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in Teflon coated pots and pans and even microwave popcorn bags has been detected in the blood of more than 98% of the general US population. PFOA has implicated as both a carcinogen as well as an endocrine disruptor associated with thyroid disruption.

With all these “thyro-toxins” floating about it might not seem you like have a fighting chance to achieve thyroid health. But, the first step is to educate yourself - then take action. It is the essential sequence in what I call “Informed, Self-directed, Healthcare” (ISH).

Now that you have a better understanding of how to navigate the “thryo-toxin minefield” there are also positive steps you can take to stack the odds in favor of a healthy thyroid. If you participate in the Cureality program make certain to check out the Thyroid Health Track for a powerful list of proactive steps you can take.

Chris K. (aka HeartHawk)
Cureality Member Advocate


Source: IMS National Prescription Audit, IMS Health.

Comments (1) -

  • Ruth

    6/5/2014 8:18:15 PM |

    I began using kelp and immediately got headaches, which means there was too much t4. Dropped my thyroid meds after 3 days on kelp and never looked back. Kelp helped reduce the nearly 30 symptoms of underactive thyroid that I struggled with for well over a decade. The kelp removed toxins that had built up. My hair grew back! Did you catch that? My hair grew back!!! I was elated with all the other remarkable healing my body did. I still use kelp, and as for Hashimoto's... well I haven't been back to the doctor in over 7 years now. Food as medicine.

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Warning: Your cardiologist may be dangerous to your health!

Warning: Your cardiologist may be dangerous to your health!

Warren had a moderately high LDL cholesterol for years and took a statin drug sporadically over the past 7 years. Finally retired from a successful real estate investment business, he had a CT heart scan to assess his heart disease status.

Warren's score: 49. At age 59, this put him in the lowest 25%, with an estimated heart attack risk of 1% per year or less--a relatively low risk. At this heart scan score, the likelihood of an abnormal stress test was less than 3%, or a 97% likelihood of a normal stress test. Most would argue that a stress test would be unproductive, given its low probability of yielding useful information. In other words, there would be a 97% probability of normal blood flow through Warren's coronary plaque, and less than 3% likelihood that a stent or bypass surgery would be necessary.

Warren was also without symptoms. He hiked and biked without any chest discomfort or breathlessness. A prevention program like Track Your Plaque to gain control over future coronary plaque growth was all that was necessary and Warren had high hopes for a life free of heart attack and major heart procedures.

Then why did he go through a heart catheterization?

Warren did indeed undergo a heart catheterization on the advice of his cardiologist. When I met Warren for another opinion, it became immediately obvious that the heart catheterization was completely unnecessary. Then why was this invasive procedure done? There can only be a few reasons:

--The cardiologist didn't truly understand the meaning of the heart scan score. "We need to do a 'real' test."

--The cardiologist was terrified of malpractice risk for underdiagnosing or undertreating any condition, no matter how mild.

--The cardiologist wanted to make more money. Talking about heart disease prevention is a money-saving, not a money-making, approach.

Regardless of which of the three motivations was at work here, they're all inexcusable. A disservice was done to this man: he had an unnecessary procedure, incurred some risk of complication in the process, and gained nothing.

An ignorant or profit-seeking cardiologist is worse than the unscrupulous car mechanic who, when presented with an unknowing car repair customer, proceeds to replace the carburetor and rebuild the engine when a simple 5-minute adjustment would have taken care of the problem.

I estimate that no more than 10% of my colleagues follow such practices, but it's often hard to know who is in that 10%. Ask pointed questions: Why is the catheterization necessary? What is the likelihood of finding information useful to my health? What are the alternatives? (By the way, the emerging CT coronary angiograms can be a useful alternative in some situations like this.)

Track Your Plaque is your source for credible information. Be well armed.

Comments (1) -

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 3:50:21 PM |

    Regardless of which of the three motivations was at work here, they're all inexcusable. A disservice was done to this man: he had an unnecessary procedure, incurred some risk of complication in the process, and gained nothing.

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Interview with Jimmy Moore of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

Interview with Jimmy Moore of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

Here's my podcast interview with Jimmy Moore, host of the Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show. (If you want to fast forward to the interview, go to time marker 41:20 on the slidebar.)



In the podcast, I talk about how the Track Your Plaque program and its focus on lipoprotein testing, along with the need to reverse the incredible epidemic of diabetes and pre-diabetes, led to elimination of all wheat from the diet and the book, Wheat Belly.

Comments (11) -

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    9/8/2011 1:03:32 AM |

    To Pedro  (posted here since Server blocked),
    Journal Biological Chemistry 2003,278:54-63  "A Type 1 Diabetes-related Protein from Wheat" that refers to globulin (a storage molecule of wheat) being antigenic for autoimmune problems was where I saw wheat genome estimated in 2002 to be 16.5 gigabase. I read that article when tried to track down Doc's reason to declare wheat implicated in Type 1 diabetes. Full article at www. jbc.org/content/278/1/54.full

    A 2010 reference to wheat genome is in journal Cytogenic and Genome Research, Vol. 129, No. 1-3, 2010 abstract's 1st sentence refers to wheat genome as 1C-17Gbp. English abstract at http://content.karger.com/
    produktedb/produkte.asp?doi=313072

    As I understand it 1 giga-base   =  109 base pairs, and mega-base =  106 base pairs; it's not a formula like that used to compare computer bytes of giga-bytes and mega-bytes.

    You might have research use for the Harvard Gene Index Project's Computational Biology & Functional Genomics Laboratory; if use link below look at top of page and see a category for "Gene Indices", click there to then choose from subjects "Plants", "Animal" or several other indices.
    http://compbio.dfci.harvard.edu/tgi

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    9/8/2011 1:06:38 AM |

    To Pedro  (Server blocked elsewhere),
    Journal Biological Chemistry 2003,278:54-63  "A Type 1 Diabetes-related Protein from Wheat" that refers to globulin (a storage molecule of wheat) being antigenic for autoimmune problems was where I saw wheat genome estimated in 2002 to be 16.5 gigabase. I read that article when tried to track down Doc's reason to declare wheat implicated in Type 1 diabetes. Full article at www. jbc.org/content/278/1/54.full

  • otterotter

    9/8/2011 2:35:31 AM |

    Dr.Davis,

    Just listened to the podcast, that's fantastic !

    I have been diagnosed with TD2 last Sept, and since then being on the very low carb. Everything went well except my total cholesterol went out of control, and in January it was 400.

    What I don't understand is my Lp(a) is close to 0 ( less than 5.0 mg/dL as it was reported).

    Here is my latest direct measurements from SPECTRACELL LAB in Huston.

    VLDL Particels: 122 nmol/L (needs to be < 85)
    Total LDL Particles : 1271 nmol/L (needs to be < 900)
    Non-HDL Particles: 1394 nmol/L (needs to be < 1000)
    RLP(Remnant Lipoprotein) 205 nmol/L (needs to be < 150)
    Small Dense LDL III: 552 nmol/L (needs to be < 300, marked as very high risk right now)
    Small Dense LDL IV: 96 nmol/L (needs to be  7000)
    Large Buoyant HDL 2b: 2045 nmol/L (needs to be > 1500)

    Apo B-100: 127 mg/dL (needs to be < 80)
    Lp(a) : less than 5 mg/dL (needs to be < 30)
    C-Reactive Protein-hs : 0.2 mg/L (needs to be < 1)
    Insulin: less than 4.0 uIU/mL (needs to be < 35)
    Homocycteine: 12.3 umol/L (needs to be < 11)

    Total Cholesterol: 259 mg/dL
    LDL: 159 mg/dL
    HDL: 59 mg/dL
    Triglycerides: 118 mg/dL
    Non-HDL-Chol : 200 mg/dL


    I already removed the cheese and eggs from the diet, I suspect I am APOE 4.

    Any comments on my pattern ?

    thanks!

    otterotter

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    9/8/2011 2:53:25 AM |

    To DCMarc  (server blocked where belongs),
    Benfotiamine, a synthetic thiamine used in diabetic neuropathy, increases enzyme trans-keto-lase inside a cell. The use in diabetics and neuro-degeneration may (?) require professional consideration in cancer cases. Trans-keto-lase spurs cells to go into aerobic glycolysis (aerobic here refers to cell performing glycolysis despite oxygen being around for performing normal mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation) for processing cells glucose; this aerobic glycolysis is the  famous Warburg effect and experimentally administering trans-keto-lase augments cancer cell proliferation (likewise experimentally spiking up thiamin increases trans-keto-lase).

    Trans-keto-lase works for diabetics & in neuro-degeneration because  it pushes cell's glucose (via transcription once cAMP binds to it)  into the hexose mono-phosphate shunt ( of D-glucose-6p to D-glucono-lactone 6P to D-glycr-aldhehyde-3-phosphate) called the Pentose  Pathway (where hexose forms into pentose). This  process generates NADPH which boosts anti-oxidant glutathione ( & thioredoxin) production inside the cell. Also NADPH brings on the  activation of  the cell's endoplasmic reticulum's Unfolded Protein Response which helps the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tolerate dangerous endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress is significant in diabetes and neuro-degeneration).

    ER stress, with protein folding complications, sees NADP+ accumulate and so augmenting trans-keto-lase pushes quicker output of NADPH to keep pace; this  triggers the Unfolded Protein Response to induce Cu,ZnSOD expression that then alleviates the ER stress (ie: helps ER tolerate demanding conditions).  This helps in that it  keeps the stressed ER  ( a state that coincides with more local super-oxide O--),  from seeding the dangerous (and largely un-neutralizable) hydroxyl radicals (hydroxyl radicals come about when super-oxide related hydrogen peroxide  provokes Fenton  & Haber/Weiss reactions reducing Cu++ or Fe+++ ). This is similarly how trans-keto-lase also benefits cancer cells ( rampant cancer cell growth demands protein folding that formally stresses the ER); the prevention against reactive oxygen species means cancer cells don't suffer apoptosis (cell death).

    Diabetics use of Befotiamine ( a dynamic fat soluble thiamine trans-keto-lase booster) will  help them similarly with their ER stress . In  their case the shift to using their regularly high glucose in the Pentose Pathway will mean quicker degradation of that glucose than if cells used mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. This also means the glycation (Doc warns against this from high glucose)  and thus tissue cells levels of advanced glycation end products (AGE) will be less; blunting the amount of AGE messing with monocytes and less endothelial dysfunction  amount to less inflammation, less diabetic oxidative stress and likewise less alteration of the vascular tissue such as atherosclerosis.

    Experimentally induced diabetes is often done by feeding a very high  fat diet. Much of the fat in a very high fat diet  acts to drive down the level of trans-keto-lase due to a transcription adaptationum within 8 weeks in rodents. For humans thiamine (B1) is often recommended to diabetics; cauliflower is a nice thiamine source to make into trans-keto-lase.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    9/8/2011 6:26:09 AM |

    To  B. Smith (Server won't post where belongs ),
    Glutamine, an amino acid, is used by cancer cells to keep apoptosis (cell death) from happening in several ways. One way is how glutamine keeps the cell nucleus from condensing and stops the capsase 3 & capsase 8 cascades from starting apoptosis. The other way is how there is an increase in the  anti-oxidant glutathione synthesis when glutamine elevates NADPH (see comment above for ER stress).

    Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF) works to destroy a cancer cell by running down that cell's mitochondrial glutathione level; this needs to be replenished with glutathione from that cell's cytosol. Once there is a 35% plunge in mitochondrial glutathione that  alters the mitochondrial membrane so that it stops bringing in glutathione to the mitochondria and starts leaking out cytochrome c into that cell's cytosol (which can jump start an apoptosis program). Cancer cells' rapid growth strains the normal oxidative stress limits of a cell, so cancer cells draw in lots of glutamine to boost the level of ready glutathione inside that cell; then the cytosol can continually shore up the mitochondrial glutathione levels to prevent one of the apoptosis scenarios from starting .

    A cancer cell at some point has to "transform" to progress and needs lots of DNA at that stage; glutamine is needed for synthesis of cellular RNA & DNA. The bio-synthesis of nucleotides utilizes glutamine; and having lots of de-oxy-ribo-nucleotides around favors DNA replication at that cancer's key "transformation" stage (ie: S-phase). The use of glutamine by a cancer cell for converting into energy to run on, like some normal cells do, is not why cancer cells take up so much glutamine.

  • Galina L.

    9/8/2011 4:25:13 PM |

    @ Might-o'chondri-AL
    Dear Might, do you mind to tell what do you think about that cancer research result?
    l http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3117136/?tool=pubmed

  • Peter Silverman

    9/8/2011 6:58:08 PM |

    My cardiologist said, "look, I don't know about nutrition.  If you want to talk about nutrion, go talk to a nutritionist"

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    9/9/2011 12:32:19 AM |

    Hi GalinaL,
    Cancer undergoes several oncongenic processes wherein the so-called epithelilial pheno-type cell (epithelial cells are +/-85% of cancer substrate cells) gets it's cell nucleus histones acetylated, which creates what is called "stemness"  (the ability of that cell to renew itself with potency, like our stem cells). This leads to a phase called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (where the morphing cell can go either way, either back to benign epithelial pheno-type or onward to dangerous mesenchymal pheno-type). It is when the enzyme histone acetyl-transferase no longer keeps that epithelial histone acetylated ( a sort of  limbo) that the epithelial cell's genetic expression gets knocked down permitting the further shift into full mesenchymal pheno-type .

    What is important to realize about cancer cell's taking over a cell's nuclear DNA is that when the pheno-type goes from epithelial to mesenchymal the cancer cell's mesenchymal pheno-type somehow still retains the ability to perform the stem cell "stemness" of indefinite replication. Your cited authors point out that keotones boost tumor growth (+/-2.5 times) and lactate boosts tumor metastasis (+/- 10 times); and  also that their metabolic use raises a cell's Acetyl-CoA and this increases the acetylation of histones causing more gene expressio. And so authors report limiting ketones and lactate in cancer seem to be the "achilles heel" to cut off in order to stop cancer's "stemness" (ie: inherent potential); their extrapolation from this is interesting as a theory..

    There are other processes beyond histone modification which show oncongenesis is not lineal. When the cancer cell is still just an epithelial pheno-type cell unit micro RNA (miRNA) of the miRNA-200 family group is un-methylated; and thus holds the epithelial pheno-type steady, because un-methylated miRNA isn't reactive enough for messenger RNA (mRNA) transcription. A 2nd stage is seen once hyper-methylation  occurs, while at the same time less miRNA is put out; this morphs the cancer cell into the mesenchymal pheno-type and at that stage metastasis is possible. While an advanced 3rd stage comes about when miRNA resurges somewhat; this is what makes extensive metastasis of cancer cells that have migrated start happening. (Lineal thinking about cancer is a trap, since it is methylation that lets cancer cells get going but later de-methylation that let's them thrive and patient outcome worsen).

    Warburg effect is suggested, by cited study, to be almost a lineal concept; which they propose to re-define as desireable if it simply limits lactate and ketone production in a cell. This theory has it's own trap because in the Warburg effect +/-60% of the carbon from glucose undergoing aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells is actually being used by cancer cells as a carbon scaffolding for "de novo" fatty acid synthesis to feed into fatty acid oxidation. In other words the elevated amount of cancer cell's aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) is really fostering fatty acid oxidation; and fatty acid oxidation increases cancer resistance.

    The cancer cells uncouple the mitochondria oxidative phosphorylation of glucose so that the a lot of the processing of glucose doesn't go all the way to normal completion of ATP production; instead cancer cells use the initial steps that perform oxidation of glucose to cleave off the carbon atoms from that glucose to use. In other words it is the mitochondrial uncoupling protein up-regulated by that cancer cell's genetic  transcription which, down the line, forces that cell to continue to escalate Warburg's aerobic glycolysis in order to keep up with energy demands as carbon skeletons get used up.

    Metaformin's use in cancer treatment was suggested by study's authors to support their "reverse Warburg" theory : that it is by forcing Warburg's aerobic glycolysis to occur, due to Metaformin,  which accounts for cancer control seen. This seems too lineal an interpretation of the events; especially with regard to preceding paragraph's explanation of how Warburg relates to unpredictable carbon molecule usage. Metaformin reliably does inhibit the mitochondrial complex 1; and this will stymie glucose (and also glutamate, which cancer cells prodigiously take in ) from going on to produce ATP. I would suggest that this also stops the oxidizing of glucose molecules and thus sparse carbon skeletons are available to make into fatty acids for burning.

    In addition Metaformin inhibiting mitochondrial complex 1 will also reduce fatty acid oxidation; this is because  NADH oxidation at that complex needs to happen in fatty acid oxidation. NAD+ is a crucial rate limiter in  fatty acid oxidation , but unless NADH can subsequently be re-oxidized as a molecule in the mitochondrial complex 1 it can't keep on driving fatty acid oxidation by lending out NAD+.  Metaformin use in cancer is even more complicated, because if the cancer has p53 then when glucose supply is low it manages to actually use more fatty acids to run on and then use auto-phagy house cleaning to avoid apoptosis death. Whereas, if a cancer does not have much p53 then Metaformin seems to be more effective in treating cancer.

  • Dr. William Davis

    9/9/2011 2:25:55 AM |

    Yup, and the nutritionist hawks the usual "cut your fat, eat more whole grains" line.

    It's a comedy of misinformation with advice from agencies paid for by your tax dollars.

  • Dr. William Davis

    9/9/2011 2:29:21 AM |

    Hi, otter--

    Obviously, I can provide only limited advice in a blog post.

    But I agree: Apo E4 is a prime consideration. However, keep in mind that small LDL remains the most atherogenic (plaque-causing) of all your patterns and still deserves the primary focus. Also, if this blood sample was drawn with ongoing weight loss, this alone can provide substantial distortions.

  • Galina L.

    9/9/2011 2:48:25 AM |

    Wow! I don't know who else would dissect that article like you did! I really, really appreciate you decision to replay on my question. Looks like  Metaformin could be healthful in more than one way in treating cancer.

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$4 per gallon gas is good for your health!

$4 per gallon gas is good for your health!

Gasoline is now approaching $4 per gallon in some parts of the U.S. But there's a silver lining in this dark cloud. In fact, I see this as a positive for your health.

How can higher gas prices possbily be good for health?

Imagine this trend continues: Fuel prices climb higher and higher. Driving your car will become increasingly more costly. What will be the fall-out?

Well, there will be a number of implications. But among the developments will be a broad impetus towards rejecting fuel-based sources of transportation. This may come as a shock to you, but humans legs were meant for walking!

Remember way back when, Mom would say "We need some milk"? In 1953, you wouldn't get in your car and zip to and from the supermarket. Instead, you would walk a quarter-mile, half-mile or more to the store. And you would carry your bags back. You might walk a mile or two to school and back. In 2006, this seems incomprehensible.

Higher fuel prices will prompt a gradual return to 1953--As transportation costs climb, your town may try and make it easier to walk as an alternative means of getting places.
Imagine that it was easy to walk three blocks to the grocery store, produce stand, work or school, walk along pleasant paths on the weekend, stroll to the home of friends. Drive or walk? Leave the car in the garage and save you and your family hundreds of dollars a month in gas bills.

In a few years, given the current fuel cost trends, there won't be a choice. But it will be in your favor for health.
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