Hypothyroidism Research Paper

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. It was named for the Japanese surgeon who discovered it in 1912 The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4. These hormones regulate metabolism. The thyroid is controlled by hormones of the pituitary gland, which is also called the “master gland.” It is a pea-sized gland located in the base of the brain which, among others, makes thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. TSH stimulates the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. With Hashimoto’s disease, the thyroid cells are damaged resulting in the inability to make enough thyroid

Laboratory Report/ Miranda Tefft/ Homeostatic Imbalances of Thyroid Function/ Aline Potvin/ 11.18.2014/ Page [2] of [3]

Fish oil is contraindicated for people with liver disease, bipolar disorder, depression, diabetes, low blood pressure, and people with an implanted defibrillator. It is also not advisable for people with weak immune systems, fish and seafood allergies.

Thyroid research came about after a paper published in 1850, written by Thomas Curling talking about two girls who had severe malformation and were placed in an idiot asylum. One of the girls, 10, could not walk or talk very well; the other, 6 months, “was plump but had a marked idiotic expression, a large face with a small

Dietary approaches: In marginally iodine deficiency areas, decreasing goitrogen level is important to prevent precipitating iodine deficiency disorder. E.g. cassava has thiocyanate which can act as goitrogen and suppress thyroid level. We can remove the isocyanates by soaking the

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a common disease; it is also the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Some common symptoms are tiredness, weight gain, dry skin, cold intolerance, muscle weakness, and hoarseness. Hypothyroidism is treated with levothyroxine, but this medication does not help combat a major problem that patients have to deal with. Fatigue to some is not a big deal. People drink coffee, take caffeine, some take vitamin B12; but then there are patients that cannot shake the tiredness, the unwillingness to even get out of the bed, or even sleep disorders. This group of people had done research previously on patients with tiredness associated with ulcerative colitis. After this research they switched focus to other types of autoimmune

Taking L-thyroxine is the main treatment mechanism; therefore, medication compliance is the one of the most important part in education. The clinical effect of L-thyroxine may include normalizing abnormalities associated with hypothyroidism. Optimal treatment of hypothyroidism may lead to improvement of various symptoms. In neuropsychological aspect, patients may show improved motor skills, myopathy and depression. With treatment, patient’s overall energy level may enhance constipation symptoms may improve and weight problem may lessen if thyroid balance was a main contributor. It has been shown that treatment of hypothyroidism would also improve lipid profiles in patients (Roe, 2015).

The thyroid gland is found in the front of the neck and produces two main hormones. The hormones are called thuroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3). Together these hormones regulate the body’s metabolism by increasing energy use in cells, regulate growth and development, help to maintain body temperature and aid in oxygen consumption. These two hormones are regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus senses changes in body’s metabolic rate and releases a hormone known as thyropin-releasing hormone (TRH). This hormone then flows through connecting vessels to the pituitary gland which signals it to release another hormone. This hormone is known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then makes

Hyperthyroidism is caused by an excess of thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3), or both. This excess is a result of a malfunction of the thyroid gland as indicated by the picture below. There are many different symptoms of hyperthyroidism, some of the most common being major weight loss despite having a insatiable appetite, anxiety, heat intolerance, fatigue, weakness, hyperactivity, irritability, apathy, depression, and sweating. In addition, many experience shortness of breath, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, osteoporosis, and diarrhea. However, those who undergo hyperthyroidism later in life may not experience most of these symptoms at all and instead only feel constantly fatigued and considerable weight loss. Nonetheless, neurological symptoms may occur in addition to the physical manifestations. These neurological symptoms include tremor, chorea (ticks), myopathy (muscle weakness), and temporary but periodic paralysis. There are a variety of ways to treat hyperthyroidism, depending on the age of the patient, the size of their thyroid gland, and their general health. The most common treatments include beta-blockers, which do not actually cure hyperthyroidism but mask some of the symptoms such as tremors, anxiety and so on. This, however, is not advised for those with heart or lung problems. Another possible treatment for this disease is radioactive iodine, or RAI. RAI therapy is the most common treatment for hyperthyroidism

This approach is commonly recommended for the small groupof people who have such low degrees of thyrotoxicosis that ablative therapy with RAI,surgery, or risks of drug effects of antithyroid medications seem unnecessary. Thesepeople often do well with beta-blockers; however, they must be carefully monitoredsince thyrotoxicosis may worsen without warning. Also, the risks of worsening of osteo-porosis and chronic effects of excess thyroid hormone on the heart should be consid-ered. For these reasons, post-menopausal women with brittle bones (see Chapter 14)and people with irregular heart rhythms (see Chapter 25) are appropriately directedtowardRAI

Digestion: Low thyroid diminishes the release of Gastrin, which determines the productivity of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, leading to poor protein digestion, sour belly and GERD.

The central effects of hyperthyroidism are most pronounced in development. Cerebral circulation and oxygen consumption elevate. "In hyperthyroidism, Beta-adrenergic binding sites in the cerebral cortex increases and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) binding sites are decreases." (Bucurescu,2014). Brain levels of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and substance P are altered. Native pain sensitivity and number of opiate receptors are increases. Thyroid hormones affect myelination, therefore increased levels lead to oxidative damage to the myelin membrane and/or the oligodendroglial cells. The neurological manifestation is primarily due to the effect of thyroid hormones on other neurotransmitters, hormones, and generalized increased basal metabolic rate. Some of the neurological symptoms are:

I was diagnosed with severe hypothyroidism in November of 2015, and am among a large amount of people who had displayed most of all symptoms of disease, including a drastic change in my skin. Common side effects of hypothyroidism are hair loss, dry skin, thinning of nails, and sometimes jaundice. To understand why these symptoms take place even in my own body, I read “Thyroid Hormone Action on Skin” by Dr. Joshua Safer. Dr. Safer described the epidermal changes that the skin faces during hypothyroidism are often resulted from the imbalance of the thyroid hormone, which commonly regulates hair growth and can even interfere with the growth of cells within the stratum corneum of the skin (Safer, 2011). As the disease becomes progressively worse, nails become brittle and hard, and both the skin and hair continuously become coarse and thinned.

“The key is to ensure that one is getting the right dose”. It varies from person to person and that’s why typically the medication comes in a variety of strengths such as 25, 50, 75, 88, 100, 112, 125, 137, 150, 200 and 300 mcg. Most people however will need about 100-125 mcg daily. In addition to clinical findings, blood tests are very useful in determining the dose. The goal is to keep the TSH between 0.4 to 2 and free T4 levels on the high normal side.

Omega-3 oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are gaining a reputation for being beneficial for many health conditions including hypothyroidism. It also helps boost your immunity and decreases inflammation. It can ease some of the emotional symptoms associated with thyroid disease like depression and anxiety. Omega-3 oils are contained in fish oil and flax seed oil.