Hypothyroidism and weight gain (blood tests, quit smoking, symptom, exercise)

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by kodaka

No, it hasn't.

There is NO empirical evidence that links, definitively, any kind of food source with endocrine disorders. None that is recognized by any medical or health authority.

If you want to espouse your beliefs that alternative lifestyles are the solution to everything, this thread is not the place to do it.

For your information....

Although AD have a genetic predisposition,1,3 the concordance rate between twins is only about 30 %, so the interaction between one's genotype and several environmental factors plays a major role.1-3

In the last 20 years, several dietary factors have been implicated in AD such as drugs,1 heavy metals,1 viral and bacterial infections,1 vitamin D deficiency,4-14 and gluten consumption15-37 (that's a group of water-soluble proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats15). It also appears that cow's milk is involved in certain AD, as well.

Various epidemiological studies have associated milk with T1D38-45, especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. This evidence appears to be consistence, since various reviews of the scientific literature published in 199346, 199447,48, 199849, 199950,51, 200252, 200353 and 200554,55 corroborate the association between cow's milk drinking and T1D.

Regarding MS and cow's milk consumption, epidemiological studies have also repeatedly shown a strong correlations.

I respectfully disagree that there is no proof. There is TONS of proof if you are willing to open your MIND and EYES to it.

20yrsinBranson

[kodaka]

or your information....

Although AD have a genetic predisposition,1,3 the concordance rate between twins is only about 30 %, so the interaction between one's genotype and several environmental factors plays a major role.1-3

In the last 20 years, several dietary factors have been implicated in AD such as drugs,1 heavy metals,1 viral and bacterial infections,1 vitamin D deficiency,4-14 and gluten consumption15-37 (that's a group of water-soluble proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats15). It also appears that cow's milk is involved in certain AD, as well.

Various epidemiological studies have associated milk with T1D38-45, especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. This evidence appears to be consistence, since various reviews of the scientific literature published in 199346, 199447,48, 199849, 199950,51, 200252, 200353 and 200554,55 corroborate the association between cow's milk drinking and T1D.

Regarding MS and cow's milk consumption, epidemiological studies have also repeatedly shown a strong correlations.

I respectfully disagree that there is no proof. There is TONS of proof if you are willing to open your MIND and EYES to it.

20yrsinBranson

You've just quoted a blogger's entry that claims that multiple sclerosis is caused by milk consumption. The blog's author, a chiropractor, cites a government report published by the National Institutes of Health. That study makes only two reference to diet:

•in the reduced incidence of Lupus in laboratory rats when they were given Omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

•NIH are currently studying the effect of cow's milk bottle-feeding and cereal foods in infants and the onset of type-II diabetes. The study is not scheduled to be completed for another decade and no conclusions have yet been drawn. And there is no direct link between type II diabetes and thyroid diseases.

You may not know how to read medical reports and studies but that doesn't mean everything you read is medically valid or true. This blogger is completely unqualified to make medical declarations about endocrine diseases and has cited sources that are not medically valid--because the report does not address any of the variables in the author's conclusion: not MS and not milk. Even if the report did uphold the blogger's assertions, that would that have no bearing on a discussion about hypothyroidism, since MS is an autoimmune disease and hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder.

[bellalunatic]

+1 Kodaka.

That was beautiful.

Thank you for your clever mind.

[bluedevilz]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

For your information....

Although AD have a genetic predisposition,1,3 the concordance rate between twins is only about 30 %, so the interaction between one's genotype and several environmental factors plays a major role.1-3

In the last 20 years, several dietary factors have been implicated in AD such as drugs,1 heavy metals,1 viral and bacterial infections,1 vitamin D deficiency,4-14 and gluten consumption15-37 (that's a group of water-soluble proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats15). It also appears that cow's milk is involved in certain AD, as well.

Various epidemiological studies have associated milk with T1D38-45, especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. This evidence appears to be consistence, since various reviews of the scientific literature published in 199346, 199447,48, 199849, 199950,51, 200252, 200353 and 200554,55 corroborate the association between cow's milk drinking and T1D.

Regarding MS and cow's milk consumption, epidemiological studies have also repeatedly shown a strong correlations.

I respectfully disagree that there is no proof. There is TONS of proof if you are willing to open your MIND and EYES to it.

20yrsinBranson

I respectfully note that this is a load of pseudoscientific, unsubstantiated crapola....

Its also obvious that you have "lifted" this from some un named source without citing the author....

[NCyank]

+1 from me too.

Personally, I'd not be comfortable giving such specific medical advice based on a relatively vague post on the internet....I'm surprised Branson is so willing to not only diagnose OP's condition but also suggest a cure.

I'll give my opinion once more (non-medical professional but from 15 years of personal experience, both hyper and hypo)....OP, if you don't feel 'right' go back to the doctor. If they aren't willing to take a closer look or dismiss you based on your 'normal' lab results....you need a new doctor.

Good luck!!

[butterfly57]

Originally Posted by NCyank

+1 from me too.



I'll give my opinion once more (non-medical professional but from 15 years of personal experience, both hyper and hypo)....OP, if you don't feel 'right' go back to the doctor. If they aren't willing to take a closer look or dismiss you based on your 'normal' lab results....you need a new doctor.

Good luck!!

I second that!! (based on my 12 year + experience as hypo)

[ergohead]

"In other studies, another doctoral student, Karem Al-Zoubi, and his colleagues have found that nicotine may improve some of the learning and memory problems associated with hypothyroidism, a common disorder in which the thyroid gland makes inadequate amounts of thyroid hormones. These findings add to the understanding of the mechanism by which nicotine repairs damaged brain function, and may one day help scientists design new, safe therapeutic agents for hypothyroidism and other conditions that cause brain impairments.

An estimated 5 million Americans have hypothyroidism, which produces a variety of symptoms, including such mental impairments as cloudy thinking, inability to concentrate, and memory problems. The elderly, particularly women, are more likely to develop the disease. Up to 10 percent of women over age 50 and up to 1.25 percent of men over age 60 have a defective thyroid gland that puts out less-than-adequate amounts of thyroid hormone in the blood. The condition can also strike infants and children, where its effects can be very serious. One in 4,000 babies are born with hypothyroidism. In infants, the condition often results in severe developmental problems, including mental retardation, and is referred to as cretinism.

To study the effect of nicotine on hypothyroidism, the researchers surgically removed most of the thyroid gland from a group of rats. They then treated some of those rats twice daily with a dose of nicotine that produced blood nicotine levels equivalent to those seen in the blood of smokers. All the animals were then given a test that has both learning and a memory phase.

The nicotine-treated hypothyroid animals made significantly fewer errors on both phases of the test than the untreated hypothyroid animals. In fact, the treated hypothyroid animals had a similar error rate to an untreated control group with normal thyroid glands and a nicotine-treated group with normal thyroid glands.

"Nicotine appears to repair learning and memory deficits caused by hypothyroidism, although it doesn't appear to improve learning and memory in normal animals," says Al-Zoubi.

The group is now working to uncover the means by which stress and hypothyroidism produce mental deficits and how nicotine corrects these deficits."

Nicotine Improves Memory And Helps Brain Repair Itself

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by ergohead

"In other studies, another doctoral student, Karem Al-Zoubi, and his colleagues have found that nicotine may improve some of the learning and memory problems associated with hypothyroidism, a common disorder in which the thyroid gland makes inadequate amounts of thyroid hormones. These findings add to the understanding of the mechanism by which nicotine repairs damaged brain function, and may one day help scientists design new, safe therapeutic agents for hypothyroidism and other conditions that cause brain impairments.

An estimated 5 million Americans have hypothyroidism, which produces a variety of symptoms, including such mental impairments as cloudy thinking, inability to concentrate, and memory problems. The elderly, particularly women, are more likely to develop the disease. Up to 10 percent of women over age 50 and up to 1.25 percent of men over age 60 have a defective thyroid gland that puts out less-than-adequate amounts of thyroid hormone in the blood. The condition can also strike infants and children, where its effects can be very serious. One in 4,000 babies are born with hypothyroidism. In infants, the condition often results in severe developmental problems, including mental retardation, and is referred to as cretinism.

To study the effect of nicotine on hypothyroidism, the researchers surgically removed most of the thyroid gland from a group of rats. They then treated some of those rats twice daily with a dose of nicotine that produced blood nicotine levels equivalent to those seen in the blood of smokers. All the animals were then given a test that has both learning and a memory phase.

The nicotine-treated hypothyroid animals made significantly fewer errors on both phases of the test than the untreated hypothyroid animals. In fact, the treated hypothyroid animals had a similar error rate to an untreated control group with normal thyroid glands and a nicotine-treated group with normal thyroid glands.

"Nicotine appears to repair learning and memory deficits caused by hypothyroidism, although it doesn't appear to improve learning and memory in normal animals," says Al-Zoubi.

The group is now working to uncover the means by which stress and hypothyroidism produce mental deficits and how nicotine corrects these deficits."

Nicotine Improves Memory And Helps Brain Repair Itself

I knew I was sharper when I used to smoke! Despite the fact that I've had the mental fog and memory issues while I was toxic HYPERthyroid....sigh.

[sparksharp]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

According to our beloved internet....

Causes of Hypothyroidism

There are two fairly common causes of hypothyroidism. The first is a result of previous (or currently ongoing) inflammation of the thyroid gland, which leaves a large percentage of the cells of the thyroid damaged (or dead) and incapable of producing sufficient hormone. The most common cause of thyroid gland failure is called autoimmune thyroiditis (also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis), a form of thyroid inflammation caused by the patient's own immune system.

The second major cause is the broad category of "medical treatments." The treatment of many thyroid conditions warrants surgical removal of a portion or all of the thyroid gland. If the total mass of thyroid producing cells left within the body are not enough to meet the needs of the body, the patient will develop hypothyroidism. Remember, this is often the goal of the surgery for thyroid cancer.

Although her thyroid is apparently not making enough of this hormone, this is NOT THE CAUSE of her condition - THIS IS A SYMPTOM. If you replace the hormone, then you are masking the symptom. You are NOT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. You are simply making the problem "go away" until the medication is stopped, and then the problem recurs.

The objective of holistic or naturopathic treatment is to determine WHY your thyroid is not producing the hormone, and then FIX THAT so that you do not continue to have the same symptoms which are masked by the Levothyroxine which has it's own, long list of possible side effects, and which literature warns that "before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, coronary artery disease, anemia (lack of red blood cells), diabetes, problems with your pituitary or adrenal glands, or a history of blood clots."

You are simply trading one set of symptoms for another, and on and on, ad infinitum ad nauseum.

I stand by my original advice. There has been a statistically significant correlation between auto-immune disorders and meat and dairy consumption.

20yrsinBranson

I have to go with what others have been saying...you are totally clueless about hypothyroidism! Hashimoto's thyroiditis is indeed the most common cause of hypothyroidism. It is caused by an autoimmune fault that makes your own body destroy it's own cells. Diet isn't gonna change that anymore than diet is gonna cure Lupus or Multiple Sclerosis...which are other autoimmune diseases. One can only supplement what the body is destroying.

Besides having the doc check the TSH, mine always checks the free T4 as well. Several times she has also checked my free T3. It all kind of needs to be in balance...not just the TSH.

I've been on Synthroid 1.75 for years...but am being bumped up to 2.00 this week as my levels are low. It seems my levels are fluctuating more since I am premenopausal. Hormones are tricky things that can really mess a person up if not monitored properly.

By the way...it seems that weight is very difficult to lose at this point in my life. Could be the hypothyroidism or being premenopausal...probably the combo type deal though.

[sparksharp]

Originally Posted by ergohead
"In other studies, another doctoral student, Karem Al-Zoubi, and his colleagues have found that nicotine may improve some of the learning and memory problems associated with hypothyroidism, a common disorder in which the thyroid gland makes inadequate amounts of thyroid hormones. These findings add to the understanding of the mechanism by which nicotine repairs damaged brain function, and may one day help scientists design new, safe therapeutic agents for hypothyroidism and other conditions that cause brain impairments.

An estimated 5 million Americans have hypothyroidism, which produces a variety of symptoms, including such mental impairments as cloudy thinking, inability to concentrate, and memory problems. The elderly, particularly women, are more likely to develop the disease. Up to 10 percent of women over age 50 and up to 1.25 percent of men over age 60 have a defective thyroid gland that puts out less-than-adequate amounts of thyroid hormone in the blood. The condition can also strike infants and children, where its effects can be very serious. One in 4,000 babies are born with hypothyroidism. In infants, the condition often results in severe developmental problems, including mental retardation, and is referred to as cretinism.

To study the effect of nicotine on hypothyroidism, the researchers surgically removed most of the thyroid gland from a group of rats. They then treated some of those rats twice daily with a dose of nicotine that produced blood nicotine levels equivalent to those seen in the blood of smokers. All the animals were then given a test that has both learning and a memory phase.

The nicotine-treated hypothyroid animals made significantly fewer errors on both phases of the test than the untreated hypothyroid animals. In fact, the treated hypothyroid animals had a similar error rate to an untreated control group with normal thyroid glands and a nicotine-treated group with normal thyroid glands.

"Nicotine appears to repair learning and memory deficits caused by hypothyroidism, although it doesn't appear to improve learning and memory in normal animals," says Al-Zoubi.

The group is now working to uncover the means by which stress and hypothyroidism produce mental deficits and how nicotine corrects these deficits."

Nicotine Improves Memory And Helps Brain Repair Itself

Interesting about the nicotine! I am a smoker...and my doctor is putting me on Niaspan this week as well. We'll see if that makes a difference.