Have you been told your two main thyroid blood markers (TSH and T4) are normal, yet you suffer with suffer with a laundry list of thyroid symptoms? This scenario is extremly common. It makes you wonder if you truly have a thyroid problem.
How is it possible to have thyroid problems with normal labs?
Let me explain.
There is two forms of thyroid hormone. Thyroxine, commonly called T4, and triiodothyroxine, commonly called T3. T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone, meaning it does not have the ability to bind to cells and create a metabolic response. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone, responsible for binding to cells and creating metabolic responses.
Your thyroid gland produces predominantly inactive T4. This means that we must convert T4 to T3, called thyroid conversion, in order to have normal thyroid responses. This conversion takes place primarily in the liver and gut mucosa.
So what does this have to do with thyroid symptoms and normal looking labs?
The negative feedback loop between the thyroid and the pituitary gland is with TSH and inactive T4. When T4 levels drop then TSH elevates to tell the thyroid to produce more hormone. If T4 is elevated then TSH is suppressed. It works both ways.
So if T4 and TSH look normal on the lab panels, the true problem may never be investigated and the person may go on suffering indefinately.
When there is underconversion of T4 to T3 we can't have normal thyroid responses. T4 does us no good if we can't get it into an active form. This thyroid underconversion issue is one of the many reasons why patients with hypothyroid symptoms go undiagnosed and mismanaged.
So What Causes Thyroid Underconversion?
Certain inflammatory cytokines involved in the stress response have been shown to down-regulate the enzyme responsible for peripheral conversion of T4 to T3. Fixing this problem requires lab testing to determine the source of the inflammation. It is necessary to also test the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis.
By using natural interventions to normalize the faulty physiology we normalize the T4 to T3 conversion. This is one situation where thyroid hormone replacement would not work because ninety five percent of the time, synthetic T4 is administered. Most of the time hypothyroid patients with deficient T3 have trouble with converting T4 to T3, so they need specialized help and in some cases a prescription from their medical doctor for synthetic T3 as well.
Another source of thyroid peripheral underconversion is increased gastrointestinal lipopolysaccharides (LPS), an endotoxin produced from bacterial overgrowth. The primary cause of this is intestinal dysbiosis, or a shift in the good vs. bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal system. Another common reason for increased lipopolysaccarides is Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS). An important research study shows that LPS is related to Major Depression, which is frequently seen in patients who have unresolved hypothyroidism. The LGS problem is fixed by doing advanced gastrointestinal lab panels and normalizing the findings, with natural interventions.
I see people everyday that have histories that scream of a thyroid problem, yet theycontinue to suffer because no one ever looked at the whole picture. T3 levels are rarely ever used in thyroid screening panels, so the T4 to T3 underconversion pattern is rarely found. When it is found, proper testing to determine the source of the underconversion is not investigated. It's a big problem, since this is such a common thyroid dysfunctional pattern.
If you suffer with a thyroid problem and you would like to become a patient at Johnson Chiropractic Neurology & Nutrition, then read the pages about becoming a patient, located on the top navigation bar, or click on the big orange button below. If you have a question then Contact Us.
If you found value in this article, please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know who are still suffering with low thyroid symptoms despite having medical managment. Thank you, help me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living!
All the best – Dr. Johnson – Digging Deeper To Find Solutions
There is an exciting breakthrough that is "cracking the code" when it comes to treating patients who have autoimmune and neurological disorders such as:
- alzheimer's
- amytrophic lateral sclerosis
- parkisons
- schizophrenia
- seizures
- Hashimoto's
- rheumatoid arthritis
- celiac diseae
- diabetes
- peripheral neuropathy
- migraines
- and more
Johnson Neuro-Metabolic Therapy uses a
natural treatment program, which in part, uses colostrum high in proline-rich peptides (PRP). The use of PRPs in my specialized treatment apporach is an EXCITING BREAKTHROUGH.
You know by now that researchs shows the connection between gluten sensitivity and these destructive brain and autoimmune disorders. An important key treatment goal is putting out the fires of inflammation burning within the brain.
The efficacy of utilizing PRPs in treating neurological disorders is a secret that will be revealed in this article.
First a little background on colostrum
Colostrum is an exceptional nutritional substance, produced by mothers for their newborns, that supports and nourishes the immune system. It provides a perfect combination of immune and growth factors including immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), amino acids and other important nutrients. Colostrum is an exceptional nutritional substance that contains vital components known to support the immune system. For centuries colostrum has been used by most cultures for healing and wellness.
In my practice I don't just use any colostrum. The colostrum I use comes from cattle raised in the United States of America and is produced from healthy, nutritionally-supplemented cows on USDA and FDA certified dairy farms. These cattle are carefully fed a scientifically-designed diet that contains the proper balance of legumes and grasses along with minerals and trace minerals to ensure consistently high potency colostrum.
Components Overview:
- Growth Factors: Proteins that bind to receptors on the cell surface with the primary result of activating cellular proliferation and/or differentiation.
- Immunoglobulins: Also known as antibodies, their job is to neutralize antigens, activate complement and promote leukocyte-dependent destruction of microbes.
- Interferon-y: Its functions are important in cell-mediated immunity against intracellular microbes. It is predominantly responsible for the antiviral activities of the interferons.
- Interleukin-1: One of the most important immune response modifying interleukins. The predominant function is to enhance the activation of T-cells in response to allergens.
- Interleukin-2: Promotes the proliferation and differentiation of other immune cells and potentiates apoptotic death of antigen-activated T-cells.
- Interleukin-6: Principle function is to augment the responses of immune cells to other cytokines. It is also the primary inducer of the acute phase response in the liver.
- Lactoferrin: Binds iron and competes with microorganisms for it. Found to have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities.
- Lactoperoxidase: Kills bacteria by oxidative mechanisms. When combined with hydrogen peroxide and thiocyanate, both of which are naturally distributed in human tissues, it forms a potent natural antibacterial system.
- Lysozyme: Protects us from bacterial infection. It is a small enzyme that attacks the protective cell walls of bacteria.
- Proline-Rich Polypeptide (PRP): Shown to support the thymus gland, and may help calm an overactive immune system and stimulate an underactive immune system.
So what makes colustrum high in PRP such a great treatment tool, you may ask? First look at the chart and the component overview above. The descriptions validate colostrum affects the immune system. The bottom line is neurological and autoimmune illness that have a connection to gluten have a common denomonator of cellular inflammation due to immune system dysregulation from gut barrier defects.
To help quench the hyper-inflammatory state that is the hallmark many autoimmune and neurological disorders (with gluten intolerance as a trigger), the treatment of the patient must include reducing cellular inflammation, especially that of the intestinal and blood brain barrier.
To accomplisth this, the source of the inflammation needs to be removed (gluten and any other cross-reactive foods) first. Specialized testing and interpretation of these tests are a very important consideration as discussed in previous articles. Next the damage to the digestive tract that leads to leaky gut syndrome (LGS) needs to be repaired. LGS leads to a breach in the blood-brain barrier and in turn to brain and nervous system inflammation. Thankfully high PRP colostrum is a great tool to help accomplish this important task. Listen to a great BlogPost Radio interview with Dr. Tom O'Bryan on the subject of PRPs and neurodengeneration and autoimmunity
Here are some research summaries on colostrum revealing how it has been shown to heal the GI tract:
- Studies have shown that gastric and small intestinal
injury caused by indomethacin can be reduced by colostrum - GUT 1999; 44: 653-658
- Immune factors and growth factors are the primary components of colostrum. Bovine colostrum performs the following roles in the protection of the gastrointestinal tract:maintains integrity of mucosa, protects against intestinal permeability, aids local immunity, systemic immunity and antigen handling. It has also been used in treatment as well as prevention of NSAID-induced gut injury. - Indian J Pediatr. 2005 Jul; 72(7):579-81
- Insulin -like growth factor, IGF-I, has been investigated as a potential treatment modality for a range of acute bowel disorders in which accelerated intestinal repair and epithelial regrowth are desirable. - J Nutr. 2003 Jul; 133(7):2109-12
- Various bioactive and regulatory components, including IGF-I, exert intestinal effects. Colostrum extract, which contained bioactive components, such as IGF-I, enhanced intestinal villus size. - Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 86, No. 5, 2003
If you would like to find out if Johnson Neuro-Metabolic Therapy can help you with your autoimmune or neurological illness, call 586-731-8840 for your case review. You can also request a case review by clicking on the big orange button below.
Leaky Gut Syndrome, also known as LGS or increaesd intestinal permeability is a major overlooked cause of autoimmune attack and chronic illness. Did you know that during a typical lifespan 60 tons of food pass through the intestinal tract? Of course, along with food there are also bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and other irritants that pass through the GI tract as well.
The small intestinal cells have small finger-like projections that project into the lumen of the intestines. Because of this feature, it is estimated that the surface area of the small instestine is the size of a tennis court! No wonder our small intestines are designed with a complex arrangement of immune system and physical barriers because a tennis court is a lot of surface to patrol.
The intestine's job is to selectively absorb what is good for us and reject what is bad. Talk about a tough job with such a large surface area. Becase the job is so tough, most of the cells of the digestive tract are replaced every 3-4 days and are protected with a multitude of secretions from the cells such as mucuous, enzymes and immune system substances such as secretory IgA.
So What is Leaky Gut Syndrome or increased intestinal permeability? The cells that make up the lining of the gut is only one cell layer thick and can be easily damaged. Remember that the cells that make up this lining live only for 3-4 days and they have extremely high metabolic activity along with intense nutritional demands. Leaky Gut Syndrome refers to how larger molecules can bypass the protective layer of the gut epithelium (lining) and enter the blood. All material that traverses the digestive tract wall (mucosa) is inspected by the immune system, and it is here that the immune system may have its greatest antigenic exposure. Increased gut permeability can permit exogenous antigens (ones that should have been left to exit in the stool) to enter the systemic circulation. If the antibodies generated towards gut antigens cross-react with the body’s own immunologically similar tissues, the resulting process may manifest itself as an autoimmune disease. It is important to note that the cells of the gut epithelium are joined together by tight junctions (special proteins including zonulin and occludin), so that there are no gaps between the intestinal cells lining the gut. The main way nutrients are suppossed to enter the body is through the epithelial cells to be absorbed. In this way the gut is able to strictly regulate what substances enter the body.
Diagram coutesy of ImmunoSciences Laboratory and Dr. Aristo Vojdani
Some of the signs of LGS are as follows:
-
abdominal pain
-
chronic joint pain
-
chronic muscle pain
-
asthma
-
fuzzy or foggy thinking
-
confusion, poor concentration
-
flatulence, indigestion
-
mood swings, nervousness, anxiety
-
poor immunity, recurrent vaginal infections
-
bloating, diarrhea or constipation
-
poor memory
-
aggressive behaviour
-
fatigue
Several conditions are caused by (in part or fully) Leaky Gut Syndrome, these include:
-
autoimmune disease
-
celiac disease
-
Crohn's disease
-
hives, allergies
-
inflammatory joint disease, arthritis
-
intestinal infections
-
pancreatic insufficiency
-
ulcerative colitis
-
chronic fatigue syndrome
-
eczema, psoriasis
-
food allergies and sensitivities
-
liver dysfunction/overload
- kidney dysfunction/overload
-
irritable bowel syndrome
The two most serious consequences of LGS are compromised liver function and autoimmune conditions. These two consequences often lead to a long search for help from traditional doctors as LGS is seldom considered as a causitive factor in most illnesses. Instead the various symptoms are treated with drugs or as conditions worsen, surgery.
The causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome are varied and include:
| The aging process |
AIDS with diarrhea |
| HIV |
Alcoholism |
| Malnutrition |
Burns |
| NSAIDS |
Cancer |
| Pancreatitis |
Celiac disease |
| Psoriasis |
Certain drugs |
| Radiation therapy |
Chemotherapy |
| Rheumatoid arthritis |
Chronic hepatitis |
| Shock or anaphylaxis |
Crohn's disease |
| Toxic shock syndrome |
Cystic fibrosis |
| Trauma |
Giardia and other parasites |
| Ulcerative colitis |
Gluten sensitivity |
The good news is that specialized testing to determine if LGS is a potental source of your chronic condition is a STANDARD test that I employ in my initial assesment of those who seek my care and advice.
If LGS is discovered, there is a specific 6 step protocol called the 6R protocol that I employ as part of the designed individualized treatment program. The general outline for the "6R Protocol" is:
- Remove mucosal irritants
- Reduce certain foods in the diet that can thwart the healing process
- Restore normal bowel transit time
- Replace agents for digestive support
- Reinoculate with friendly bacteria
- Repair the mucosal lining
Of course this "6R Protocol" is customized for each individual.
If you would like to obtain a case review and detailed testing for your chronic condition call 586-731-8840 or visit this page of my website for additional information.
If you found value in this article, please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know who are still suffering with low thyroid symptoms despite having medical managment. Thank you, help me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living!
All the best – Dr. Johnson – Digging Deeper To Find Solutions