Heart disease and its associated complications are the most serious side effects of an underactive thyroid. However, hypothyroidism has important implications throughout the body. Here are some of the more common effects of an under-producing thyroid gland.
Heart disease
This plague remains the number one killer in this country, and there are no signs of that changing anytime soon. If you asked most people on the street which they fear more, cancer or heart disease, they'd probably say cancer. But for every person you know who has died of cancer, you can probably think of another 20 who are on cholesterol or blood pressure medication, have had bypass surgery or angioplasty, or have died from cardiovascular problems.
Furthermore, while cancer has perhaps hundreds of causes, many of which we don't know, we know most of the major factors link to heart disease. Diets high in fried foods and sugar, smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity are all firmly established risk factors for heart disease. The antidote to each of these is evident. But research over the past decade has identified another risk factor that seems to be even more telling than diet and lifestyle, one whose antidote has until recently been less apparent. That risk factor is high blood levels of homocysteine. This word is likely not new to you as it's been mentioned in the mainstream press. To quickly review, homocysteine is created when the amino acid methionine, found in red meat, milk, and milk products, is broken down in the body. Under ideal circumstances, the body breaks down homocysteine with the help of vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid.
Studies continue to establish stronger links between even moderately elevated blood levels of homocysteine and heart disease. In the 1992 Physicians' Health Study, men with very high homocysteine levels had a risk of heart attack three times that of men with normal homocysteine levels. In fact, an elevated homocysteine level was such a dominant factor that it indicated increased risk even in the men who had no other cardiovascular risk factors.
Because of the importance of homocysteine levels as a heart attack risk factor, efforts have thus far concentrated on lowering high levels through any means possible. And up until now, the only consistently successful approach has been to increase the intake of the previously mentioned B vitamins. However, new research indicates that simply lowering homocysteine levels in this manner may be masking a more serious underlying problem, the one that's causing the elevated levels in the first place. This bigger problem is an underactive thyroid.
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio have released new findings showing that correcting an underactive thyroid gland normalizes elevated homocysteine levels in the blood. Even more amazing is that the researchers were able to normalize homocysteine levels without having to administer any of the B vitamins. In other words, correcting the thyroid problem in turn corrected the vitamin deficiency. (Ann Intern Med 99;131(5):348-51)
This newly discovered link between hypothyroidism and heart disease supports the decades-old research of Dr. Broda Barnes. Dr. Barnes published the book, Solved: The Riddle of Heart Attacks, back in 1976. Based on his research and clinical experience, Dr. Barnes strongly suggested that heart disease was caused by hypothyroidism. Although we didn't know about homocysteine at the time, there were plenty of indications that the thyroid gland was involved in cardiovascular disease. Results of studies conducted as far back as the early 1900s showed the strong relationship between thyroid activity and fat metabolism: Blood-fat levels (and cholesterol) increase with an underactive thyroid and decrease with an overactive thyroid.
Thanks to the research team in Ohio, we now have a much more detailed understanding of this relationship, one that shows a clear therapeutic application. In other words, we can use the thyroid to monitor and even correct heart problems. Any imbalances that may exist can be corrected, not only to stop heart disease, but to improve dozens of seemingly unrelated problems that have a common origin.
Poor Circulation
Obviously, as heart disease progresses, it decreases blood circulation to the heart muscle and other organs. But circulation problems also cause some of the less dramatic complaints of hypothyroid sufferers, including dry, flaky, or cracked skin and chronically cold hands and feet. In cases of hypothyroidism, the skin may receive as little as 20 to 40% of its normal blood supply. This shortfall interferes with the body's ability to warm the extremities, such as the hands and feet. It also impedes the delivery of various essential fatty acids and nutrients, which are necessary for keeping the skin soft, supple, and healthy. Fortunately, these problems resolve themselves once the thyroid is back to normal.
Increased Susceptibility to Infection
Though rarely thought of as part of the immune system, the thyroid gland plays a crucial role in maintaining the body's defenses. Hormones produced by the thyroid help regulate the metabolic rate within each cell and directly influence over 100 different cellular enzymes. With hypothyroidism, individuals routinely become more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections, especially those of the respiratory and urinary tracts.
Sinus problems, sore throats, middle-ear infections, tonsillitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory problems have gone from relatively rare conditions to common and recurring complaints. Business is booming for allergists and respiratory therapists all over the country, no longer just in "allergy-prone" regions. Middle-ear infections top the list of reasons for children's medical visits, and asthma has become so common among adults that it is no longer considered a childhood disease. I have little doubt that a nationwide drop in thyroid function is partly responsible for the increase in these respiratory problems, yet antibiotics remain the treatment of choice for most of them.
In terms of urinary infections, kidney dysfunction and failure can in many cases be linked to chronic infections of the urinary tract that were originally caused by an underactive thyroid.
No doubt there are several other factors that can and do compromise our immune systems, and we're now having to contend with mutated forms of certain bacteria and viral strains that require stronger immune systems than ever before. This may help explain the recent popularity of supplements designed to boost the immune system. What many people don't understand, however, is that all the immune-boosting supplements in the world won't help if the thyroid isn't functioning properly.
If you've tried supplements to strengthen immunity and haven't experienced the expected results, it's highly likely that your thyroid is underactive. After a month or two of proper treatment which follows later in this article, you can expect a much stronger immune system as well as greater results from any immune boosting supplements you take.
Log in to read the rest of this article adressing the related topics below:
- Other Thyroid-Related Problems
- Depression and Mental Confusion
- Iodine Deficiency
- Selenium Deficiency
- Estrogen-like Compound Pollution
- How to Test Your Thyroid
- Treating Hypothyroidism
- How Long Might It Take to Heal Naturally?
