Metabolic syndrome and its components are associated with increased thyroid volume and nodule prevalence in a mild-to-moderate iodine deficient area.

Only Half of US Prenatal Multivitamins Contain Iodine; Doses Often at Odds With Label

Dr. Davis    You are so right!  I always check Ft3 as well as thyroid antibodies for Hashimotos.   If the antibodies are elevated, the patient probably has gluten induced autoimmune disease.   I also suggest checking reverse T3 if they have been on L-thyroxine.  If elevated, they are converting their T4 into reverse T3 instead of T3.   Keep up the good work.  Bill Trumbower MD

Follow the money.  Synthroid (T4 only)is a highly profitable drug being actively pushed by drug reps.  Armour Thyroid (T3 and T4) is cheap and profitless.

Where was that recent article on how drug companies (and their sales reps) shamelessly said anything needed to get doctors to prescribe their higher-profit lines?

Dr. Trumbower--

Thanks. I'd like to continue the conversation.

I can be reached through contact@trackyourplaque.com.

Plenty to share!

Ross--

You've hit at the essence of the problem.

The depth of this rabid adherence to the drug company-induced dogma is incredible. Endocrinologists will turn blood-red arguing that Synthroid is the only means of correcting thyroid and that iodine deficiency no longer exists.

Believe me--I've seen it happen first hand.

This is a littke off-topic, but still about thyroid health so I hope it's ok.  

The word is getting out in some of the online hypothyroid forums (STTM & Mary Shomon's about.com forums) that many hypothyroid patients are not happy with the recent reformulation of Armour desiccated thyroid.  Apparently, the new Armour formula no longer dissolves well for those who prefer to take it sub-lingually.  Additionally, many (who take it sublingually or swallow it) are finding the change in binder formulation (sugar was also reduced) coincides with a return of some symptoms, so perhaps the hormone absorption has changed.

And of course, the continued shortage of Armour in some doses continues with no end in sight.  

I heard about this reformulation issue just before I planned to change from Levoxyl (T4) & Cytomel (T3) combo therapy to Armour, so I asked my doctor to write the Rx for Naturethroid instead of Armour.  

It's been a very smooth transition from synthetic T4/T3 once a day to 1/2 grain Naturethroid natural desiccated thyroid hormone twice a day, with a huge improvement in the "afternoon slump" that was still a prominent feature even after several years of tweaking my T4/T3 treatment.  In fact, now I have to set a reminder on my phone to remind me to take the second dose, because I don't often have the afternoon slump "reminder".

Question please:  does it make sense for those of us without known thyroid issues to take an iodine supplement such as kelp?

Thank you for any thoughts.

Sincerely,

Tom

Dr. Davis,

I think that your article is so correct re: the need to have both Free T4 and Free T3 corrected.  I can remember arguing with the endocrinologist that we needed to check a Free T3 level too.  He finally checked it, but only one time.  I continue to have low Free T3.  I pay for my own test since he doesn't do it. I am gluten sensitive and my replacement T4 works better now that I am GF, but my Free T3 is still low.

It is hard to find a doctor who would understand desiccated thyroid medication never mind prescribing it. To add injury to the insult, the medical system in Canada doesn’t cover desiccated medication to begin with. people with affordability problem, continue to stay on synthetic medication and in the long run it cost the medical system lot more in order to correct the spinoff of thyroid issue through other diseases.

I seemed to be doing fine on Synthroid. My TSH was .8. I then changed to a generic med and I watched my TSH slowly rise to almost 4 and my energy decline. Of course my doctor was unconcerned, but I insisted on getting a free T3 done too - it was low.

I am now back on Synthroid and will be getting my TSH, free T3 and free T4 retested soon.

I am gluten free x6yrs and now grain free. I hope it is just the generic that caused the worsening TSH.

In British Columbia, Canada it's almost impossible to get a prescription for desiccated thyroid hormone. Synthroid gives me a backache, T4 compounded alone gives me migraines. Severe incapacitating chills started in 2000; it took several years to get a possible diagnosis and start on desiccated, but that doctor has moved away. The chills are 80% improved but get worse with any stress. Would iodine or kelp or Lugols or Iodoral help? My health fell apart with quitting smoking, systemic Candidiasis, hypoglycemia, diabetes, severe depression, menopause, etc and I can now digest very few foods, supplements, etc. Also most foods and all hormones cause migraines. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Dr Davis     I went to the site you mentioned, but I could not find how to reach you.  Sorry I must not be very experienced to figure it out.   Dr. Trumbower

I stumbled on this article with tons of citations about a possible cause of the apparently huge increase in thyroid problems at http://www.earthclinic.com/fluoride_questions_and_answers.html

The first quotation from an expert was, "Today, many people living in fluoridated communities are ingesting doses of fluoride (1.6-6.6 mg/day) that fall within the range of doses (2 to 10 mg/day) once used by doctors to reduce thyroid activity in hyperthyroid patients. This is of particular concern considering the widespread problem of hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) in the United States. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include obesity, lethargy, depression, and heart disease."

Paul Connett, PhD
Co-Founder, Fluoride Action Network"

Dr. Trumbower--

You could try this: Cut and paste following web address:

http://www.trackyourplaque.com/fo06-00about.asp

Hope to see you there.

I'm going back and reading all your thyroid related posts after getting diagnosed yesterday with Hashimoto's. It gets depressing reading about the state of thryoid treatment in the US - total tunnel vision. The Dr. I was absolutely and utterly will not prescribe dessicated thyroid, only the synthetic T4s. I'll start out there but if it doesn't seem to help I'll have to look outside my network somewhere I guess.

In my experience, the majority (approximately 70%, but not 100%) experience subjective improvement when T3 is added in some form and the free T3 level is increased. While the data (summarized here) are conflicted on whether there is objective benefit to T3 management and supplementation, there seems to be a poorly-quantified subjective improvement.

But not eating causes a drop in glucose and at the end an insulin response. This 'postpandrial state theory' is interesting, but if you ate only once a day for example you would tend to overeat with excess calories for just one meal. Probably for it me may be an intermediate solution between so long periods of no eating and a snack every couple of hours.

No more heart attack if blood flow is enhanced to the heart, if blood vessels are toned and flexible and if blood pressure levels are in the normal range

Dr. Davis, do you think that the type of food is a factor in this as well? For instance vegetarian animals (such as cows) graze all day, as you had mentioned and most carnivorous animals eat a large kill and then don't eat again for days. Since humans are probably omnivorous, I'm thinking along the lines of eating a large, fatty meat meal a few days per week and then being vegan for several days in between the meat meals. Perhaps it's not necessary to 'fast', per se, but just to abstain from meat for several days at a time to simulate a fast and it's benefits. Of course, the days abstaining from meat shouldn't be filled with Snickers bars and pasta, LOL! Just curious as to your thoughts on this.

Thanks!
Will

What specifically is so dangerous in food?  Is it the amino acids?  The glucose?  Insulin levels?  Are there some foods you can eat every few hours safely?  I am currently training for a marathon and I just don't think I could make it 6 hours without eating.

Hi, Will--

Although the data need to be better developed, it is probably carbohydrate foods that are among the worst in generating abnormal postprandial phenomena. Vegetables probably exert little to no adverse effect.

When one changes over to the evolutionary diet of our far ancestors, before agriculture, and eats as close to that of the caveman,  one looses his/hers abnormal hunger drive and dose not require snacking at all.  I have eliminated all grains and wheat. I eat 100% grass fed beef, butter, cream, and cheese.  In addition I use MCT oil for salads and cook with 100% virgin coconut oil.  You will notice that I am on a 100% saturated fat diet.  Along with this, I take on a daily basis 6000 IU vitamin D3 soft gel caps, Super vitamin K2, 325 mcg Kelp caps, and 2600 mg EPA and DHA fish oil.  Dr. Davis, you are right, the notion to graze, is not only absurd, if you eat right, totally unnecessary.  By the way, I have also eliminated all vegetable oils, including olive and canola oils.  MCT oil is a much healthier choice, and when mixed with water, apple cider vinegar along with your favorite spices, is delicious.

"... then revert to berries, roots, leaves, and other foraged foods until the next kill."

Is that not a form of grazing?

It's my understanding that paleo man consumed as much as three times the fiber as the average modern man... that's quite a bit of forage.  This very well may have resulted in their digestive organs being much healthier, which may have contributed to preventing a whole host of abnormal risk factors that plague modern man.

I agree with Dr. Davis; however I recently heard an argument that one should eat every 5-6 hours to avoid excess blood sugar (equivalent to a bagel) from gluconeogenesis. A low carb snack or meal will result in lower blood sugar compared to the bagel created by the liver.

billye,
I consume a litre+ of extra virgin olive oil a week.
Your MCT and coconut oil consumption must be very expensive.
Beyond my means, I regret to say.....

Billye, are you sure MCT is a healthy choice? I bought a bottle of it and stopped using it because I realized it's a processed oil. I, too, don't use any of those other frankenoils at all and eat a more paleo diet (eating saturated fats). The MCT oil doesn't sound very "evolutionary" KWIM?  

But agreed! It's marvelous as a salad dressing. I'd love to be able to use in good conscience, just worried about the processing part. Seems like it might be somewhat of a frankenoil.

Billye,

you are confused about 'vegetable oils' concept. Corn, soy and sunflower oils are bad because its high Omega 6 content. But olive oil is one of best fats of the world with fish oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is highly antiinflamatory and better than MTC for me. Monounsaturated fats are very healthy and olive oil has very low Omega 6 content. Anyway, coconut oil is a good fat if you find its extra virgin version.

Remember one of keys of superiority of mediterranean diet is extra virgin olive oil and monounsaturated fats. Coconut oil has low monounsaturated fats content.

While I normally find the heartscanblog fascinating, this post makes no sense. You say grazing is wrong because "Humans are meant to find a wild boar or other animal, kill it, gorge on the meat, organs, and fat, then revert to berries, roots, leaves, and other foraged foods until the next kill." I don't see how that is really any different then the practice of grazing on small portions of berries, roots and leaves between larger meals in the modern era. I'm not sure that my hormones are going to react differently to blackberries if I eat them from a bowl while sitting at my diningroom table, as opposed to eating them from the bush while sitting on an anthill as our ancestors did.

In this concept, grazing and foraging are just two different words that refer to eating small amounts of plant foods between larger meals. How is that natural for our ancestors, yet unnatural for us?

Bill & Ellen,
Great comments and well thought out points.  I eat MCT oil, apple cider vinegar, and water, along with my favorite dry salt free condiments.  I use it as a dressing daily over lots of colorful vegetables.  I do not find it too costly to use, not more costly than any good salad oil, considering the health benefits.  I also understand the concerns about processing.  In as much as I take high dose fish oil and vitamin D3 soft gels, which are also processed, I am not worried about the processing of MCT oil as long as it is a cold press extraction processes of medium chain triglycerides from organic coconut, that is free of trans fatty acid, without the use of chemicals and solvents. I am currently searching for a better source than I presently have to switch to, along the lines as above described.  Stay tuned.

Several commenters make the point that "grazing" in the wild is no different than "grazing" at your kitchen table.

There's a world of difference. For one, having food that lasts long enough to eat at your leisure is not a frequent condition in the wild. Any food must be found, dug up, picked, or killed. That's a lot different than tearing open a cellophane bag.

Foods of convenience are also not there for the taking.

I suppose if we're going to eat like our ancestors, regular mealtimes go out the window, too.

Since I am a convinced follower of DrSears' Zone Diet principles and it is based in mantaining insulin using balanced meals and snacks I sent your article to Dr Sears team. Here his answer:

"Dr. Sears is familiar with Dr. Davis and appreciates the link.Dr. Sears would agree that consuming snacks that are not balanced with lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables and monounsaturated fats creates an abnormal prolonged postprandial state elevating insulin levels and promoting silent inflammation.. Very few dietitians and nutritionists suggest following the Zone guidelines."Humans are meant to find a wild boar or other animal, kill it, gorge on the meat, organs, and fat, then revert to berries, roots, leaves, and other foraged foods until the next kill." Consuming too many calories (gorging) will also elevate insulin levels. Fasting can drive insulin levels too low and elevate cortisol which promotes its own set of hormonal issues"

Postprandial abnormalities are emerging to be a potent, and much underappreciated, means of causing heart disease and atherosclerosis in other vascular territories (especially carotid arteries and thoracic aorta).