Autoimmune Thyroid diseases and their natural treatment

 If you have been tested for thyroid antibodies and the test came out positive, and if you are experiencing some accompanying symptoms, then this most likely means that you have or are developing an autoimmune thyroid condition. This is true even if other thyroid blood tests are negative, as it’s important to understand that in most cases, the autoimmune condition will develop first, and will eventually lead to malfunctioning of the thyroid gland. This might seem to be confusing to those people with Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis who consider their condition to be a thyroid disorder.

 Even though they are frequently referred to as autoimmune thyroid disorders, they are really autoimmune conditions that lead to thyroid malfunction. In other words, the malfunctioning thyroid gland is usually not the actual cause of the disorder in an autoimmune thyroid condition. This is why it is not uncommon to see positive thyroid antibodies without having a positive TSH, T3, T4, etc.

 How does this process develop?

 What usually happens is that over a period of years, someone will develop an autoimmune condition that will trigger the thyroid antibodies to attack the thyroid gland. Why this happens isn’t fully known, although there are numerous factors that are thought to contribute to the development of an autoimmune condition (poor eating habits, chronic stress, exposure to environmental toxins, etc.) In any case, when the thyroid antibodies go on to damage the thyroid gland, this will eventually lead to the development of a thyroid condition, and thus is the reason for the positive thyroid blood tests. What’s important to understand is that in order to improve any of these conditions, one needs to address the actual cause of the disorder. This is where conventional medicine fails, as most conventional medical treatments are aimed at managing the symptoms of the malfunctioning thyroid gland. For example, someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis will almost always be told to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone for the rest of their life, but nothing will be done to correct the autoimmune response. So the person will take thyroid hormone daily to help with the symptoms while their thyroid gland continues to be damaged by the thyroid antibodies. When choosing nutritional supplements for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis you need to keep in mind that not only are you trying to restore the function of your thyroid gland but just as important you need to strengthen your immune system. And in most cases the adrenal glands and/or other areas of the body are affected as well. In fact many healthcare professionals including myself agree that it is more important to focus on boosting the immune system before directly treating the thyroid gland. One reason for this is because a weakened immune system is a big reason why many people develop Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in the first place.

It is also important to know that it usually takes more than just ingesting nutritional supplements to strengthen one’s immune system. Here are five rules to follow that will help to boost your immune system as well as help maintain the health of other areas of the body:

Rule #1: Eat healthy most of the time.
Rule #2: Take quality nutritional supplements.
Rule #3: Get at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night
Rule #4: Manage stress effectively
Rule #5: Exercise regularly


If you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and do these five things with consistency over time you will strengthen your immune system which will help with your recovery. In addition this will also help prevent other autoimmune conditions from developing in the future which is very common with people who have Hashimoto’s. The reason for this is because most people simply take synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of their lives and never address the immune system component. So if you focus on strengthening your immune system then in addition to restoring the function of your thyroid gland you are much more likely to stay healthy in the future.


The most important mineral supplements for anyone with Hashimoto's disease are listed below. A good multi-mineral supplement is likely to include all of these elements, but you may need to supplement some individually to correct particular deficiencies.



Selenium
This is the key supplement for anyone with Hashimoto’s disease. Research suggests that selenium deficiency may play a significant part in the development of the disease, and that supplementation with selenium can significantly reduce the level of autoimmune anti-bodies – sometimes to a normal level within three months. (1)

It has also been found to improve the inflammatory activity in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, and it activates an enzyme that is responsible for the conversion of T4 (inactive thryoxine) to T3 (the active form that releases energy into the cells and body). This means that Levothyroxine treatment will not work correctly in anyone who is deficient in selenium.

Recommended supplementation is 200 mcg per day; note that this dose should not be exceeded, as selenium is toxic at fairly low levels (over 400mcg/day).



Fish Oils
Fish oils exert a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, and even more importantly have been found to help normalize the metabolic environment.(2) They have been found to lessen symptoms and slow the progress of several autoimmune diseases.(3) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) extracted from fish oil may be as effective as some prescription medications in reducing inflammation.
Octovite contains omega 3 500 mg and zinc


Zinc
Zinc is necessary for proper hypothalamic functioning, which is part of the thyroid “loop” – the thyroid works in conjunction with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland to regulate the metabolic system. It is needed by the thyroid for hormone production and for T4–T3 conversion (converting from the inactive to active form of the hormone). Zinc should always be balanced out with a small amount of copper. In tests, many people with a hypothyroid condition have been found to have lower plasma zinc levels.



B12
Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s are associated with B12 deficiency (especially in cases where the patient has raised antibodies against their gastric parietal cells, which produce B12). This can result in pernicious anaemia, a condition in which the body is unable to produce enough blood cells. The symptoms of B12 deficiency are wide-ranging, from tiredness and headaches to chest pain and a strangely sore mouth (especially the roof of the mouth). The amount of B12 included in a multi-vitamin is sufficient except in cases of deficiency, which requires far larger amounts of B12, administered sublingually or through injection. Anyone suspecting a B12 deficiency should be tested by a physician before taking any supplemental B12, as this would distort tests.


Calcium
Calcium interferes with the absorption of Levothyroxine (even in the form of milk), so the drug should be taken one hour before or at least four hours after any calcium intake. Supplements may be unnecessary, because studies have shown that people with this form of autoimmune thyroiditis do not demonstrate deviations in serum calcium and calcitonin levels during the calcium tolerance test.(5) However, magnesium works in balance with calcium, and many people with Hashimoto’s take magnesium supplements to help with cramps. It also plays a role with magnesium in controlling heart rate. Women over 35 should consider a calcium supplement.


Magnesium
This essential mineral is often deficient in thyroid patients. It helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady and bones strong, and is involved in energy metabolism. It is the “soothing mineral”, which wards off cramps. Like calcium, it plays a role in controlling the heart rate.


Essential Fatty Acids
A blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help hair (which often thins with Hashimoto’s), skin (which can become very dry), joints (which may ache), and cholesterol levels (Hashimoto’s patients have raised levels of LDL cholesterol – the "bad" cholesterol). These fatty acids need to be kept in balance: an elevated omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio in the diet has been suggested as a possible mechanism in the onset of autoimmune disease.


Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Hashimoto’s increases the risk of heart disease, and CoQ10 is excellent for heart health. It has a proven antioxidant activity within the mitochondria and cellular membrane, and is also good for boosting energy levels. It is sometimes found combined with Omega or Fish Oil, Fish Oil COQ10 with Omega 3


Viruses that cannot be fully eliminated by the immune system for example may result in it turning on the body to destroy tissues that are holding the virus. For whatever reason the body turns on itself with autoimmune diseases, it causes mistaken identity, in which these natural tissues, organs, glands, muscles or joints are recognized as enemies in the body and are attacked. When the immune system is operating properly, it will create antibodies only to attack unnatural invaders that can potentially cause illness or disease in the body. With Hashimoto’s, the immune system has turned on the thyroid gland to destroy it.

Here is the regimen that I recommended for a specific patient, check with your practitioner to see if any of these supplements are right for you.

1. I recommend a parasite cleanse first in case the triggering agent is still present. Octocleanse is an Herbal Parasite and Yeast Detox. When you finish this, then start the other regimen


2. Fish Oil/Coenzyme Q10



3. Rhodiganda (contains Ashwagandha Also known as Indian ginseng, this herb stimulates thyroid activity) It was also shown that Rhodiola rosea may be beneficial in increasing energy and mental performance in people with Hashimoto's disease for immune support.  Consult a practitioner before taking this product.  It is better for people with low thyroid, if your thyroid is overactive, exercise caution with this supplement.



4. Maintain adequate vitamin D levels for immune support



5. Add a Calcium/ Magnesium/ VitaminD/ Zinc supplement



6. I recommend the Spectracell test to check nutrient and omega levels so we can adequately address any other nutrient defects and calculate adequate dosages, a telomere test will assess the DNA damage and see if we need to add RNA/DNA to the regimen



7. For those of you with concomitant adrenal insufficiency, as indicated by a low DHEA level, start with a 10 or 25 mg supplement, and after levels are rechecked, dosage may be adjusted from there.

8. To regulate xenoestrogen burden on the body, consider PriVita, an herbal estrogen blocker. Xenoestrogens can cause many hormone disruptions.




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